ROD Butterss and his three key supporters remaining on the St Kilda board publicly retaliated for the first time yesterday against the challenge launched three days ago by the St Kilda Footy First team.

Butterss, Glen Casey, Ray King and Mark Kellett were up against it, and remain so, but launched a credible — if not entirely convincing — counterattack, demanding that Greg Westaway and his team put forward a plan for St Kilda's future to the AFL.

They issued a statement saying, in part: "Members of the current board are deeply offended and outraged by the comments of Mr Westaway, carrying the implication of alcohol and drug abuse by existing directors at club functions."

Describing what he regarded as Westaway's not-so-subtle attempt to link the board with drug and alcohol abuse as a "smear campaign", Butterss said he would gladly step aside if AFL chief Andrew Demetriou's executive judged the challengers worthy of their takeover bid, which threatens to become as grubby as it has been organised.

Westaway, an experienced businessman, boasts a formidable weapon in the recently retired and respected Andrew Thompson. Having Thompson on board so soon after a long career with the Saints has hurt the board and its claim that the football department does not need a big overhaul.

But he was wrong to play the illegal drugs card. If Westaway truly has St Kilda's interests at heart, then it is difficult to think of a more disgraceful, albeit subtle, allegation directed at the club chiefs, particularly when the club has just lost two major sponsors.

Interestingly, he tried to back away from his allegations yesterday and claimed his words had been misconstrued. At least one St Kilda director already has launched legal action against him and even senior AFL executives are believed to be horrified at what appeared below-the-belt electioneering.

Ray King, the club's oldest director, took the reins yesterday on Butterss' behalf. He would not allow any director to answer a direct question on whether they had used illegal drugs during their time on the board, and he agreed that the president's ill-timed public attack on sacked coach Grant Thomas in June had not helped the current situation.

The Butterss team was smart to employ the subtle support of Demetriou, although it must be said that Westaway, too, spoke with the AFL boss yesterday and was assured by Demetriou he would not interfere in what looms as a decision for the club's members come November.

Ultimately, the Butterss team will not go quietly. The Westaway team has no intention of providing the AFL with a long-term plan, although it should be mindful of how much worse Carlton became after John Elliott was thrown out. St Kilda does not have the problems Carlton did in 2002, but Butterss' ploy of subtly threatening the possibility of AFL assistance or relocation should the new team and its unknown financial expertise botch the situation was a clever one.

Many Saints are not happy with the current situation and are trying not to take sides. Stewart Loewe told The Age yesterday he was not getting involved. Ross Lyon has determined tfrom The Age this week.

Former president Andrew Plympton appears to be cautiously supporting Butterss, with whom he is now involved in business. Danny Frawley seems bewildered and dismayed. Archie Fraser and his executive team have engaged lawyer Richard Loveridge to advise them as to the correct legal process over the coming weeks.

Saying nothing is the man who helped cause all this — Thomas. He is the shadow Butterss cannot shake. It is now more than a year since he was removed and, inevitably, now it seems that the board must too fall upon its sword. It was always going to be that way unless Lyon could take the team at least into the first week of the finals.

The four men who fronted the media yesterday all have been linked or remain so in a number of companies and investments. The impression that the football club at times has been their plaything cannot be shaken. Looking back, this regime threatened for some time to transform into a house of cards.