Essendon coach James Hird has gained more support on the AFL club’s board, with Paul Cousins and Catherine Lio winning election.

While Cousins comfortably polled enough to be elected, Lio beat fellow candidate Ron Gauci by only eight votes.

Cousins received 1582 votes and Lio was next among the nine candidates with 1398.

The election results were announced ahead of next Monday’s annual general meeting.

Kevin Egan did not seek re-election and fellow long-time board member Joanne Albert finished fourth in the polling, meaning she lost her seat.

Cousins and Lio made it clear on the Bomber Blitz online forum in the lead-up to the election that they want Hird to stay coach.

“Paul and Catherine will bring a fresh set of skills and experience to the board,” chairman Paul Little said in a statement.

“I’m confident they will be able to make a valuable contribution to building a stronger and more successful Essendon.”

The election comes as the club’s supplements scandal is about to roll into a third year.

The long-awaited AFL anti-doping tribunal hearing will start next Monday, with 34 current and past Essendon players to fight the charge that they took the banned substance Thymosin beta-4.

There was widespread speculation at the start of October that Hird was on the verge of being sacked.

He decided to break ranks with the club and appeal against the Federal Court ruling that upheld the legality of the joint ASADA and AFL investigation into the club’s 2012 supplements program.

It is unclear when the Federal Court will announce its verdict on Hird’s appeal.