Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell has resigned as the fallout continues from the battling AFL club’s turbulent week.

Campbell’s departure comes less than three days after he told media he was confident he had the support of the board and new president David Barham.

The chief executive, who was in his post since 2014 and worked at the Bombers from 2009, had been a supporter of recently-sacked coach Ben Rutten.

He was re-signed in May as CEO on a two-year contract until the end of the 2024 season.

But last week’s board meeting, where Barham took over from Paul Brasher as president, followed by an unsuccessful pursuit of Alastair Clarkson, turned the club on his head.

Campbell played a key role in steering the Bombers out of the fallout of their supplements saga, including the 2016 suspensions of the ‘Essendon 34’.

In a statement, Barham hailed Campbell’s strong leadership in reforming Essendon’s “governance, cultural and structural processes” amid the fallout from the saga, and managing legal procedures related to AFL anti-doping and WADA appeals.

Campbell also played a key role in re-signing players in the wake of the scandal, retaining sponsors, ridding the Bombers of associated debt and ensuring the club was a financial powerhouse.

In his parting statement, Campbell called for the fractured AFL club to unite under Barham to help the club find finals success and ultimately, a premiership.

“I hope as much as anyone that we do that,” he said.

“What this needs is; a focused and well-supported president, a board united in its intent, strategy and voice, working in lockstep with management, supported by loyal and committed members and fans who believe in the club, the direction it’s heading and the team that can take it there.

“Our playing group deserves nothing less than this. Our AFLW team deserves this. Our fans and members deserve it and are ready for it.”

The Bombers will immediately commence a search for Campbell’s replacement but in the interim, chief commercial officer Nick Ryan will assume the role as acting CEO.

– AAP