Essendon’s united front is over, with coach James Hird set to face the sack at an emergency board meeting the AFL club has called for Thursday.

Hird is yet to lodge paperwork, but he intends to proceed with an appeal against last month’s devastating Federal Court ruling.

The Bombers have decided against pursuing any further court action.

That has put the two parties at loggerheads, with Hird not expected to attend the club’s best and fairest function on Wednesday night.

Fairfax Media reported Bombers chairman Paul Little and chief executive Xavier Campbell were unable to convince Hird he should toe the line.

“We need to sit down with James tomorrow, and certainly as a board we need to sit down later this week and determine what the next steps will be,” Campbell told the Seven Network.

Hird told the TV station he hadn’t talked to Little, but thought “everything’s OK”.

Essendon icon Tim Watson, the father of current captain Jobe, suggested Hird’s time at the club is likely to end if he decides to take further legal action.

“If he does appeal, and that looks likely, I think that leaves him on the outer at the club,” Watson told Seven.

“That would be strongly against their wishes.

“The board would then probably meet tomorrow night. Expect that he would no longer be coach.”

Bombers legend Matthew Lloyd, speaking on radio station 3AW, agreed.

“I’m sure he knew when he decided to appeal – if that’s right that he does appeal – that it was probably going to cost him his job at the Essendon footy club,” Lloyd opined.

Gun midfielder Dyson Heppell was among the senior players to meet with Essendon officials about the situation.

“That’s up to Hirdy and the club to discuss,” Heppell told Seven of the standoff.

“They’ll sort that out over the coming days.

“As a playing group, we’re still really close and tight-knit.”

Fairfax reported members of Essendon’s leadership group tried to persuade Hird not to appeal the verdict.

Caretaker coach Mark Thompson, who guided the side this season in the absence of the suspended Hird, is expected to attend Wednesday’s function in Melbourne.

Thompson had been tipped to take over as Gold Coast coach, with the Suns sacking Guy McKenna on Wednesday.

But the two-time premiership coach is yet to commit to the Suns.

“Bomber’s been fantastic for the group and he’s done some marvellous things with us,” Heppell said.

Recent legal action was the latest chapter in the Bombers’ sordid supplements saga.

The club and Hird took ASADA to court, arguing the anti-doping body’s joint investigation into the 2012 supplements program at Essendon was unlawful.

But Justice John Middleton ruled decisively against them, despite their confidence that they had strong cases.

The Bombers and Hird officially have until October 10 to confirm whether they will appeal.

ASADA announced last week that if Essendon and Hird decided not to appeal, the national anti-doping body would proceed with revised show-cause notices against 34 current and former Bombers players.

The show-cause notices are the first step in the anti-doping disciplinary process.