Speaking outside Essendon's base after crisis talks with Bombers chief executive Paul Little, Hird said: "Yes, I am still the coach", before battling through reporters and leaving in his car without further comment.

Little remained inside.

Essendon's media team says the club is likely to hold a press conference later today to address the day's events.

Tullamarine has been swamped with media, including television crews which have set up broadcast vans.

Hird arrived at Tullamarine after reading a prepared statement outside his Toorak home.

On Thursday morning, Hird lodged an appeal with the Federal Court against the decision of Justice John Middleton handed down last month.

Middleton last month determined that the joint ASADA-AFL investigation was not outside the anti-doping body's jurisdiction.

The appeal will be heard by the Federal Court's appellate court - the Full Court of the Federal Court.

In the interlocutory documents he has served with the Court, Hird has sought for proceedings to begin "as soon as practicable" in the week commencing Monday 27 October.

Reading from the prepared statement in Toorak, Hird said his appeal would not include asking for a stay of the notices, so players could continue with the show-cause process while he dealt with fighting the legality of the investigation.

The court says any appeal before the regular February sittings is regarded as "expedited". Hird would need to prove why any hearing should be held before then.

Hird said the appeal is necessary to show how the players and staff were submitted to what he believes was a compromised investigation.

"If we don't appeal, our players may be stained forever by the innuendo, misconceptions and falsities that resulted from an investigation that we believe was conducted unlawfully," he said to the media pack outside his home on Thursday morning.

"At no time during the 2012 season did I believe any Essendon player was exposed to any supplement or drug that fell outside the wider ASADA or AFL code. Two years since the end of that season, I still do not believe any Essendon player took anything illegal and no one has shown me any evidence that would lead me to believe diffierently."

He apologised for the pain the supplements saga had caused the club, its supporters and the wider football community.

"I've not taken this decision lightly," he said. "I believe that this is the right course of action and is the best interests of the Essendon Football Club, its players, the supporters, and the game."

He said the short-term approach would be to plead guilty even though he diesn't believe anyone did anything wrong.

"It would be a lie," he said.

Hird is contracted to be the senior coach of Essendon in 2015, however the Bombers are understood to have called an extraordinary board meeting on Thursday in which it is understoof the 1996 Brownlow Medalist faces the sack.

He did not attend Wednesday night's Crichton Medal count, at which Mark Thompson flagged his desire to remain at the club next year. Chairman Paul Little addressed the crowd at the Crown Palladium, indicating Essendon was attempting to keep Thompson. The dual Geelong premiership coach served as the interim senior coach in 2014, but reiterated on Wednesday night that he does not want to return to his former role as an assistant coach.

Full statement from Hird:

I have today lodged an appeal with the Federal Court against the decision of Justice Middleton in Hird v Asada. I have been advised and believe that there are strong reasons why that decision is incorrect and that this is the proper and appropriate course to vindicate the legal rights of the EFC and its players.

The challenge to the lawfulness of the joint investigation was and is an important step in showing that the Essendon Football Club, its players and staff were submitted to a compromised investigation and were treated unfairly. If we don't appeal our players may be stained forever by the innuendo, misconceptions and falsities that resulted from an investigation that we believe was conducted unlawfully. 

It is important that an investigation based on unlawfully gathered information never occurs again to any person, sporting club or organisation.

ASADA plays an extremely important role in the fight against drugs in sport and must work within the Act under which it operates.

Throughout my playing career I vehemently opposed the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport. My stance as a coach has been and is exactly the same.

At no time in the 2012 season did I believe any Essendon player was exposed to any supplement or drug that fell outside the WADA, ASADA or AFL code. Two years since the end of that season I still do not believe any Essendon player took anything illegal. No one has shown me any evidence that would lead me to believe differently.

I am extremely sorry for the pain this saga has caused the players of the Essendon Football Club, their families, the Essendon Football Club staff, the Essendon Football Club supporters and the football industry as a whole.

I am requesting expedition of this appeal and will not ask for a stay of the notices.

The players and ASADA will be able to continue with the show cause process whilst a full court deals with the legality of the investigation.

I have not taken this decision lightly. I believe this is the right course or action and is in the best interests of the Essendon Football Club, its players, the supporters and the game.

The short term simple approach would be to acquiesce and plead guilty to ASADA even though the players, the club and myself do not believe we have breached the rules. It would be a lie as would pleading out of the proceedings when I, my lawyers and the Essendon Football Club lawyers firmly believe that the investigation was conducted unlawfully and an appeal will be successful.