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Long time Collingwood President and prominent media personality Eddie McGuire willl end his tenure at the club after the 2021 season, having served in the role for 23 seasons.
McGuire on Monday night during an online club members forum announced his intentions to formally step down from the role next year.
“I have given everything I have to this position. Now it is time for me to set the platform for the club going forward,” McGuire said.
“I will stand down at the end of next year and I will spend the rest of my time as president setting up a new era of Collingwood.
“In conjunction with the change in direction of my media life and the timing of my son’s schooling ending, the time was right and the future strong for our club for me to make this call.”
McGuire took over the Pies Presidency in 1999, a year that saw the team finish bottom of the ladder.
Following Tony Shaw’s departure as coach, McGuire helped appoint new coach Mick Malthouse, who led the club’s surge up the ladder. Under Malthouse, the Pies reached the 2002 and 2003 Grand Finals before claiming the 2010 premiership.
Malthouse then coached Collingwood to the decider in 2011 — his last season at the Magpies helm as McGuire had helped orchestrated the coaching handover from Malthouse to former captain Nathan Buckley ahead of the 2012 season.
Despite intense scrutiny during the 2017 season, McGuire and the club kept the faith in Buckley and reappointed him — a move that paid dividends as the Pies reached the 2018 Grand Final.
He also oversaw the club's move from Victoria Park to Olympic Boulevard, now with state of the art facilities at the Holden Centre.
Collingwood also expanded in to the AFLW and Super Netball competitions under McGuire's watch, becoming a financial powerhouse of the competition.
Recent controversy with the club's handling of players during a controversial trade period that saw Adam Treloar, Tom Phillips and Jaidyn Stephenson traded to rival clubs to ease salary cap pressures left McGuire and the club under increased strain, Geoff Walsh recently retiring as Head of Football.
The 56 year old will stand down at the end of the 2021 season, bringing the curtain down on one of the longest and most successful tenures as club President in VFL/AFL history.
McGuire has combined his club role with several media positions through his tenure, including at Fox Footy since 2012 where he’s been a host and commentator. He recently finished an 11-year radio show stint as co-host of Triple M’s Hot Breakfast, while he’s also hosted The Footy Show and Footy Classified on Channel 9.
IMAGE: Fox Sports.