Just over 13 years on from his professional debut, back at his local club, and with a rapidly growing home workout business under his belt, you could forgive Josh Wright if his footballing ambitions were beginning to wane ever so slightly.
However, when asked about his determination to help Leyton Orient return to English football’s third tier, the steely glaze that enters the midfielder’s eyes informs you that the hunger still burns bright and that nothing could be further than the truth.
“This club deserves to be at least in League One. It’s got the basis of being a League One football club”, claims Wright, who was with the O’s when they last competed in the division back in 2015.
It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s all about improving each year and I think it’s obvious to see we’re doing that.
We had the promotion two years ago and then the way we finished last year. I think we would have finished a lot higher if the season was to have finished. We’re showing glimpses this year of a squad with good solid foundations that’s got a great chance of improving and stepping up again.
Hopefully this season, if not in the next season or two to come, we can get ourselves a promotion and get this club back to at least League One where it deserves to be.”
“Fantastic Owners”
The midfielder’s assured tone is rooted in experience. Having played for eleven professional clubs, Wright knows what it takes to achieve success, and he feels the O’s hierarchy possess the required attributes to take the club to the next level.
“The biggest thing of all, which the club didn’t have during my first spell, is the fantastic owners.
When I say that I mean it. Nigel, Kent and the board around them are as good as, if not better, than some of the big clubs I’ve worked at. That will always give you a good foundation and a stepping stone to being successful.”
“Demoralising”
Under the stewardship of Head Coach Ross Embleton, Orient started the season well, remaining unbeaten in their first five games in all competitions. However, they were rocked by an outbreak of COVID that led to the forfeiture of their League Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur, something that Wright still feels aggrieved about.
“It was demoralising because these games don’t come around very often. I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to have played Spurs before, along with some other top Premier League clubs, but some of the younger lads haven’t, so of course that’s going to affect us.
We were kicked out of the League Cup harshly, but we have to accept that. It’s gutting but what can you do, it’s been and gone and that’s now history.”
Following a period in isolation, the O’s ended up losing their first game of the campaign in their return to action against Cheltenham, a match which, in hindsight, Wright felt came too soon for his side.
“The biggest part of it was we weren’t allowed any of our staff with us as they were still in quarantine. It was a very weird period where we sort of had to train ourselves and Jobi (McAnuff) obviously with his experience and being the captain took those sessions. Then we probably played Cheltenham at a period where we weren’t right, we weren’t fit enough, we weren’t over the illness and we hadn’t trained.”
“Disruption”
Orient then went onto pick up just one point in their next three outings, a poor run of form that Wright puts down to the lasting aftermath of both the virus and the enforced isolation period.
“The disruption that the virus caused took the absolute stuffing out of us. It completely disrupted the momentum and rhythm that we were trying to find. Not just individually as players, but as a group, as a club, as a whole.
Talking from a personal point of view, it whacked me for six. Have I been worse before with flus and things? Probably yeah, but the after effects of this virus lingers over you.”
The East London side have since bounced back. Following a 1–0 win at Tranmere in mid-October, the O’s have lost just once in four league games, including an eye catching 4–0 win over Bolton, something that the former Millwall man puts down to the strength of the squad’s mentality.
“It’s a huge credit to us as a group, the way we’ve got over it in the way that we have and put some positive results on the board.”
Next week will be Orient’s first without a mid-week fixture since they entered their period of isolation on September 19, a run of games that Wright describes as “relentless.”
“You can’t beat playing games. That’s a fact. Whether you’re 18 or 38, playing games is what it’s all about. That’s where our bread and butter is.
However, this period has been a little bit relentless. I don’t think I’ve ever in all the years of my career experienced a busier, more relentless period. Even as someone like myself who hasn’t played every game, it’s still a lot of travelling, a lot of preparing and it takes a lot of dedication and desire to be ready and to lift yourself.”
“Having fans is what the game is all about”
Another factor of playing football in this unprecedented period is the lack of fans on matchdays and just like everyone else Orient’s number 44 is hoping for the hasty return of supporters back to E10.
“I love fans, whether they’re home or away, whether they’re getting behind you, or they’re the opposition giving you stick. I think having fans is what the game is all about it, it drives us on as individuals and as a team.
Without them it’s lost that extra half a yard or that buzz from scoring a goal, that lift that you need at the end of the game. But at the same time when I’m out there it’s me versus him, it’s 11 v 11 and you need to want to win and you need to drive yourself to win.”
Wright was the late Justin Edinburgh’s final signing as Orient manager and a close friend of the midfielder’s having spent time together as captain and coach at Gillingham.
Beyond sustaining Edinburgh’s legacy on the field with the O’s, he is also continuing to raise awareness in his former manager’s name as a trustee of The JE3 Foundation, something that he clearly takes an immense amount of pride in.
“It’s a fantastic charity run by a fantastic family. It’s raising awareness for something that needs more awareness. It happens all too often, it sadly happened to a great man in Justin, someone who was very close to many of us and we need to try and save as many lives as we can.
We want to raise the awareness of CPR so people can act and save someone’s life if it was to ever happen in front of you. Also, in terms of defibrillators, getting them into places where they should be, whether that be the high street or local gyms and sport facilities. We want them there ready and available should this ever happen so that we can save lives.
If it’s one life a year or one life a week or hopefully many more then that’s a success to us and that’s why we’re doing it.”
You can help Wright and the JE3 Foundation in achieving their goal to raise funds and awareness by donating here.
