James Hird has a lot of very sympathetic fans on social media. Not

OH SOCIAL media, you’ve totally kicked it through the big sticks this time. WARNING: Essendon fans, you will not like this at all.

James Hird considers whether chewing his green wristband will give him an edge.

THE kind, thoughtful netizens of Australia are paying glowing tribute to that great role model James Hird this afternoon with a series of polite and deeply respectful outpourings on social media.

Here’s a sample:

Danks for the memories James Hird

— Matt Tarrant (@MattTarrant) August 18, 2015

As one of football’s true legends vacates the coach’s box having distinguished himself with some excellently mediocre results at Essendon, countless fans are paying tribute to the man who dragged his once great club from rock bottom to the murky zone of mud just above the bottom.

#Hird, on day he was 1st appointed "There is no better time to come to Essendon... It probably doesn't get any more rock bottom than this."

— Joshua Kay (@js_kay) August 18, 2015

As a player, Hird was a great of the game who won a Brownlow and two premierships. As coach, he won the “I Have Lustrous Wavy Hair Which I Will Show Off In Front Of The Tasteful Plantation Shutters Of My Toorak Mansion” award 16 years running. Little wonder many are likening him to Mandela.

Hird was a class act to the end. Always put players ahead of himself. Eventually he will be remembered as a Mandela type figure #standbyhird

— EssendonFanExcuses (@EssendonExcuses) August 18, 2015

Hird was nothing if not a great all-rounder. He was a coach, footballer, businessman, philanthropist, Francophile, the list just goes on. There really were no limits to his passions. People even made a hashtag to celebrate his interest in chemistry.

#putoutyourpeptides #closestthingihad #hird pic.twitter.com/dkCsDd8Tcj

— Kyle Pollard (@KylePollard) August 18, 2015

Hird and his army of supporters were and are a classy lot. Never for a moment did they seek to deflect blame for any of his very minor failings.

WADA provides evidence summary to the 34 players. It somehow gets leaked to the media. Essendon and Hird blame WADA #standbyHird

— Boba Latham (@Deyterkmahjerb) August 7, 2015

Despite his incredible success ratio of almost-but-not-quite winning as many games as he lost as Essendon coach, eventually it was time for Hird to go. As ever, his departure was on his own terms, and carried out with his trademark poise and grace.

Hird on his way out of Essendon... #AFL https://t.co/EXEHkvsDgn

— TAB (@tabcomau) August 18, 2015

It really is just about impossible for the average person to understand why Hird is leaving.

It's sad that you can be run out of a club just because your players have been injected hundreds of time with unknown substances.

— Titus O'Reily (@TitusOReily) August 18, 2015

Make no mistake, James Hird will not be easy to replace.

Hird replacement at @EssendonFC has already been announced. #standbyhird #standbyrobbo pic.twitter.com/3Z4SLanA6J

— Dennis Gedling (@ColonelDG) August 18, 2015

As for what Hird does next, that’s not so clear.

I'll #standbyhird in the centrelink queue. Nah just kidding. I've got a job.

— Geraldine Hickey (@geraldinehickey) August 18, 2015

But before leaving, he couldn’t resist one last photo opp.

James Hird poses for one last photo op with the Essendon players. pic.twitter.com/d4TNkXhokD

— Paul Ryan (@P_T_RYAN) August 18, 2015

The moral to this story? Well, as Australia’s best sports columnist Richard Hinds seems to be pointing out, you can do pretty much anything in Australian sporting life. Yes, even oversee a program which ends up attracting the attention of every drug authority in the country.

Just don’t lose games. THAT would be unAustralian.

It does prove you can do almost anything in sport...except lose. #Hird

— Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) August 18, 2015

Oh, and James Hird does have very nice hair.

Say what you will about Hird but his hair always looks superb. #importanttweet #lusciouslocks

— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) August 18, 2015

Originally published as James Hird has a lot of very sympathetic fans on social media. Not