Essendon Football Club Chairman Paul Little has made the following statement:

This matter has been an unprecedented situation for the Essendon Football Club and for the AFL to deal with.

Whilst it is acknowledged that James Hird’s pay wasn’t dealt with in the formal Deed of Settlement between the Essendon Football Club and the AFL, complex discussions relating to James Hird’s legally enforceable employment contract have continued between the parties. It has been very difficult to have this matter adequately resolved whilst being played out in the public arena.

To settle this impasse, the Essendon Football Club has resolved that it will pay James Hird in advance to cover the 2014 year consistent with Hird’s employment contract obligations. This also meets the implied terms of the Deed of Settlement. The implied terms of the AFL sanction indicate that James Hird cannot be paid for a 12 month period therefore he will not be paid during the calendar period January 1 – December 31, 2014.

The AFL has accepted the Essendon Football Club’s position that James will not be paid in 2014, and equally the AFL have accepted that the Essendon Football Club has the right to make payments to James Hird in the 2013 year as it sees fit.

The AFL and Essendon have now both accepted this matter is concluded to both of their satisfaction.