Welcome to the latest instalment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this chapter, we travelled to East London for some Sky Bet League One action as Leyton Orient took on Cheltenham Town at Brisbane Road.
It's All In The Name
According to the 12 history books produced on the club by its historian Neilson N. Kaufman between 1974 and 2015, the name Orient was chosen at the request of a player, Jack R Dearing, who worked for the Orient Steam Navigation Company, subsequently part of P&O - Peninsular & Oriental. In 1898, the club's name was changed to Clapton Orient to reflect the district of London in which they played, albeit there was another team called Clapton F.C. at the time.
Following the end of World War II, the name Leyton Orient was chosen. The club relocated to Leyton in 1937, albeit there was another team called Leyton F.C. at the time. After the Borough of Leyton (in Essex) was amalgamated into the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the name was changed back to Orient. That renaming came after 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 at a special meeting of supporters in the East Stand, when complete closure was claimed to be a definite possibility.
The club's name was changed back to Leyton Orient in 1987, shortly after Tony Wood took over as chairman and during a supporters' campaign in the Leyton Orientear fanzine to restore the Leyton component of the club's name.
Some Notable People From Leyton:
Iron Maiden- Band
Curtis Davies- Footballer
Benik Afobe- Footballer
Henry Beck- The Creator Of The London Underground Map
Gunshot- Hip Hop Group
Some Notable Former Players
Stan Charlton
Jamie Cureton
Laurie Cunningham
Adebayo Akinfenwa
Justin Fashanu
Harry Kane
Kevin Nolan
Les Sealey
Peter Shilton
Dean Smith
Andros Townsend
Ray Wilkins
A History Lesson From The Gloucester Groundhopper
Leyton Orient were founded in 1881 by members of the Glyn Cricket Club, many of whom were former students of the adjacent Independent institution, Homerton (now Homerton College in Cambridge); an annual game between the club and the institution is still maintained. Since then, the squad has gone by numerous names, first as Eagle Cricket Club in 1886, then as Orient Football Club in 1888.
The 1914-15 football season was the last before the league was interrupted due to the onset of World War I. The Clapton Orient team and staff enlisted in the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (the Footballers' Battalion), the most of any football team in the country and the first to do so in bulk. 20,000 spectators were up to support the team in the final game of the season, Clapton Orient vs Leicester Fosse. A farewell procession was also held, but only after the Orioles had won 2-0. In its archives, the British Film Institute has a small recording of this historic match and parade.
Three players dedicated their life for king and country during the Battle of the Somme: Richard McFadden, George Scott, and William Jonas. Though these were the only Orient players to die during the First World War, many more were injured, some multiple times, and were unable to resume their football careers after the war. Prior to the First World War, O's striker McFadden saved the lives of two young boys who were drowning in the River Lea while on a training run - this only a week or so after rescuing a small girl from a house fire while going through Clapton Park on his way to the O's field. Prior to joining the Orient, he is said to have dragged a man from a burning building.
On Saturday 30 April 1921, the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, paid a visit at Clapton Stadium/Millfields Road to watch the O's play Notts County. The Orient triumphed 3-0, and it was the first occasion a member of the royal family had watched a Football League game. The royal visit was to express gratitude for Clapton Orient's patriotic example during the Great War, and a plaque commemorating this historic event has been built on the site of the Millfields Road Stadium. Leyton Orient won Division Three South in 1955-56 and remained in the Second Division for 20 of the next 25 years before being relegated at the end of the 1981-82 season. They have not reached that level since.
The 1960s and 1970s were Orient's golden years. After finishing second in Division Two under Johnny Carey, Orient were promoted to the top division of English football, the First Division, for the first time in their history in 1961-62. The squad failed in the First Division and was demoted after only one season. Despite this, they defeated local rivals West Ham United at home.
They won Division Three in 1969-70 and spent the remainder of the decade in Division Two. In 1972, Orient produced one of their most historic results, coming back from 2-0 down to defeat Chelsea 3-2 in the FA Cup fifth round. They also finished second in the Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1976-77. Orient were eliminated in the FA Cup semi-finals in 1978, their highest level of progression in that tournament.
In 1978, the club was partially responsible for Andrew Lloyd Webber's album Variations, which he wrote for his brother, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. This album peaked at No. 2 on the pop album charts. A bet between the two brothers on the outcome of Orient's final game of the 1976-77 season against Hull City resulted in variations.
In the 1980s, Leyton Orient struggled and ended up in the fourth tier of English football after two relegations. They did, however, end the decade on a high note, as they were promoted in the 1988-89 season, when they were promoted in the Division Four Play-Off Final following a 2-1 aggregate victory over Wrexham F.C. under manager Frank Clark.
The early 1990s saw steady development in the Third Division, with the club narrowly missing out on a play-off spot in the 1992-93 season due to goal difference. However, the club's financial difficulties resulted in relegation back to the fourth tier, now dubbed the Third Division following the establishment of the Premier League. Barry Hearn became chairman in 1995, after then-chairman Tony Wood put the club up for sale for £5, a period covered by the television documentary Orient: Club for a Fiver (produced by Open Media for Channel 4 and named one of Forbes magazine's "Top Five Sports Documentaries" in 2020). Orient were defeated in the 1999 and 2001 Third Division play-off finals at Wembley Stadium and the Millennium Stadium, respectively, under manager Tommy Taylor. The latter final marked the fastest play-off final goal ever scored at the Millennium Stadium, as Orient's Chris Tate scored after only 27 seconds. Lee Steele scored Orient's fastest goal ever in a match against his previous club Oxford at The Kassam Stadium on March 28, 2005, after only 12 seconds.
Leyton Orient took several years to recover from their second play-off final defeat in three years after losing in 2001. After Tommy Taylor departed the club, Paul Brush managed the club for two years until being fired. Former player Martin Ling took over as manager in October 2003, with Orient second-bottom of the league. After several years of steady growth, Leyton Orient achieved promotion to League One in the 2005-06 season, finishing third and securing automatic promotion. This was the club's first automatic promotion in 36 years.
Promotion was only secured in the final minutes of the season's final game, away at Oxford United; with the score tied at 2-2 and Orient seemingly destined to miss out again, news of a late goal scored against promotion rivals Grimsby Town F.C that would potentially promote Orient came through.
Orient had a rough season in the third division in 2006-07, spending most of the season in or around the relegation zone and finishing bottom of the table at times during the first half of the season. After Christmas, they improved their fortunes, with notable wins against Millwall, Tranmere Rovers, and a crucial win at eventually-relegated Bradford City near the end of the season, helping them finish in 20th position, one spot above the relegation zone. The majority of the team that won promotion in 2006 left at the end of the season.
After a run of poor results in the league, Orient parted ways with manager Martin Ling and assistant Dean Smith. Geraint Williams was named manager till the conclusion of the season on February 5, 2009. After Geraint Williams' good influence on the club, they confirmed their League One status on 13 April with a 1-0 win over Swindon Town at the County Ground and finished 14th.
Geraint Williams was sacked as manager on 3 April 2010 following a 3-1 home defeat to fellow relegation strugglers Hartlepool. Kevin Nugent took charge again for the 2-1 defeat at Southampton on 5 April, and Russell Slade was named manager till the end of the season following the game. Slade, who had even less time than Williams to preserve Orient from relegation, managed to bring about a change in form that saw Orient end in 17th position, one point but four places above relegation.
Slade's contract was extended for another two years in the summer of 2010. After a slow start to the 2010-11 season, Orient's league form improved towards the end of the season, ending in an 8-2 FA Cup second round replay victory over non-league Droylsden. In what has been termed as "the strangest football match ever," Orient trailed for the whole of the game 2-0 before scoring six goals in extra time to advance to the third round. Orient then defeated high-flying Championship side Norwich City 1-0 at Carrow Road to get to the fourth round, where they faced Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
Orient defeated Swansea 2-1 to set up a fifth-round meeting at Brisbane Road against Premier League rivals Arsenal, which ended in a 1-1 draw due to a late Jonathan Téhoué equaliser for the O's. This forced a rematch at the Emirates Stadium. Leyton Orient lost the rematch 0-5, ending their longest FA Cup run since 1981-82. Leyton Orient went 14 games unbeaten on either side of the Arsenal games, putting the team close outside the play-off spots. However, they were unable to sustain their momentum and were eliminated from the play-offs by a single point.
Orient had even more success in the 2013-14 season, finishing third in the league and qualifying for the play-offs. They defeated Peterborough United to reach the Wembley playoff final, but were defeated on penalties by Rotherham United.
The 2014-15 season saw Orient's fortunes reverse when the club was purchased by Italian billionaire Francesco Becchetti. Russell Slade, the club's long-serving manager, resigned early in the season and was replaced by interim manager Kevin Nugent, who was quickly replaced by Mauro Milanese and then Fabio Liverani before Christmas 2014. After a 2-2 draw at Swindon Town on the penultimate day, Orient were relegated from League One due to a terrible second half of the season. Liverani left the club by mutual consent on May 13, 2015, after only eight wins in 27 matches.
In the 2015-16 season, Orient ended one place but six points short of a League Two play-off spot. Daniel Webb resigned from the club, with assistant manager Omer Riza taking over.After a 3-0 loss against Crewe Alexandra on April 22, 2017, Orient were relegated to the National League, ending their 112-year stint in the Football League. Becchetti, who had presided over two relegations in three years, faced ongoing criticism for his ownership, which resulted in a pitch invasion and protest against him on April 29, forcing the game to be called off.
Manager Steve Davis, who was appointed at the beginning of the National League campaign, was dismissed on 14 November 2017 due to a disappointing start to the season. He was subsequently replaced by Justin Edinburgh. Under Edinburgh's leadership, the club experienced improved performance and spent a significant portion of the 2018-19 season vying for promotion from the National League. On 27 April 2019, Orient secured promotion to League Two as champions of the National League after spending two years in non-League. Additionally, the club made it to the final of the FA Trophy, but unfortunately suffered a defeat against AFC Fylde.
On 3 June 2019, manager Justin Edinburgh was hospitalised after experiencing a cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, he passed away five days later at the age of 49. In light of this tragic event, his assistant Ross Embleton took on the role of interim manager for the upcoming season. However, in October 2019, Embleton was replaced by Carl Fletcher. Regrettably, Fletcher was dismissed the following month after failing to secure a victory in his five games in charge. As a result, Embleton was reinstated as the interim boss. In January 2020, Embleton was officially appointed as the permanent manager. Orient's return to League Two resulted in a 17th-place finish in their first season, with the final standings being determined based on a weighted points per game system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To alleviate the financial strain caused by the pandemic, the club placed all players and staff on furlough. In the subsequent season, the club achieved an 11th-place finish in League Two.
Ross Embleton was dismissed from his position in February 2021 and Jobi McAnuff stepped in as his replacement until the end of the season. In May 2021, Kenny Jackett was appointed as the new manager. However, Jackett's tenure came to an end in February 2022 due to a poor performance streak, leaving the club just 3 points above the relegation zone in League Two. Richie Wellens took over as the new manager and successfully guided Orient to safety, securing a comfortable 13th place finish. The following season, in 2022-23, the club had a strong campaign and earned promotion back to League One on April 18, 2023, with four games remaining, despite a 2-0 loss to Gillingham. Just four days later, Orient clinched the League Two title with a 2-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra at home.
Honours
🏆 Second Division (Runners-up: 1961–62)
🏆 Third Division South / Third Division (Champions: 1955–56, 1969–70)
🏆Fourth Division League Two (Champions: 2022–23) (Promoted: 2005–06) (Play-off Winners: 1989)
🏆 National League (Champions: 2018–19)
🏆 FA Trophy (Runners-up: 2018–19)
🏆 Anglo-Scottish Cup (Runners-up: 1976–77)
🏆 London Challenge Cup (Winners: 1912, 1972, 1973, 1993)
🏆 Dubonnet Cup (Winners: 1911)
Matchday: Leyton Orient 3-1 Cheltenham Town
We travelled to East London on a warm Saturday morning for another match as we neared the end of the 2023/24 season. We set off quite early from Gloucester, as we were informed the central line to Leyton was shut this weekend (helpful), and we anticipated some travel issues. As usual, we parked at Hillingdon station and travelled in from there.
Unusually, there were actually no hold ups with the travel, as we managed to get to Stratford quite easily on the Jubilee line, then just took the bus from there. As a result, we arrived very early to the ground, so we tried to find a nearby cafe (Finners loves a cafe) to have some food. We ended up at the Royal Cafe, which provided us with some much needed grub, and the opportunity to introduce Finners to Strawberry Mirinda.
After this, we went for a walk around the ground, including the coronation gardens close by that has a statue dedicated to Laurie Cunningham, a former footballer. There isn’t actually much else to boast about with the outside of the ground, there is a clubshop that did not sell pin badges (disaster), but did sell gnomes (work that one out). There is also a club bar, however you need to have a membership to enter this, as we were so abruptly told by the lady on the entrance.
We were greeted at the away entrance by an American steward who was lovely and chatty. We were also told by a Leyton Orient fan that we ‘would be okay today’ and that ‘Leyton Orient often roll over for teams who are facing relegation.’- Cheers fella.
Entering the ground was a main talking point, we were asked upon entry if we could be searched, which, to be honest, I have no qualms with. What I do have qualms with was how frisky one of the stewards was getting with me while doing it, let’s just say, it’s the most action I’ve had in years… anyway…
Upon entering the ground, there is a small food kiosk that does actually do a wide range of food including pie, mash and liquor, more pies, nachos and chocolate bars. Finners hadnt eaten in over twenty minutes, so he ordered a veggie pie, which he thoroughly enjoyed (TRANSLATION: it was okay).
We then went to our seats. The inside of the ground is a bit more spectacular than the outside. I must say, I am slightly jealous of those people who have managed to secure one of the flats with balconies facing the pitch, what a life that must be.
We watched the teams warm up, which Leyton Orient choosing to do their shooting practice (obviously quite effectively in hindsight) towards the away supporters. It was all fun and games until a wayward shot ended up firing in the direction of Luke The Stuart Dallas Fan, who was only saved by the sacrifice of his umbrella.
During the game the atmosphere was a bit subpar. The Cheltenham fans were making the noise up until the half an hour mark, when Leyton Orient scored. Then the crowd was a bit deflated. Leyton Orient fans did make noise in small bursts, but nothing spectacular.
Teamsheet
Leyton Orient
Manager: Richie Wellens
Sol Brynn
Tom James
Jordan Brown
Ruel Sotiriou ⚽️
Brandon Cooper
George Moncur
Omar Beckles (c)
Ollie O’Neill ⚽️
Ethan Galbraith ⚽️
Zack Obiero
Khayon Edwards
Substitutes
Sam Howes
Jack Simpson
Dan Agyei
Joe Pigott
Shaq Forde
Max Sanders
Rob Hunt
Cheltenham Town
Manager: Darrell Clarke
Luke Southwood
Sean Long (c)
Andy Smith
Lewis Freestone
Liam Kinsella
Liam Sercombe
Aidan Keena
Will Ferry
George Lloyd
Curtis Davies
Tom Pett
Substitutes
Jamie Pardington
Jordan Thomas
Joe Nuttall ⚽️
Tom Bradbury
Josh Harrop
Ben Williams
Elliott Bonds
A magnificent Ethan Galbraith strike in the 34th minute enlivened an otherwise lacklustre opening half an hour. He collected a feed from George Moncur and fired a 25-yard drive past keeper Luke Southwood's despairing dive.
The visitors, who showed little forward movement before the break had failed to register a shot on goal in the first half, and they went further behind 10 minutes later. Ollie O'Neill cut inside from the left and fired a magnificent strike into the far corner.
After the break, Cheltenham had a fantastic opportunity to reduce the lead when O's keeper Sol Brynn dropped a set-piece at the feet of Curtis Davies, who sent the ball wide from four yards out.
Ruel Sotiriou ended the visitors' wretched afternoon in the 85th minute by scoring another worldie from 25 yards out to score his 11th league goal of the season, before Joe Nuttall added a late consolation for the away side.
Scores on the Doors
Atmosphere: 5/10
Food and Drink: 6/10
Stadium: 7/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 7.5/10
GG
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