Like football itself, the rise and fall of Leyton Orient has been difficult to predict. In June 2017, life-long fan and businessman, Nigel Travis, led a consortium whose takeover of the club salvaged it from the jaws of destruction.
In a fortnight, director of football Martin Ling built a squad of players and a team of coaching staff who embarked on their first season in the National League knowing the road to recovery was going to be a long one.
With enthusiastic and passionate owners at the helm, the future looked far brighter for a club who had been stuck in the dark for three torrid years. Despite losing their opening match 2-0 at Sutton United, the O’s gradually found their feet and began September in second place. However, this renewed sense of optimism was quick to diffuse. A 14-game winless run in the league from September 2nd to November 25th culminated in the club parting company with head coach Steve Davis after just four months in charge. Winless and managerless, a dark cloud of uncertainty lingered over Brisbane Road once more.
New man at the helm
Quickly, the search for a new manager was underway. Chairman Travis stressed the need to find the right man for the job, leading them to appoint Justin Edinburgh as the club’s new Head Coach on November 29th. This received a largely positive response from the O’s faithful. Edinburgh’s experience of non-league football with Rushden and Diamonds and Newport County, winning promotion to the Football League with the latter, plus stints with Gillingham and Northampton Town sparked belief that he was the man to lead Orient’s revival.
After falling to a 1-0 defeat at Solihull Moors in his opening match, Edinburgh’s first home game in charge saw Orient cruise past high-flying Sutton United 4-1, the catalyst for an improvement in results and performances which have reignited the flame of optimism in E10. Speaking to Rising East while fulfilling his club duties in the community captain Charlie Lee, who has been sidelined by injury since August, revealed how Edinburgh has lifted morale since his arrival:
The captain’s view
“You start by doing the right things in training, getting the right training schedules, the right motivation levels, and getting the boys doing what they’re good at. He’s done that really well, he’s come in and gave a massive boost and I think we’re starting to get more of the results that we were expecting.”
There have been several noticeable areas of improvement in Orient’s style of play, with a clinical edge in front of goal pleasing the supporters. Since Edinburgh’s arrival, Orient have netted 23 goals in 15 league and cup matches. While out in the community striker David Mooney, who returned to the club for a second spell in the summer, talked to Rising East about what the new boss has done to improve this aspect of their game:
“I think the build-up play is a lot quicker. I think before where we were trying to keep the ball in areas that maybe we shouldn’t have been because teams exploited that. He’s a big believer in trying to get forward, get our front players on the ball because we’ve got ability in the attacking areas. I suppose it’s easier for us to score when we have the ball up that end of the pitch rather than down round our own box. It’s just about getting the ball forward and expressing yourself.”
Steadying the ship
Undoubtedly, Edinburgh has made Orient harder to beat since the dawn of 2018. They have achieved some excellent results against promotion hopefuls winning 1-0 at AFC Fylde, who were unbeaten at home since September, and drawing 1-1 with Tranmere Rovers. Undoubtedly, their away form has significantly improved with seven wins and a draw from their previous eight on the road in league and cup. Looking forward Lee added:
“We go into every game expecting to win. We’ve played every team now, I think a lot of the time we’ve let ourselves down with results but we’re not scared of anyone really. We go into every game looking to win, the best way to take it is game by game and by the end of the season you never know what happens.”
Chance for silverware
To compliment an upturn in league fortunes, Orient have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy and stand just two wins away from the Wembley final in May. In 2012, Edinburgh led his Newport County side to the final where they fell to a 2-0 defeat against York City. After three consecutive away victories against Haringey Borough, Bognor Regis Town and Dover Athletic, the O’s will face Gateshead at Brisbane Road on Saturday with their eyes firmly on a place in the semi-finals. Having scored a stoppage time winner in the 4-3 win at Dover in the previous round, Mooney believes this game gave the team a confidence boost:
“For me it was great, I’ve been training really well of late and I’ve just been waiting for the chance. Thankfully he (Justin Edinburgh) managed to put me on and I came up with the winner. I was just happy we managed to get through, I don’t think anybody wanted a replay so for it to be finished on the Saturday was obviously great.”
Success in the FA Trophy would be a poignant reward for the loyal Orient fan base who have stuck by their club throughout the turmoil of previous years. This had a detrimental effect not only on the supporters, but the players too. Mooney discussed his personal affection for the club with Rising East, and what he hopes to achieve this time around:
Family club
“Just the first time I was here I have a great affinity with it. My kids are Orient fans, they grew up with it in the good times. The downturn over the past three years has hurt us, I havn’t been here for two of them, but we’re just delighted as a family to be back here. As I said for me personally, hopefully I can get us back into the league in the next two years and another trip to Wembley this year would be nice, so fingers crossed that can happen.”
Much to the relief of everybody associated with Orient from the players and staff, to fans and the board, there is no doubt that they have their club back. Leyton Orient is known for being a family club with a rich history, sitting proudly at the heart of the community. It is thanks to the passion of the owners, loyalty of the fans, dedication of the staff, and character of the players that this club finally appears to be heading in the right direction. With a long-term plan in place, a stable structure, solid investment and fresh initiatives, here’s hoping it won’t be long before Orient return to their rightful place in the Football League.
