ESSENDON fans will hold aloft thousands of "Stand By Hird'' posters at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Fans at the game against St Kilda will be asked to hold the posters above their heads when the Bombers kick a goal and also during the quarter breaks in a show of support for coach James Hird.



As many as 10,000 posters will be printed. Fans have donated thousands of dollars for the venture.



As much as $3000 was raised in less than six hours yesterday.



Essendon member Nicholas Fogarty said it was time the fans had their voices heard on the drug scandal engulfing their coach and club.



"After the emotions of Friday night we started chatting and thinking, what can we as fans actually do?'' Fogarty said.



"Individuals have been willing to donate $5 up to $100. We had a business offer of $5000, but we actually turned that down because they wanted to put their logo on it and we don't want it to be a political thing.''

A team of volunteers will surround Etihad Stadium to distribute the posters in the lead-up to the first bounce, while others will be stationed at a reserves game at Windy Hill beforehand.

ASADA officials will interview Hird today over the drugs scandal that could see him banned from football.

They will likely be joined by the AFL's own integrity department and will question his knowledge of the intravenous injections which are banned under the AFL's drug code.

The Essendon champion says he will fight to clear his name over allegations he was deeply involved in the club's supplements program and was himself injected with substances banned for players.

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The fans aim to spread the word via social media to bypass what they see as an anti-Hird mainstream media.

"In the face of oppression it's time to stand together and support the coaches and players who have done so much for us," the BomberBlitz site proclaims.

"Directly under the spot light is our coach and leader James Hird. Who has been unfairly tried by the media and abandoned by the league without the presumption of innocence or proof of wrong doing.

"Show your #standbyhird poster with pride. Get it on camera. Post it on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and whereever else you can.

"Call the paper. Call the radio stations. Let them know you won't support a narrative of presupposed guilt and disrespect towards champions of our game."