Essendon Football Club chairman David Evans has told members at tonight's Annual General Meeting that the club needs its supporters to embrace change in order to enable the club to grow both on and off the field.

Evans said Essendon’s ability to continually evolve is critical to thefuture success and long term vision of the club.

“Aswe’ve witnessed over the past decade, this game will stand still for no one andif we don’t adapt and move with it, we will quickly get left behind,” Evanssaid.

“Fortoo long, too many, have been living in the past. The time has come to look tothe future.”

Evanssaid a number of important changes over the last year had helped build animportant foundation for strong growth on and off the field.

“Wemade a commitment to change the football program with the introduction of JamesHird and his new coaching panel,"" he said.

""Theperformance of the team and overall improvement has provided the club with agreat platform to launch our attack on the 2012 season and beyond.

""Changerepresents a significant opportunity for advancement and we must not becomecomplacent as there is still a lot of hard work ahead of us.”

Evansidentified the club’s move to Melbourne Airport as a critical change for thefuture and urged all members to support the project.

“Inour relentless pursuit of a 17th premiership, we must provide ourplayers with the best facilities in the AFL to give them the best possiblechance to succeed,” Evans said.

""Weare on track to deliver the project on time and on budget but it’s importantfor members to know that if we are unable to successfully reach our fundraisingtarget – the club maybe forced to take on some debt. 

""Ican report that cost savings have been found to get the project cost back to$25m without compromising the quality of the project.

""Atthis point, I must emphasis that if you are unable to give, you don’t haveto.  If you don’t feel it is your issue and you don’t feel as passionateas I, don’t give. But please don't begrudge the club the right for our membersto help.""

Tonight’s Annual General Meeting also saw KevinEgan and Jo-Anne Albert re-elected to the Board.

In other Board changes this year, Paul Brasherjoins as Finance Director filling the casual vacancy following the retirementof long standing finance director Tim Jonas.

Essendon premiership player Chris Heffernan alsojoins the Board and fills the vacancy left by retiring director and formerChairman Ray Horsburgh.  

TheAGM included the induction of four life members – Reg Burgess, David Collins,Brian Rogers and Merna Slattery.