 | ||||
| Full name | Leyton Orient Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The O's | |||
| Founded | 1881; 145 years ago (1881) | |||
| Ground | Brisbane Road | |||
| Capacity | 9,271 | |||
| Owner | David Gandler (via GSG LOFC Limited) | |||
| Chairman | Nigel Travis | |||
| Head coach | Richie Wellens | |||
| League | EFL League One | |||
| 2024–25 | EFL League One, 6th of 24 | |||
| Website | leytonorient.com | |||
 Current season | ||||
Leyton Orient Football Club, commonly referred to asOrient, is a professionalassociation football club based inLeyton, Waltham Forest, London, England. The team compete inEFL League One, the third level of theEnglish football league system.
Founded in 1881 as the Glyn Cricket Club, they began playing football as Orient in 1888 and joined theLondon League in 1896 after success in the Clapton & District League. The club adopted the name Clapton Orient two years later and were elected into theFootball League in 1905. Relegated out of theSecond Division in 1929, the club adopted the name Leyton Orient afterWorld War II. They won theThird Division South title in 1955–56 and secured promotion out of the Second Division in 1961–62, though were relegated out of theFirst Division after just one season, and suffered a further relegation in 1966. That summer the club's name changed to Orient F.C. and they went on to win theThird Division under the stewardship ofJimmy Bloomfield in 1969–70. Orient spent the 1970s playing in the second tier, winning twoLondon Challenge Cups and reaching the 1977Anglo-Scottish Cup final and1977–78 FA Cup semi-finals, before being relegated in 1982 and again in 1985.
In 1987 the club reverted to being Leyton Orient again. They won promotion out of theFourth Division via the play-offs in1988–89, though were relegated again in 1995. Orient gained promotion out ofLeague Two withMartin Ling in 2005–06, before Hearn sold the club to Italian businessmanFrancesco Becchetti, who presided over two relegations in three years under 11 managers, taking the club out of the Football League for the first time in 112 years.Nigel Travis took over running the club in 2017 and appointedJustin Edinburgh as manager, and under this stable leadership the club went on to reach theFA Trophy final and win promotion back into the Football League as champions of theNational League in 2018–19. Under managerRichie Wellens, the club was crowned champions of League Two in the2022–23 campaign.
They are the second oldest football club in London to play at a professional level, and are known to their fans by their nickname "the O's". The club's home colours are all red. They have played home matches atBrisbane Road since 1937, having previously played atMillfields andLea Bridge Road.
Leyton Orient Football Club Limited is owned by majority shareholders GSG LOFC Limited, headed by David Gandler.
Leyton Orient were originally formed by members of the Glyn Cricket Club in 1881, many of whom were former students of theIndependent College, Homerton in nearby Hackney (nowHomerton College inCambridge); an annual fixture is still held between the club and the college. The team has had several name changes since, first as Eagle Cricket Club in 1886, then as Orient Football Club in 1888.
The choice of the nameOrient came about at the behest of a player, Jack R Dearing, who was an employee of theOrient Steam Navigation Company, later part ofP&O.[1] It was suggested that the name would bring an air of mystique to the club, while also referencing their location in the 'east' end of London.[1] The club's name was changed again to Clapton Orient in 1898 to represent the area of London in which they played, though there was another team calledClapton F.C.
Before their relegation in 2017, the O's were the second-oldest league club in London behindFulham and were the 24th oldest club currently playing in the Football League. Following Fulham's promotion to the Premier League they became the oldest London club playing in the Football League. They played in the Second Division of the Southern Federation's League in 1904, joined theFootball League in 1905. By this time players such as part-timeoutside right,Herbert Kingaby could earn £2 4s (2012: £200) per week – payment being somewhat sporadic.[2]
The name Leyton Orient was adopted following the conclusion of theSecond World War. The club had moved toLeyton in 1937, though again there was another team calledLeyton F.C. A further rename back simply to Orient took place in 1966 after theMunicipal Borough of Leyton (inEssex) was absorbed into theLondon Borough of Waltham Forest. That renaming followed a financial crisis – one of several to hit the club and by no means the first or last – and restructuring of the company behind the club; this is remembered for a "pass the bucket" collection that took place at a special meeting of supporters in the East Stand, when complete closure was claimed to be a definite possibility.
The club reverted to Leyton Orient in 1987, shortly after Tony Wood took over as chairman and at a time when a supporters' campaign was taking place in theLeyton Orientearfanzine to reinstate theLeyton part of the club's name.
The1914–15 season was the last football season before the league was suspended due to the outbreak of theFirst World War. A total of 41 members of the Clapton Orient team and staff joined up into the17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (the Footballers' Battalion), the highest of any football team in the country and the first to join upen masse.[3] At the final game of the season – Clapton Orient vsLeicester Fosse, 20,000 people came out to support the team. A farewell parade was also hosted but not before the O's had won 2–0. TheBritish Film Institute holds a brief recording of this historic match and parade in its archives.
During theBattle of the Somme, three players gave their lives for king and country:Richard McFadden,George Scott andWilliam Jonas. Though they were the only Orient staff to have died during the First World War, many others sustained wounds, some more than once and were not able to resume their football careers after the war. Prior to the First World War and whilst on a training run, O's striker McFadden had saved the lives of two young boys who were drowning in theRiver Lea – this, only a week or so after rescuing a little girl from a house fire, when walking through Clapton Park on his way to the O's ground. It is also documented that he had dragged a man from a burning building prior to signing for the Orient.
History was made on Saturday 30 April 1921 when the Prince of Wales, later to becomeKing Edward VIII, visitedClapton Stadium/Millfields Road to see the O's playNotts County. The Orient won 3–0 and this was the first time a member of royalty had attended a Football League match. The royal visit was to show gratitude for Clapton Orient's patriotic example during the Great War and there is now a plaque erected on the site of the Millfields Road Stadium to commemorate this historic event.[4]
Leyton Orient wereDivision Three South champions in the1955–56 season and spent 20 of the next 25 years in the Second Division, before being relegated at the end of the 1981–82 season. They have not been back to that level since.
Orient's golden years were in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1961–62 season Orient were promoted to the top tier of English football, theFirst Division, for the only time in their history, after finishing second in Division Two under the management ofJohnny Carey. The team struggled in the top flight and were relegated after just one season. Nonetheless, they did defeat local rivalsWest Ham United at home.
They were Division Three champions in the 1969–70 season and spent the whole of the 1970s in Division Two. In 1972 Orient achieved one of the most famous results in their history – coming back from 2–0 down to beatChelsea 3–2 in the FA Cup fifth round. On 28 August 1973,Bobby Fisher became the first black player to represent Orient, and would go on to play 384 times for the club.[5][6] They were also Anglo-Scottish Cup runners-up in 1976–77. In 1978 Orient were defeated in the semi-final of theFA Cup, the furthest they have progressed in that competition.
In 1978 the club was indirectly responsible for the albumVariations composed byAndrew Lloyd Webber for his brother, thecellistJulian Lloyd Webber. This reached No.2 in the pop album charts.Variations came about as the result of a bet between the two brothers on the outcome of Orient's final game of the 1976–77 season against Hull City.
In the 1980s Leyton Orient fared less well and after two relegations found themselves in the fourth tier of English football. However, they ended the decade on a high, as they were promoted in the 1988–89 season, when under managerFrank Clark they were promoted in theDivision Four play-off final after a 2–1 aggregate victory overWrexham[7] The early 1990s saw steady progress in the Third Division, missing out on a play-off place in the 1992–93 season on goal difference. However, the financial crisis at the club caused by then-chairman Tony Wood losing his business in theRwandan Civil War led to a relegation back to the fourth tier, now renamed as theThird Division following the formation of the Premier League.Barry Hearn became chairman in 1995 after the club was put on sale for £5 by then-chairman Tony Wood, a period covered by the television documentaryOrient: Club for a Fiver (made by production companyOpen Media forChannel 4 and listed inForbes magazine in 2020 as one of its "Top Five Sports Documentaries").[8][9] Under managerTommy Taylor, Orient were defeated in the 1999 and 2001 Third Division play-off finals, played atWembley Stadium and theMillennium Stadium respectively. The latter final saw the fastest ever play-off final goal scored to date at the Millennium Stadium, as Orient'sChris Tate scored after just 27 seconds. Orient's fastest ever goal was scored after just 12 seconds byLee Steele in a match against his former club Oxford at The Kassam Stadium on 28 March 2005.
After the 2001 play-off final defeat, Leyton Orient took several years to recover from their second play-off final defeat in three years. After Tommy Taylor left the club,Paul Brush spent two unsuccessful years in charge and after he was sacked, former playerMartin Ling took over as manager in October 2003, with Orient second-bottom of the league. After several years of steady improvement, Leyton Orient gained promotion in the 2005–06 season, finishing in third place and gaining automatic promotion toLeague One. This was the club's first automatic promotion in 36 years and ended a period of 11 years in the English league's bottom division. This promotion season also saw an excellentFA Cup run, with Leyton Orient progressing to the fourth round after beatingPremiership sideFulham. Promotion was only secured in the final minutes of the final game of the season, away atOxford United; with the score tied at 2–2 and Orient seemingly destined to miss out yet again, news came through of a late goal scored against promotion rivalsGrimsby Town F.C. that would potentially promote Orient. The Orient fans were still celebrating this when just 14 seconds later,Lee Steele scored to confirm Orient's promotion. The result also relegated Oxford to theFootball Conference. Grimsby's manager that season was Russell Slade, who would later become Orient's manager.
In2006–07, Orient endured a difficult season in the third tier, having spent most of the season in or around the relegation zone and were bottom of the table at times during the first half of the season. An improvement in fortunes after Christmas – including memorable wins againstMillwall,Tranmere Rovers and a vital win at eventually-relegatedBradford City near the end of the season – helped them finish in 20th place, one spot above the relegation zone. Most of the 2006 promotion-winning side left at the end of the season. Some players were released, some declined new contracts and the club's longest-serving playerMatthew Lockwood was re-signed but later moved in pre-season toNottingham Forest.
2007–08 was better, as Orient finished 14th with 60 points.[10] The O's began the season in fine form, not dropping out of the top seven until after Christmas. However a loss of form in the second half of the season, recording only three wins from the last 12 games, meant the season ended in a respectable mid-table finish.
Leyton Orient kicked off the 2008–09 season with a 2–1 win overHereford United at home.Dean Beckwith put Hereford ahead beforeJJ Melligan andAdam Boyd gave Orient the win. Orient then continued the season with multiple poor results and performances throughout September and October and their only wins were away matches againstWalsall andSouthend United in theFootball League Trophy first round. However Orient were knocked out of the trophy in the following round in an away match atBrighton & Hove Albion. They were in 22nd position in the League One table. Orient booked a place in the second round of theFA Cup after beatingColchester United 1–0. Two Goals fromJason Demetriou andDanny Granville in a 1–2 away victory againstBradford City put Orient through to the third round of the FA Cup where they playedSheffield United at home. They lost 4–1 and, after a run of bad form in the league, Orient parted company with manager Martin Ling and assistant Dean Smith. Youth team manager Kevin Nugent was named caretaker manager overseeing three games. On 5 February 2009Geraint Williams was announced as manager until the end of the season. He enjoyed a very positive start, winning seven of his first nine matches and moving Orient up to 15th. After Geraint Williams' positive influence on the team they secured their League One status on 13 April with a 1–0 win over Swindon Town at the County Ground and eventually finished the season in 14th place.
Orient had a proud day when they beat former Premier League runners-upNewcastle United 6–1 in a pre-season friendly match on 25 July 2009. By beatingColchester United away, in the first round of theFootball League Cup, they earned a home second round fixture againstPremier League Club,Stoke City.
On 3 April 2010 Geraint Williams was sacked as manager after a 3–1 home defeat to fellow relegation strugglersHartlepool following a poor run of form.Kevin Nugent once again took control for the 2–1 defeat atSouthampton on 5 April and after the matchRussell Slade was named as manager until the end of the season. With even less time to save Orient from relegation than Williams before him, Slade managed to bring about a change in form that saw Orient finish in 17th place, just one point but four places clear of relegation. In the summer of 2010 Slade's contract was extended for two years. After a poor start to the 2010–11 season, Orient's league form picked up towards Christmas, culminating in an 8–2 win against non-leagueDroylsden in an FA Cup second round replay.[11] In a game described as "the weirdest football match ever",[12] Orient had trailed most of the game 2–0 but scored six goals in extra time to progress into the third round. Orient then beat high-flyingChampionship sideNorwich City 1–0 atCarrow Road to progress into the fourth round where they met another Championship side,Swansea City, at theLiberty Stadium. Orient beat Swansea 2–1 to set up a glamour fifth round tie against Premier League giantsArsenal at Brisbane Road, which finished in a 1–1 draw thanks to a lateJonathan Téhoué equaliser for the O's. This set up a replay at theEmirates Stadium. Leyton Orient lost that replay 0–5, bringing to an end their longest run in the FA Cup since 1981–82. Either side of the Arsenal games, Leyton Orient achieved a club record-equalling 14 games unbeaten, putting the team just outside the play-off positions. However they were unable to maintain that momentum and ultimately missed out on the play-offs by just one point.
The2013–14 season saw more success for Orient, finishing third in the league and securing a place in the play-offs. They defeatedPeterborough United to advance to the playoff final at Wembley,[13] but lost inthe final toRotherham United via apenalty shoot-out.
The2014–15 season saw a reversal of fortunes for Orient after the club was taken over by Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti. Long-standing manager Russell Slade left early in the season and was replaced by caretaker managerKevin Nugent, followed in quick succession byMauro Milanese and thenFabio Liverani before Christmas 2014. A disastrous second half of the season meant that Orient was relegated from League One after a 2–2 draw atSwindon Town on the final day. Liverani, with only eight wins in 27 matches, left the club by mutual consent on 13 May 2015.[14]
Orient finished one place but six points away from a League Two play-off place in the2015–16 season. However, the following season (2016–17) saw another disastrous slump, under five different managers,[15] as well as off-pitch turmoil, including a winding-up hearing against Becchetti for unpaid taxes.[16] Another managerial departure sawDaniel Webb resign from the club, with assistant managerOmer Riza taking over first-team duties until the end of the season.[17] On 22 April 2017, Orient were relegated to theNational League after a 3–0 loss toCrewe Alexandra, ending their 112-year stay in theFootball League. Becchetti who had overseen two relegations in three years, saw continued criticism for his ownership, which resulted in a pitch invasion and protest against him on 29 April, resulting in the game being called off.[18][19] On 22 June, the club was officially sold toNigel Travis, the chairman ofDunkin' Brands.
After a poor start to the season, managerSteve Davis, appointed at the start of the National League campaign, was sacked on 14 November 2017,[20] and was replaced byJustin Edinburgh.[21] Under Edinburgh the club fared better, and spent much of the 2018–19 season competing for promotion from the National League. On 27 April 2019, following a 0–0 draw withBraintree Town, Orient secured promotion to League Two as champions of the National League after two years in non-League.[22] The club also reached thefinal of theFA Trophy, but were defeated byAFC Fylde.[23]
On 3 June 2019, manager Justin Edinburgh was admitted to hospital following a cardiac arrest. He died five days later, aged 49.[24] His assistantRoss Embleton was appointed as interim manager for the new season. Embleton was replaced by Carl Fletcher in October 2019 but Fletcher was sacked the following month after just five games in charge without gaining a win, Embleton was reinstated as interim boss.[25] Embleton was appointed permanently in January 2020 on a 12-month rolling contract.[26] Orient's first season back in League Two produced a 17th-place finish, with the final table ultimately being determined on a weighted points per game basis because of football's suspension due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[27] During this time, the club furloughed all players and staff to reduce the financial burden on the club due to the pandemic.[28] The following season, the club finished in 11th place in League Two.[29] Ross Embleton was sacked in February 2021 and was replaced byJobi McAnuff until the end of the season.[30] In May 2021 Kenny Jackett was named as the new manager.[31] Jackett was sacked in February 2022 after a bad run of form which left the club only 3 points above the League Two relegation zone and was replaced by Richie Wellens who kept Orient up and secured a comfortable 13th-placed finish.[32][33] A strong2022–23 season saw the club promoted back to League One on 18 April 2023, after eight years away from the level, securing their promotion with four games remaining despite a 2–0 defeat toGillingham.[34] Orient took the League Two title four days later with a 2–0 home victory overCrewe Alexandra.[35] In the 2023-24 season, Orient cemented their place in League One for a following season, finishing 11th. In the 2024-25 season Orient finished sixth and qualified for the playoffs. After beatingStockport on penalties in the semifinals, Orient lost the final 1-0 toCharlton.[36]
On April 25, 2025, a US consortium, which is fronted by New York-based businessman David Gandler, has completed a 100 per cent takeover from Eagle Investments 2017 Limited, the club's previous owner, with Gandler owning 78.55% as the majority shareholder.[37]
Following the completion of David Gandler’s acquisition of a majority stake in April 2025, Leyton Orient F.C. announced a six-point strategic development plan under the new ownership of GSG LOFC Limited. The plan includes the construction of a new stadium in Waltham Forest, investment in upgraded training facilities, expanded support for the club'swomen's team, the growth of its youth academy, enhanced engagement via the Leyton Orient Trust, and a commitment to sustainable progress toward promotion to theEFL Championship.[38] ChairmanNigel Travis confirmed he would remain in his role during a transitional period, with key executives including CEOMark Devlin continuing in their posts.[39]
Orient's crest is made up of twowyverns facing each other over a football. The wyvern symbol was introduced in 1976 and is believed to incorporate Orient's links with the City of London – the wyvern is the symbol of theThames, in mythology is the defender of the Thames – and with the sea, through the old Orient Shipping Company. The wyvern on the badge provided the inspiration for the club mascot Theo who got his name from a shortening of the club nickname, the O's. Theo first appeared in the 2000–01 season.
Previous club crests have included a version of the Borough of Leyton's coat of arms and a single red dragon. The club's home colours are all red.[40]
The club shirt sponsorship deals have included tie-ups with Independent Transport,Acclaim Entertainment, Marchpole, Matchroom Sport and PokerMillion.com. At the start of the 2008–09 season the club entered into a three-year deal withPartyGaming.com to present PartyPoker.com, PartyBets.com and PartyCasino.com on the front of players' and replica kits.[41]
During the 2012–13 season, the shirt sponsors wereSamsung andFIFA 13.[42] The same sponsors were used for the 2013–14 season, only FIFA 13 becameFIFA 14.[43] For 2014–15, the club announced a deal with online bookmakers 666Bet.[44]
On 30 July 2015, Orient announced a deal that would see steel distributors and stockholdersRainham Steel feature on the home, away and third kits.[45] From 2016 to 2018, Orient were sponsored by Energybet.com. From 2018 to 2019 onwards, Orient's principal shirt sponsor isThe Sun's Dream Team.[46] For the 2020–21 season until the 2022–23 season, former loaneeHarry Kane sponsored Orient, using the space on their shirts to thank the key workers of theCoronavirus pandemic, and support the Haven House Children's Hospice andMind, the mental health charity. 10% from the sale of every shirt is allocated to the charity named on the front.[47] In November 2020, the club announced a new sponsorship with the British YouTuber group theSidemen, as the group were looking to support a local club and a stadium to record their popular football challenges.[48] For the 2023/24 season, it was announced that investment bankers Eastdil Secured would be the main shirt sponsor.
Orient's initial ground was at Glyn Road between 1884 and 1896 when the club moved to Whittle's Athletic Ground.
Whittle's Athletic Ground was originally a whippet racing ground later known as Millfields and Clapton Orient played there until 1930. The O's also played pre-season friendlies atLeyton Cricket Ground for several seasons.
Millfields could hold 35,000 or more and was quite modern for its time, though larger crowds were typically for dog racing and speedway and was a major London venue for boxing and baseball. As Orient was only a tenant and facing high rents and competition with other events at Millfields Road, Orient owners leftMillfields Road for another racing ground acrossHackney Marshes soon after, having stayed for 30 years. The ground closed in 1969, the Greyhound Racing Association selling with housing redevelopment taking its place in 1974.
Clapton Orient left Millfields in 1930, moving toLea Bridge Stadium which had been used as aspeedway stadium. Orient's first match held there was a 3–1 win overNewport County on 4 September 1930, in front of a crowd of 5,505.[49] However, the ground was closed for repairs by order of the Football League after the directors ofTorquay United complained that a wooden fence was too close to the touchline. Orient's next two home league fixtures (both victories) were held atWembley Stadium, the second attracting a crowd of just 1,916 to see the 3–1 win overSouthend United. AnFA Cup tie againstLuton Town had to be held atArsenal Stadium.[49]
The capacity of the stadium was 20,000 and although with improvements it could have been increased to 50,000, the Orient directors were never content with the ground. There were rumours of a move as far asMitcham or a merger with short-lived neighboursThames but a decision was made to move toBrisbane Road in time for the start of the 1937–38 season. The last Orient match to be held at Lea Bridge Road was another 3–1 victory over Southend United in front of a crowd of 2,541. The stadium was demolished in the 1970s.[49]
Brisbane Road has undergone many changes since Orient's arrival. Previously known as Osborne Road and having been the home ofLeyton F.C., it initially had only one stand (known as "the orange box") on the east side that held 475 people and cover on the west side for standing. All of the standing was cinder banks. The East Stand (also known as the Main Stand) was bought from Mitcham Greyhound Stadium in 1956 and eventually extended to cover the whole east side. The terraced enclosures at the front of the East Stand were replaced by seating in the late 1990s. Over the decades, the west side became a covered terrace and finally a seated-stand, while uncovered terracing was built at the north and south sides. As the ground's capacity was being progressively reduced through changes to ground safety regulations, Orient looked to redevelop Brisbane Road as an all-seater stadium to secure its future there.
The initial plans, dubbedOrient 2000 by the club, were revealed in the mid-1990s. The plans were ambitious, as they involved rotating the pitch and developing all four sides. However, the club's near-bankruptcy and subsequent buy-out by Barry Hearn meant that a more realistic redevelopment plan was instigated. The first phase involved demolition of the South Terrace in the late 1990s and after delays whileNational Lottery funding was unsuccessfully sought the new South Stand was opened at the start of the 1999–2000 season.
The next phase of redevelopment (replacement of the North Terrace and West Stand) ran into financial problems. Notwithstanding that finance for the redevelopment had already been raised by selling off the four corners of the stadium for residential blocks of flats, an increase in costs meant that an emergency general meeting of the company was needed in April 2005. It was agreed that the club should sell a c.999-year lease on the West Stand for £1.5 million to a consortium led by Barry Hearn (under the company nameSamuel Beadie (Leyton) Ltd orSBLL), with SBLL leasing back to the club on a same-length lease all of the stand except the office space for an annual rent of £1. The additional funds generated by this complicated arrangement were used to complete the building of the West Stand. External completion of the West Stand was achieved in mid-2005 and the stand was opened for the 2005–06 season. The stand has a single lower tier of seating, while further up the structure are directors' and corporate hospitality boxes, club offices and player facilities, which were fitted out in summer 2007, prior to which the players continued to use the facilities in the East Stand.
A second EGM was held in May 2006, where it was agreed to sell further land behind the North and South Stands to SBLL for £1.25 million, the proceeds to be used to fund the building of the North Stand. The plan was to commence building the North Stand in July 2006 and for it to be open by Christmas 2006 but Waltham Forest council initially rejected the revised planning application for the stand and its adjoining additional flats. A revised application approved in early 2007 and construction began towards the end of the 2006–07 season. The stand – which has become the Family Stand – was completed before the 2007–08 season, giving the O's a four-sided ground once more, with a capacity of 9,271. The modernisation of the East Stand happened during the break between the season of 2013–14 and 2015–16. Black seats formed a pattern over the other red seats to spell out "The O's".
During the 2008–09 season, Leyton Orient changed the name of the South Stand in honour of the late Orient top-scorer,Tommy Johnston and is known simply as the Tommy Johnston Stand.
On the 25th January 2022, the club renamed the West Stand to the 'Justin Edinburgh Stand', honoring the legacy of the late manager in bringing Leyton Orient back into theFootball League after their short stay in theNational League.[50]
On 18 October 2011, the club submitted a request to the Football League to become tenants of the London 2012Olympic Stadium[51] after the initial decision to awardWest Ham the stadium collapsed on 11 October 2011, following legal challenges fromTottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient.[52] Orient also expressed an interest in ground sharing the stadium with West Ham,[53] but West Ham were not keen on the idea,[54] and in December 2012 West Ham was chosen as the permanent tenant of the Olympic Stadium. Orient chairman Barry Hearn voiced his complaints overWest Ham United being given an anchor tenancy at the stadium. Orient claimed that the stadium was too close to their own, which they claimed would breach FA rules and by extension, move the club into bankruptcy.[52] On 6 March, Barry Hearn stated that he would mount another legal challenge as he believed that the rules set out by the LLDC had not been followed. Hearn also said that he felt that Leyton Orient's proposed ground share had been ignored and not properly explored.[55][56] Orient's legal challenge was ended when a confidential agreement between Orient and thePremier League was reached.[57][58]
The supporter fan-base is usually centred inEast London.
The Supporters club is the official supporters representative alongsideLeyton Orient Fans Trust.[59] that are involved in fans rep meeting alongside the supporters club, the fans' trust coordinated protests against the owner at the time between 2017 and 2019 atBlackpool (along with home fans who were also protesting their management),[60] which included a protest down Leyton high road which was attended by a couple of hundred people. In April 2016 a smaller unofficial fans group known at the time as the Orient Transit Firm arranged pitch protests againstHartlepool United, where the fans stormed the pitch[61] andColchester United where the game was abandoned after a pitch invasion with five minutes remaining which saw thousands enter the pitch effectively getting the game abandoned. The remaining five minutes of the game were eventually played three hours later behind closed doors, the protest brought much needed publicity to the club's plight, with worldwide news coverage.[62]
Notable fans includeBob Mills,[63]Daniel Mays,[64]Colin Matthews,[65]Gary Stevenson,[66]Andrew Lloyd Webber,[67] and Andrew's brotherJulian.[68] The albumVariations, which was famously used as the theme tune forLondon Weekend Television'sSouth Bank Show, was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber as the result of his losing a bet to Julian Lloyd Webber on the result of a Leyton Orient match. Julian later presented a gold disc ofVariations to the club chairman at half time during a game withLeicester City.[citation needed]
Among Orient's main rivals areSouthend United, with whom they contest theA13 derby.[69] The rivalry came about after a period of Southend being Orient's geographically closest league rivals between 1998 and 2005. Although they have not often played in the same division, they have met in the League Cup in 2011–12 season, Leyton Orient beating the Shrimpers after extra time on penalties. More recently, Southend beat Orient 3–2 on aggregate in the 2012–13Football League Trophy Southern Area final.
Other local rivals includeWest Ham United,Millwall,Brentford,Dagenham & Redbridge,Colchester United,Cambridge United andBarnet.
Historic rivals include neighboursLeyton and two other disbanded/merged clubs,Leytonstone andWalthamstow Avenue. The Dagenham & Redbridge rivalry continues the old rivalries with the latter two.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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[71]Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Nigel Travis |
| Vice Chairman | Kent Teague |
| Directors |
|
| Chief Executive Officer | Mark Devlin |
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Director of football | Martin Ling |
| Head coach | Richie Wellens |
| Assistant head coach | Paul Terry |
| First team coach | Alan McCormack |
| Goalkeeping coach | Simon Royce |
| First team performance analyst | Charlie George |
| Physical performance coach | Jack Manuel |
| Head physiotherapist | Ketan Patel |
| Sports therapist | Melvin Hancock |
| Sports scientist | Jack Manuel |
| PDP/U21 head coach | Darren Pratley |
| Academy manager | Mel Jeffries |
| U18 head coach | Mark Timmington |
| Club doctors | Carl Waldmann |
| Kit manager | Adrian Martin |
| Chief scout | Steve Foster |
Source:[74]
League
Cup
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