Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy has agreed to a new three-year deal with the Bombers – a contract that upon completion will see him having spent 27 years in the job. The announcement was made official at a press conference held in the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame early this afternoon.

Sheedy’s contract extension will see him at the helm of the Bombers until the end of 2007. Sheedy has coached 558 games and became the third coach in the history of the game to reach 550 games earlier this year, joining Jock McHale (714 games with Collingwood) and Allan Jeans (575 games with St Kilda, Hawthorn and Richmond).

Sheedy achieved yet another career milestone earlier this season when he became only the second player / coach behind Jock McHale to reach 800 official games in the AFL. Sheedy played 251 games for Richmond and at that stage had coached Essendon 549 games. This milestone is yet another pinnacle in his outstanding commitment to football.

Since being appointed as coach in 1980, Sheedy has delivered constant success to the Essendon faithful. Four day premierships are proof that he, as Essendon’s longest serving coach, has been an icon for success at the club.

Sheedy is firmly entrenched among the greats of the game. His love of the Bombers, and above all the game, has endeared him not only to Essendon supporters but the football public in general. As has his sense of humour. He knows this is a serious business – but ""not enough people laugh"" according to Sheedy.