In 1896, delegates from the stronger and wealthier VFA clubs — Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and South Melbourne — met to form a breakaway competition and in 1897, the Victorian Football League ( VFL ), was born as an eight-team competition.

* 1947 – Kevin Sheedy, coach of Australian Football League club Essendon FC

The Essendon Football Club was formed sometime between 1871 and 1873.

At the end of the 1896 season Essendon along with seven other clubs formed the Victorian Football League.

This move away from Essendon, at a time when fans would walk to their local ground, did not go over well with many Essendon people ; and, as a consequence, a new team and club was formed in 1900, unconnected with the first ( although it played in the same colours ), that was based at the Essendon Cricket Ground, and playing in the Victorian Football Association.

There was worse to follow, with various Essendon players publicly blaming each other for the poor performance against Richmond, and then, with dissension still rife in the ranks, the side plummeted to an embarrassing 28 point loss to VFA premiers Footscray Football Club in a special charity match played a week later in front of 46, 100 people, in aid of Dame Nellie Melba's Disabled Soldiers ' Fund, purportedly ( but not officially ) for the championship of Victoria.

Collingwood succumbed first as the Dons powered their way to an 82 point first semi final victory, and a fortnight later it was the turn of the North Melbourne Football Club as Essendon won the preliminary final a good deal more comfortably than the ultimate margin of 17 points suggested.

A year later Essendon were if anything even more dominant, defeating the North Melbourne Football Club in both the second semi final and the grand final to secure consecutive VFL premierships for the third time.

Two seasons later Coleman's career was tragically ended after he dislocated a knee during the Round 8 clash with the North Melbourne Football Club at Essendon.

Led by Geelong and Essendon, the largest clubs of the VFA formed their own break away league, the Victorian Football League ( VFL ), in 1896.

Essendon League Football Club had lost its playing ground at East Melbourne and had decided to acquire the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve as a new playing ground.

Two conditions were attached to North ’ s entry: one was that the club had to change their uniform and the other was that they had to give up their recruiting grounds to the Essendon Football Club.

Historically, the Club's fiercest rival has been the Essendon Football Club, with whom it shares a geographical border.

James Hird ( born 4 February 1973 ) is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League.

Allan, who has previously played four games for the Essendon Football Club in 1966 – 67, initiated the move, enabling him to be player coach of Eastlake in the Australian Capital Territory ( ACT ) football competition.

Immediately after Hird retired from playing football, there was much speculation as to whether he would be interested in a coaching role at a club in the AFL, but primarily the Essendon Football Club.

On 28 September 2010 the rumours were confirmed when Essendon's CEO, Ian Robson, and Chairman, David Evans, announced at an official press conference that Hird would be the next senior coach of the Essendon Football Club.

Former Essendon players such as Hird, Matthew Lloyd, and Scott Lucas, who had all taken up media roles since their retirements, were rumoured to be the subject of then-incumbent Essendon coach Matthew Knights's heated press conference following a win against St Kilda, in which Knights asserted that he and his players were now aware of certain people's position for or against him and the direction of the Essendon Football Club.

Essendon Rowing Club claim they first sported the colours, borrowed from racing silks.

All of North ’ s players were urged to join the Essendon League Club to help facilitate the amalgamation.

As a result the Essendon League Club moved instead to the Essendon Oval, replacing the ground's original occupants, Essendon Association.

North was now without a playing team and the Essendon Association Club was now without a ground, so as a matter of convenience the two clubs amalgamated so they could compete in the 1922 season.

The Club played against the then premiers of the VFL, Essendon, to be proclaimed the " champion of Victoria ".

In 1997, the Essendon Football Club named the then-triple best and fairest winner in its Team of the Century on the half-forward flank.

In 2002, the Essendon Football Club conducted a fan-voted promotion to find the " Champions of Essendon ".

The team became universally known as " The Dons " ( from EssenDON ); it was not until much later, during the War years of the early 1940s, that they became known as " The Bombers " — due to Windy Hill ’ s proximity to the Essendon Aerodrome.

With the Bombers looking towards a new era, it was announced on 27 September that Matthew Lloyd would replace James Hird as Essendon captain for the 2006 season, marking the end of Hird's reign since he took over the captaincy in 1998.

Despite this, 2011 was otherwise a season of improvement for Essendon and Hird will hope to take the Bombers one step further in season 2012.

* Kepler Bradley ( born 1985 ), Australian rules footballer with Essendon Bombers and Fremantle Dockers

Sheedy's greatest impact on the game has been during his time as coach of the Essendon Bombers.

Essendon is home of the Essendon Football Club ( the Bombers ), an Australian rules football club which is a member of the Australian Football League.

The team changed its nickname to " Bombers " when it became aligned to Essendon.

* Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League, also known as the Essendon Bombers

McPhee got his wish when he was traded to the Bombers in a three way deal involving Essendon, Fremantle and Brisbane.

After long discussions about a new contract with the Bombers, McPhee did not sign a new contract with Essendon by the 2. 00pm deadline on 10 November 2009.

He had an awkward return to Melbourne, playing against former club Essendon, hitting the post twice, dropping marks and kicking out of bounds on the full right in front of Bombers fans who booed him consistently.

Due the feud between the Essendon Football Club and the Essendon Bowls Club, the Bombers will be leaving Windy Hill and they will find a new Training and Administration Base.

The Bombers will base themselves out of Essendon in neighbouring Tullamarine next to the Melbourne Airport.

The town currently has three senior listed AFL players ; Troy Chaplin playing for Port Adelaide, Jed Adcock playing for the Brisbane Lions and Stewart Crameri who currently plays for Essendon Bombers.

Scott Lucas ( born 30 December 1977 ) is a former Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League, and is noted as the other major forward for the Bombers, along with Matthew Lloyd.

In 2006 Lucas had an outstanding season for Essendon ( this, in spite of the Bombers ' horror season ), playing at full forward and being their main target and goal scorer in the absence of Matthew Lloyd.