The Opponent: Leyton Orient
Once again we are back on the road, this time with a trip to NE London. Recent away form has been beyond encouraging and I can’t see any reason why we can’t carry that form in today. The loss of Jon Obika is a blow, there is no doubt about that, but both Andy Williams and Michael Smith have looked sharp and have scored goals, it could be worse (Dossevi and Pericard).
In October 2011, Leyton Orient submitted a request to the Football League to move into and become tenants of the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, following complaints over West Ham United being given ownership over the stadium. Orient claimed that the stadium was too close to their stadium, which they claimed would breach FA rules, and by extension, move the club into bankruptcy. There has also been talk of the club moving into the 15,000 seater Riverbank Arena post-Olympics. Interestingly, Orient's crest is made up of two wyverns 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 the Thames, it is believed to be 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.
Leytonstone has its fair share of notable folk including film director Alfred Hitchcock, photographer David Bailey, PR machine David Beckham, Cook Fanny Cradock, former England and Essex cricket captain Graham Gooch, footballers Justin and Gavin Hoyte, Colin Kazim-Richards, actor Sir Derek Jacobi, broadcaster and comedian Tony Robinson, general twat Jonathan Ross and his no mark brother Paul and Blue Peter’s Julie Sarpong.
Last Time Out – Leyton Orient 2 Rochdale 3 Att 4405 - Two goals from Matty Done helped 10-man Rochdale to a 3-2 win at managerless Leyton Orient. Done struck first on four minutes from 20 yards before Jobi McAnuff's fierce volley levelled the scores. Dale defender Ashley Eastham saw red for bringing down Chris Dagnall but the striker's penalty was saved. Romain Vincelot's header gave the O's the lead before Peter Vincenti equalised and Done then stole it for the high-flying visitors on the break.
Starting XI – Woods, Omuzusi, Baudry, Lowry, Jug Ear Cuthbert, McAnuff (Mooney 70), Cox, James (Pritchard 26), Vincelot, Henderson (Batt 67), Dagnall. Leyton Orient currently sit 19th on 10 points from 9 games.
They have served us both – Adrian Whitbread, Teddy Ware, John Smith, Alex Revell, George O’Hanlon, Stan Morgan, Martin Ling, Pat Kanyuka, Tom Wells, Jonathan Tehoue, Billy Reynolds, Dave Partridge, Harry Morris, Craig Maskell, Richard Key, Percy Whipp, Norman Thomson, Alex Smith, David Peach, Tom Newton, Alan McCormack, Jimmy Lee, Billy Batty, Wayne Carlisle, Mark Cooper, Jamie Cureton, Jackie Dryden, Craig Easton, Steve Finney, John Gorman, Calvin Andrew, John Baynham, Glenn Cockerill, John Cornwell, Scott Cuthbert, Daren Dykes, Rhys Evans, Fred Fisher, Nigel Gray, Arthur Barraclough, Gary Alexander, Jack Brinton, Ralph Codling, Ian Culverhouse, Kevin Dearden, Stan Earl, Neale Fenn, Andy Frampton, Wayne Gray
One From The Past – Saturday December 11th 1971 – Orient 0 Swindon Town 1 Back in the day of Football League Division 2, we travelled to Leytonstone and picked up the 3 points courtesy of an Arthur Horsfield goal. Some great names in the team that day including Rogers, Downsborough, Trollope, Mackay and Thomas. I’d take the same result today.
The Odds – Leyton Orient 7/5 Draw 21/10 Swindon 21/10
The Son Says – .High on confidence with recent performances he has gone for a 2-0 Town win.
The Prediction – I went to Orient a few years back, dire 0-0 if I remember rightly, freezing cold and the grotty steak pie at the ground poisoned me. 2-1 Win, goals from Smith and Luongo, 4,878 with 688 from Swindon.
And Finally – 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, the First Division, now the FA Premier League, for the only time in their history, after finishing second in Division Two under the management of Johnny Carey. The team struggled in the top flight and were relegated from the top division the following season. Nonetheless, they did defeat local rivals West Ham United at home.
