Collingwood is set to cut ties with football director Graeme Allan after he joins former colleague Craig Lambert in accepting a one-year ban over the Lachie Whitfield affair that will also see the Giants player banned for six months.

The new Magpies football boss, who signed a statutory declaration with the club over his role in the Whitfield matter, is almost certain to end his employment with the club as a result of pleading guilty to conduct unbecoming and accepting a one-year penalty.

While club bosses refused to take a position on Allan until the official details of the sanctions were released, Fairfax Media understands he remains extremely unlikely to return to the club after serving his suspension. Should Collingwood remove Allan, the decision would mark a significant about-face from president Eddie McGuire.

Allan insisted to Collingwood club bosses before he got the job that he had done no wrong but now pleading guilty on the basis of the same known facts makes a stark contrast to that assurance.