AN approach made by Essendon Football Club captain James Hird has seen his close friend and teammate Michael Long appointed as joint captain for the remainder of the 1999 season.

Hird made the approach to the club believing that after 17-games as acting captain, Long deserved to be officially recognised in some way for the job he has done.

Hird is hoping to return to the senior action against Melbourne this weekend providing he gets through training well for the remainder of this week. Hird has been missing since round two and Long filled in during his absence.

"We'll be better off with at least one of us on the ground at all times and between Michael and myself there will be an official captain out there," Hird said, referring to the fact he will probably spend a fair amount of time on the bench should he play in the finals.

"He has been a fantastic player and really he has been the captain out on the ground and I have been the one sitting in the grand stand.

A typically low-key Long said the honor had been unexpected.

"It has been pretty hard but but the players I have had around me such as Wellman, Mercuri and Lloyd have been fantastic. I also think the younger players have been fantastic," Long said.

Club chief executive Peter Jackson told yesterday's media conference the club was thrilled with Hird's gesture.

"His (Long's) on-field, inspirational leadership has a large part to do with where we are on the ladder," Jackson said.

"Michael has been a truly outstanding servant of the Essendon Football Club. I guess it is only fair that the official record books at the end of the season show Michael's official contribution to that effort. We hope that on the last day of September we might see both of them there holding up the premiership cup."