With Gary Pert recently leaving Collingwood after 10 years as the club’s CEO, the Pies are looking for his replacement, and former football operations boss of the AFL Simon Lethlean is reportedly at the top of their list.

Lethlean was sensationally sacked from the AFL in July after it was revealed he had been involved in an affair with a female staff member, but could find himself back in the AFL system should the Pies come calling.

“I believe that they have spoken to Simon Lethlean,” Essendon champion Tim Watson told SEN Breakfast on Tuesday morning.

SEN Breakfast newsbreaker Sam McClure confirmed Watson’s claims, and says Lethlean could very well be at the top of their list.

“I think Simon Lethlean is very much at the top of the list (of those they are considering),” McClure said.

“They are aided in their position that Peter Murphy is in the interim role as chief executive, so he can hold that role for almost as long as he likes (until they find a replacement).”

The Pies will hold a scheduled board meeting on Tuesday night, where football boss Geoff Walsh will update the board with the progress of the ongoing review of the football department.

While Nathan Buckley’s future may not be a topic of conversation at the meeting, it will certainly need to be soon, given Collingwood’s season ends on Saturday against Melbourne.

As the days go by, it looks likely that Buckley will survive and will be handed a two-year contract extension.