Collingwood Football Club confirms that Director of Football Neil Balme will depart for a new role at Richmond Football Club.

Balme returned to the Pies at the end of 2014 after a previous stint in black and white where, as head of football, he helped guide the club to grand finals in 2002 and 2003.

Balme’s vast experience and wise counsel was a certain asset to coach Nathan Buckley and the football department which is why, in part, he was recently offered the role of Director of Coaching, where his focus was to lie with the welfare, support and education of Collingwood’s coaching staff.

Collingwood CEO Gary Pert confirmed Balme had opted not to take on the new position.

“There is no doubt that ‘Balmey’ would have added some real value to the program in a newly created role as Director of Coaching however we respect his decision and thank him for his friendship and service to the Collingwood Football Club over the past two years,” Pert said.