ESSENDON has significantly boosted its off-field team with the signings of Alan Richardson as an assistant coach and Paul Hamilton to the role of football operations manager.

Richardson is highly respected in AFL circles for his work as a development manager at Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs and he was delighted to be joining Matthew Knights' coaching panel.

"I have always had massive respect for Essendon with the success they have had and the success they demand," Richardson said.

"The last time Collingwood played the Bombers I couldn't help but be impressed with the young playing list. I believe the Essendon group is going in the right direction and I want to play a role assisting Matthew Knights and the other coaches in further developing the list.

"Having achieved what I set out to achieve at Collingwood with setting up their academy, now is a good time for a change and I am very excited by this new opportunity."

Hamilton has spent the past four years as an assistant to Neil Craig at Adelaide with his coaching experience also including a four-season stint at North Melbourne, a four-year tenure as senior coach at Tasmanian club Glenorchy and one year in charge of SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens.

He played 105 games for the Bombers between 1986 and 1992 and is pleased to be returning to the club where it all started for him.

"I have worked under three senior coaches, and in different environments and cultures, so I bring a bit of experience and strategic awareness of where we can go as a football department," Hamilton told the official club website.

"Fortunately there are still a few staff members at Windy Hill that I know from my playing days. I grew up near the club in Ascot Vale and it’s been a long journey from when I first played under-19s at Essendon in 1984 so I am excited to take on this new role and come back to my football roots."

Essendon chief operating officer Travis Auld felt the signings would considerably enhance the club's bid to regain its super power status.

"This is a further investment by the club in fast tracking the developing of our list, on and off-field," he said.

"Alan's appointment, along with the recent appointments of Stuart Cormack and Paul Hamilton, allows us to approach 2009 with the confidence that we can really build on what we have achieved this year."

Both Richardson and Hamilton departed their former roles with the best wishes of the clubs.

"Three years ago Alan was asked to set up our athlete development academy, which is now fully established and operational, and is widely considered a benchmark program in the industry," said Collingwood CEO Gary Pert.

"The Collingwood Football Club would like to thank Alan for his three-year contribution and we support and were always aware that Alan was intending on exploring a career path into a more traditional coaching role, once our academy was established."