Relationship with Essendon Football Club

The EFCPP&OA has always had a great relationship with the Essendon Football Club and on many occasions have worked together to achieve specific outcomes. For instance, from the time that the EFCPP&OA was formed, the EFC supplied 60 seats for past players at home games at Essendon and this arrangement still applies at the MCG and Etihad Stadiums.

Some other major joint programs include:

EFC Past Players Foundation Trust

In 2004 the EFCPP&OA approached the EFC with a proposal to jointly develop a past players foundation trust to assist past players who were suffering financial hardship and were not able to maintain their normal living standards. The EFC agreed to this proposal and the EFC Past Players Foundation Trust was formed, with each group donating $25,000 to initiate the fund. The topping up of this fund, on a year by year basis, is provided by profits generated by the Dick Reynolds Club functions. Since the start of the EFC Past Players Foundation Trust a number of past players and their immediate families have been assisted.

The EFCPP&OA are extremely grateful to the EFC and Committee of the Dick Reynolds Club for their great ongoing support of the EFCPP&OA.

The current Trustees of the EFC Past Players Foundation Trust are Ray Horsburgh, Greg Brown and Barry Capuano.

The EFC initiated the presentation of Debut Jumpers for all living past players of the Club in 2003.

The Debut Jumper represents an historical and performance record of each individual. The reference to Debut actually refers to the number that the player was registered with the VFL/AFL, and as only 1104 players (to the end of 2012 have represented the EFC since the formation of the VFL in 1897, it is easy to understand why the recipients so highly regard these presentations, particularly as this is unique within the AFL industry.