Despite a power cut at Gillingham and a 2-0 loss, Leyton Orient have been promoted to League One for the first time in eight years. Orient’s promotion rivals Stevenage and Northampton Town both lost, as well as play-off hopefuls Bradford City, which means the O’s have no possibility of slipping outside the promotion places.
Whilst the lights went out at Priestfield Stadium, news filtered through that the club had been promoted. The news sparked jubilant scenes in the away end and on the pitch where the Orient players took the delay as an opportunity to celebrate before the game kicked off again.
In an interview with the club’s media team, head coach Richie Wellens emphasised the importance of the result for the fans, “I’m absolutely buzzing for the supporters that made the trip and buzzing for the supporters at home, but I’d like to apologise to our supporters, they were right, Leyton Orient never make it easy”.
The O’s return to Brisbane Road against Crewe on Saturday in what will be their first match since gaining promotion. Wellens wants a full house on Saturday in celebration of the squad’s achievement. “I want every single supporter to bring a red and white scarf, we’ve got four games to go, and these occasions don’t happen very often, so let’s make these next three weeks really memorable.”
Having clinched promotion earlier than most teams in recent history, it can be easy for teams to switch off in the final few games of a league campaign with fate already sealed. Wellens wants his side to remain focused and make sure they clinch the league title. “We’ve been at the top for a long time, but we need to make sure we refocus now, reset, and make sure the last four games we’re at it. I want to win the league title.”
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The Orient manager believes his side deserves to win the league but explained the importance of the time of year and how vital it is that complacency doesn’t set in. Wellens also believes it is down to him to keep the level of performance to a high standard. “I think I’ve got a winning mentality and I think that spreads across to the players, so there will be no letting up. We believe we deserve to win the league but it’s really dangerous, especially at this time of year so we need to make sure there is no complacency about.”
Orient player Darren Pratley spoke to Orient TV and reflected on what was an important night for the club, “for everything that’s gone on with the club, the relegation, for everything the club’s been through with Justin, who set the foundation with the promotion and of course Richie who’s got us over the line, it’s a brilliant day for the club.” Darren Pratley is a man of huge experience with playing in the football league and has played in each division. The unity in the squad is strong, and players like Pratley have added valuable experience to the side alongside players such as Idris El Mizouni who is celebrating his first promotion as a player.
Since being promoted from the National League in 2019 under the management of the late Justin Edinburgh, Orient have spent three full seasons in the fourth division with that number increasing to four once this season comes to its conclusion in May. Orient fans have certainly had to deal with a rollercoaster of emotions in the last decade. Fans have seen their club lose out in a League One play-off final at Wembley after having a two-goal advantage against Rotherham ten years ago, to having to deal with the despair of relegation from the Football League six years ago.
Orient have had their fair share of issues on and off the pitch in the last decade. In 2015 former Leyton Orient owner Francesco Becchetti was wanted in Albania over fraud allegations. Becchetti then considered selling the club after their last stint in League One and when they were relegated to League Two. The fans endured two seasons in the National League before returning to the Football League, and now at the fourth time of asking the club, and the fans can look forward to a season back in the third division of English football.