Essendon Football club will now call Melbourne Airport home after leaving Windy Hill

THE Bombers have officially flown the coop and will land at their new Melbourne Airport home today.

Essendon great Jack Jones, 88.

THE Bombers have officially flown the coop and land at their new Melbourne Airport home today.

But Essendon Football Club's general manager of special projects, Xavier Campbell, said they would deliver strong community services at Windy Hill.

"It's very exciting having seen the quality of the new facility, but it's also really important that Windy Hill remains a strong focus," Mr Campbell said.

"It's our spiritual home and always will be. There's still some really strong community elements we want to deliver through the foothold at Windy Hill."

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The club signed a 21-year lease at the site in 2010, which it has vowed to see out.

It will train at its new sports centre, which includes two AFL-sized ovals and indoor training spaces, medical services and a gym almost three times the size of the Windy Hill gym.

About 3000sq m of space is available at Windy Hill.

Mr Campbell said there had been discussions with Moonee Valley Council and other groups about potential businesses to open on-site, which could include medical and health services or childcare facilities.

The field would also remain a "quasi" home ground for Essendon District Football League.

The Bomber Shop and the fitness centre will remain at Windy Hill.

"While it's sad in some respect we're moving, we're going to have a strong presence on the field," Mr Campbell said.

"It's an important strategic movement to hopefully get us to our 17th premiership."

The club is still aiming to raise about $4.8 million towards the new facility via its "Flight Plan" campaign to pay off its debt.

Essendon great Jack Jones, 88.

JACK Jones' first memory of Windy Hill is of being an eight-year-old Essendon supporter watching his first game.

"My father asked if I wanted to go to Windy Hill. He said they had a great new recruit called Dick Reynolds. It was Easter Saturday, 80 years ago," Mr Jones said.

Weeks shy of his 89th birthday, he said the stadium held a lifetime of memories.

"I can't get out there enough. It's like my own home," Mr Jones said.

Mr Jones would himself become an Essendon great. After serving in World War II in the 24th infantry battalion in New Guinea and Bougainville, he joined the Bombers at 21 and become a three-time premiership player; playing 175 games, kicking 156 goals.

"When I played my first game at Essendon, thoughts run through your mind: that a few years ago you were standing on the other side of the fence barracking for the Bombers and adored all the players … then you became one of them," he said.

Mr Jones has taken fans through tours of Windy Hill for the past 18 years, telling them the history of the stadium and showing them the Hall of Fame, which he was inducted into last year.

The Bombers established the Jack Jones Academy for its young players in 2010.

Mr Jones said while it would be sad to leave Windy Hill it was important to grow with the times and have the best facilities possible.

"It's hard to visualise that you're leaving Windy Hill. I know it like my own life when I talk about it because when you've been connected with it nearly 70 years you're dedicated to the place," he said.

"It'll build up its own history well and truly after I've gone and other people will be taking them through and talking about the history of when it started and what they've added since the opening day. It'll be good."