A SHELLSHOCKED Rod Butterss was last night preparing to propose a succession plan for the St Kilda presidency despite being urged to resign by club figures, including the powerful Fox family.

The embattled president did not return calls yesterday, but called a press conference for this morning at the club's Moorabbin headquarters. He assured people around him, including senior AFL figures, that he did not intend to stand down.

Butterss is attempting to recruit Ansett administrator Mark Mentha and lawyer Nick Stretch as new directors, as the challenge from rival group Footy First, which is headed by transport boss Greg Westaway, grows increasingly bitter.

Mentha could not be contacted last night, but is said to be considering his position.

St Kilda members yesterday received a thick package from Footy First, containing the ticket's manifesto and prominently featuring the image of potential director Andrew Thompson, who is only a fortnight retired from the game.

Another member of the Footy First ticket, former St Kilda captain Nathan Burke, said his group was unlikely to accept any compromise offers. He also denied Westaway's public commitment to a drug and alcohol policy, which reportedly infuriated Butterss, was a political tactic.

"We had a meeting and Greg just said, 'Guys, one small point, on my board at Gregorys we have a no drug, no drinking policy and we've got to set the standard here, is everyone OK with that?'

"Me being a non-drinker made a feeble attempt at humour and said, 'No I'm not OK with that.' Everybody laughed and that was the end of it. In terms of it being tactical or pointed at anyone in particular, it certainly has never been portrayed to me that way. I wouldn't take it as innuendo or an affront. It's not designed to do that."

While Butterss remained silent yesterday, Westaway took to the airwaves to defend his remarks. "There has been innuendo and rumour and I stress, again, it is only innuendo and rumour, it's nothing else. So nobody should take offence at it," Westaway said on SEN. "If it was me, I'd be jumping on the bandwagon and saying 'what a good idea'."

While Footy First is hoping the defiant president will stand down, Burke said the group intended to see its campaign through to the November 12 extraordinary general meeting, where the group will try to replace Butterss and four other directors. "I'm very positive we have set ourselves on a course and we want to see that course through. Compromises aren't what's needed at this stage, it's definitely time for change. Our vision at the moment is to finish the course we set out and not to entertain any compromise," Burke said.

Footy First has criticised the current administration for focusing too heavily on reducing the club's debt at the expense of on-field success. Butterss is said to have spent much of yesterday in meetings with his fellow directors, exactly a year after he sensationally announced the sacking of coach Grant Thomas.

The fallout of that decision continues, with Thomas suing the club for more than $250,000. Stretch, a banking and finance expert who appeared for Butterss in a private dispute with Thomas, is representing the club.

Most St Kilda figures declined to comment yesterday on the club's latest crisis, and former coach Stan Alves could only say: "Nothing amazes me. Just another sorry saga."