Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy has urged Bomber fans to get behind the club and buy a membership on the eve of the club's clash with Carlton tomorrow night. At a joint press conference with Carlton coach Denis Pagan, Sheedy was asked what he thought about the fact that Collingwood was about to break the Bombers' membership record. ""I think it is fantastic for them but our Bomber fans might just lengthen stride in the next month and catch them,"" Sheedy said.

""I still think we have an opportunity to get to 40,000 - it is memberships equivalent of the four-minute mile,"" Sheedy said. As it stands, Essendon's membership is just under 30,000.

""I think they have done very well at Collingwood. We have been up there for quite some time, knocking on the door and trying to get past 40,000 members. Collingwood haven't been up there in the finals that often and they will get close this year because they have great fans. They have won one Premiership in the last 40 years and they are going to have the record membership for a Victorian club - that is a fantastic effort.""