I’ve said before on here that Newport County have always been my “second team”. Although it seems that many County fans can’t stand City, I’ve always had a soft spot for Newport and I’ll be hoping that what is ominously shaping up as a relegation season for them turns out to be nothing of the sort – having got the number of Welsh EFL clubs back up to four in recent seasons, the last thing we can afford is it being reduced to three again.
I don’t have a third team as such, but, if I did have one, it would probably be Leyton Orient. I can’t really explain why but I suppose I liked the unusual name and although my first visit there was a bit of a disaster (a 4-1 loss at the start of the 71/72 season), I can remember being impressed by little things like they’d give you a free programme (I see last weekend’s opponents Wigan are one of an increasing number of clubs that no longer produce a match day programme) as part of your price of admission. The crowd got right behind them that day and, despite the scoreline, I liked how vibrant this little club surrounded by some giants of the game seemed, given that life was always going to be a struggle for them in terms of gates and finances.
Throw in an interesting history and a few quirks such as them not seeming to be able to make their minds up for long spells whether the club colour was red or blue and Leyton Orient have always been a club I’ve looked at with affection,
Predictably, Orient couldn’t survive the disadvantage of having me supporting them in the two Play Off Finals they played in the fairly recent past. One of them was last season of course where a dull Charlton side “got the job done” to the tune of 1-0 under Nathan Jones, while the other was back in 2014 I think it was when Russell Slade was the manager against Rotherham and the Os were unluckily beaten in a penalty shoot out.
Orient’s success last season was built on some very good loan signings and the early signs are that they’re suffering some sort of hangover after falling at the final hurdle in 24/25. They come here on Saturday much closer to the bottom of the league than the top opf it with just one win, and four defeats in their last seven games in which a total of 13 goals have been conceded.
Until Tuesday’s game, I would have said there was a very good chance of us winning, but with our, long established, home fallIbilities making an unwelcome return in our last two games at Cardiff City Stadium, who knows what’s in store now?
Here’s seven questions on Leyton Orient dating back to the 60s, I’ll post the answers on here on Sunday.
60s. With a surname suggesting he was born about twenty five miles from Leyton, in reality it was almost a hundred and fifty miles away, he won over fifty caps for his country, while also representing the nation at a major sporting event. His CV included some very famous clubs (e.g. Manchester United and Chelsea), but it was always as a reserve and it was only when he signed for Leyton Orient that he became a first choice at a time when they were on the rebound so to speak from the best season in their history – who am I describing?
70s. Born in a part of London famous for having a huge number of parks football pitches I suppose, this forward played for two clubs in the capital before leaving these shores to go and play in Australia. Orient was the first of his two clubs from London and he enjoyed much more success with them. than he did with his second team. He was one of those players who mainly played out wide without being a traditional winger. Indeed, he seemed to be someone who would probably see himself as more of a support striker in a time where it was a lot more common to play two up front. His goals at Orient came at the rate of something like one in every four games, but he only managed the single goal for his second club after making what was a shortish move across the river. Who is he?
80s. Shake Neil and initially treat his vertigo? (5,5,)
90s. Man of the cloth meets metal worker at the back.
00s. Which City manager from this decade last his job after a game against Leyton Orient?
10s. Alternative way of describing thing in this picture I suppose! Russell Slade rated him.
20s. Who is the third longest serving member of the current Leyton Orient first team squad?
Answers to follow:
