2016 a year in the life of a Leyton Orient supporter Other years: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 A History of Leyton Orient FC 1965-1974 2017 2018 2019 Hendon hoped to sign a trialist before the visit to Stevenage instead he got Harry Lee back from his loan at Welling. Hendon was not happy with what Payne called “sloppy goals” and said “It doesn’t help when our leader, the captain, gets stupidly sent off on Saturday”. The trialist, who played in a draw (along with four other trialists) at Bishops Stortford was thought to have been Kieffer Moore. To be honest he has no more league experience than four others Hendon signed in the summer. He started his career with Truro City before moving to Dorchester Town and between them made 37 apps scoring 20 goals. That caught the eye of Yeovil but in 58 apps he only scored nine goals before moving to Finnish club Viking last summer on a one year contract. After 11 apps without a goal he has returned to the UK. Someone at the FA had nothing better to do than charge Becchetti with misconduct as he was televised (just) kicking Hessenthaler up the aris. It is alleged that his behaviour at the end of the fixture amounts to violent and/or improper conduct. This with the game at international level full of crooks and charlatans. It was reported that Hull City striker Calaum Jahraldo-Martin had joined the club on initially a one month loan. He joined Hull from Dulwich Hamlet in August 2013 having signed for Dulwich Hamlet in 2012. During the 2012–13 season, he scored 2 goals in 20 league appearances for them. For Hull he has only played from the subs bench on four occasions in all competitions without scoring. Last season he was loaned to Tranmere starting two games with two more apps from the bench without scoring. He then went to Alloa but never started for them making just two apps from the bench without scoring. Two starts, eight apps from the bench and no goals and only two from 20 at Dulwich Hamlet. Does not look like he is any different from what we already have. Our problem is that we had no experience on the bench to make a difference. Jan 2. Away to Stevenage. 2-2. Despite bringing Lee back from his loan he played no part in this match. Make sense? With Baudry still suspended and M’voto picking up a groin injury in training, Hendon bought back Shaw. Still no start for Dunne. Jahraldo-Martin was on the bench as was Aaron Pollock an U18 defender who scored a goal in the U18 match against Peterborough last month. James would be out for six-eight weeks. Moore, McCullam and Cox all still injured. We have not kept a clean sheet nor won by more than a goal since the last match of August. Stevenage were reported to have a dozen players injured. Goalless at half time. On 59’ a handball in the area gave us a penalty which Simpson converted. Tip for Hendon. When good players contracts were nearing termination Slade offered them another, This he did with Cox and Baudry. Now is the time to do it for Simpson. Two goals in four minutes put us 2-1 down. In the second minute of added time Simpson got his 20th goal of the season with an assist from Palmer. Team: Cisak, Kpekawa, Essam, Clohessey, Shaw, Turgott, Payne, McAnuff, Simpson, Palmer, Pritchard. Substitutes Dunne, Grainger, Jahraldo-Martin(Turgott 77), Pollock, Moncur, Kashket, Marquis(McAnuff 81). Up to eighth. Simpson’s 20 goals was the first by a player in the season since Peter Kitchen’s 21 in 1977/78 in 42 matches. The list: League goals only PLAYER Goals Appearances Season Tommy Johnston 35 30 1957-58 Tommy Johnston 27 42 1956-57 Tommy Johnston 25 39 1959-60 Frank Neary 25 39 1948-49 Ted Crawford 23 41 1935-36 Ron Heckman 23 36 1955-56 Ken Facey 22 44 1954-55 Dave Dunmore 22 39 1961-62 Richard McFadden 21 37 1914-15 Peter Kitchen 21 42 1977-78 Charlie Fletcher 20 41 1931-32 Johnny Hartburn 20 40 1955-56 Jay Simpson 20 25 2015-16 Marquis returned to Millwall which was to be after the match against Newport but they were still in the FA Cup. Lee was signed permanently by Welling. Ling resigned as Swindon manager due to ill health. Simon Dawkins joined San Jose Earthquakes from Derby. Bournemouth loaned Stockley to Exeter just in time for their visit Saturday. Orient's football adviser Gianluca Romano left at the end of last year and the O's have moved to replace him and we have appointed Andrea Pressenda as the new technical director. Pressenda has worked as a sports journalist for Sky Italia and Francesco Becchetti's Agon channel. It is believed the Italian will play a significant role in the club's transfer activity with the O's hoping to make a number of signings before the end of the month. They said that before the Stevenage game and sold Lee! He needs to move soon than later as Kpekawa’s loan expires after then next game and M’voto’s a week later. Kevin Lisbie left Barnet. We should sign him. In the event we signed nobody. Becchetti was fined £40,000 and banned from the stadium by the Jobsworth at the FA. The e10mess.blog had a article by a Barnet supporter on Hendon’s last season in charge there. Sounds alarmingly familiar. 16 Jan. Home to Exeter. 1-3 Sinking fast. Exeter went 1-3 up in 31’ with two goals from Stockley. Despite a first minute goal from Palmer and TWO missed penalties from Simpson that is how it stayed. Team: Cisak, M’Voto, Kpekawa, Essam, Clohessey, Turgott, Payne, McAnuff, Simpson, Palmer, Pritchard. Substitutes Dunne, Grainger, Jahraldo-Martin(Turgott 45), Moore, Moncur, Kashket(Pritchard), Shaw(M’Voto 45). Down to 11th. That was reported to be too much for Becchetti who fired Hendon and rumour has it, put Hessenthaler in caretaker charge. All the nonsense of these past two seasons can be placed at the door of the owner. He, or his staff were responsible for Slade’s resignation unless you believe Slade manipulated the situation. He then proceeded to employ managers who have little or no experience in that department. Nugent, two Italians and Hendon have no pedigree when it comes to football management. Hendon has only himself to blame. He was warned his squad was too small. He replaced the injured McCallum with Marquis but played him six times from the bench. He failed to sign an experienced replacement for Cox. With Baudry on a three match ban he failed to replace him. He didn’t fancy playing the more experienced Dunne instead opted to sign Kpekawa with all of nine starts in his career. Irrespective whose fault it was Hendon allowed the McAnuff debacle to continue. He failed to replace James and Moore when they got injured yet it was obvious they would be out for over a month. Hendon’s departure and Hessenthaler’s caretaker role were confirmed by the club. The Sack Race site had Paolo Di Canio in the frame for Hendon’s replacement. He got Swindon promotion 2011/12. Cannot fault his commitment as on 18 January 2013, ahead of Swindon's Saturday clash with Shrewsbury Town, Di Canio worked into the night alongside approximately 200 volunteers to clear a snow-covered pitch at the County Ground, thus allowing the game to go ahead. He showed his appreciation by ordering everyone pizza. Swindon won the match 2–0, which Di Canio publicly deemed a present to the volunteers. Cannot fault his principles as in February 2013, Di Canio offered his resignation but said he would withdraw this if approval for the new owners, by the Football League, was received by 18 February. This did not happen and he resigned as manager of Swindon Town. Did not do so well at Sunderland when he managed only three wins in 13 matches and “the day after the fifth game of the season, a 3–0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, and only his thirteenth game in charge, Sunderland chief executive officer Margaret Byrne stated that Di Canio had been sacked after senior players had approached her and that his situation became untenable due to his "brutal and vitriolic" criticism of the squad. Di Canio denies this.” They Sack Race also mentioned ex player Andy Scott but he has no pedigree after being sacked at Brentford, Rotherham and Aldershot. At 33-1 was Steve Cotterill recently sacked at Bristol City. At 25-1 was Ian Holloway but Barry Hearn interviewed him before Slade and he wanted £250,000 a year! Kit Symons the former Fulham manager was also mentioned by again no pedigree having only managed Fulham for 64 games, winning only 22 and being caretaker manager 14 times with Crystal Palace and Colchester. Hessenthaler needs to get a few players in as M’Voto is about to sign for Shrewsbury and Kpekawa is due to return to QPR according to TotalOrient. It cannot be that difficult to sign replacements for our injured players. Northampton signed Martin from Millwall on loan, just the sort of player we need making 247 apps scoring 15 goals. It will be interesting to see who Hessenthaler rates now Hendon has gone. We are reportedly to sign Armand Gnanduillet from Chesterfield. He scored two goals against us for Stevenage and Chesterfield cannot guarantee him a regular place. His total apps are 51 (71) scoring 20 goals in appearances for Chesterfield and on loan to Tranmere, Oxford and Stevenage. We currently have three players with long term injuries, James, Cox and McCallum and they need replacing. Kieffer Moore that we were linked with has joined Forest Green Rovers. Apparently Hendon offered Nolan a contract which he rejected. Prefers to be earning no money rather than some money with us? It was rumoured that a manager would be installed by the end of the transfer window. The Sack Race now had Franco Columba as the favour for Hendon’s job. He has managed 19 clubs, the latest being in 2014 and never stayed more than two years with any. I think Franco Columbu would be a better bet. According to the local Guardian we are on the verge of completing the signing of Chesterfield forward Armand Gnanduillet. It is understood a fee in the region of £35,000 has been agreed. His move is likely to go ahead regardless of whether a permanent replacement for Ian Hendon has been finalised following his dismissal this week. It is understood Orient are also interested in Rochdale defender Ashley Eastham. The 24-year-old has made six appearances for the League One side this season. Kevin Lisbie played for us in the defeat against southend in the Development League and was joined in the side by trialist Antonio German. Don't mention the war. Latest in the frame is Maurizio Pellegrino who is surprise, surprise Italian and former manager at Catania and Padova in Italy and currently works as Catania's youth system chief co-ordinator. Does he speak the language? Supporter Elliot Byrne writing in the Guardian wants Academy Director Andy Edwards. The Guardian also said that Nolan was in pole position for the job despite saying earlier that the club would employ another Italian. My hairdresser thought he was without doubt not the man to manage us. The club website announced M’voto’s departure but did not say to where. We are on the verge of signing Portsmouth midfielder Nigel Atangana according to the local Guardian. We duly signed the 26-year-old on an 18 month contract for an undisclosed fee. He joined Pompey from Havant & Waterlooville in June 2014. Atangana has made 13 appearances this season (29(19) in total) but his last game came at Carlisle in November. He will wear the number 15 shirt. Is it that hard to sign players? Struggling, managerless Bristol City have signed two whilst bottom of the league York have signed or sold six. Sutton Coldfield Town have signed Iyseden Christie from Evo-Stik Northern Premier League rivals Barwell. Ebbsfleet United have landed Aaron McLean after his short- term contract with Barnet expired. Margate have confirmed that Midfielder Solomon Taiwo has been released from his contract. Hayes & Yeading United have signed Darren Purse. Here is an article that I submitted to the Orientear before Hendon’s sacking: Not much action on the Ex O's Watch front other than ex O's in managerial moves. Martin Ling became the Swindon manager but quit through bad health. We wish him a speedy recovery. Dean Smith took over the Brentford job. Wayne Burnett was dismissed at Dagenham and their former manager John Still was sacked at Luton. Caretaker managers at the Daggers were ex O's Darren Currie and Warren Hackett before Still was appointed for the third time. So I have decided to bore you with the following. Supporters writing in the local Guardian have been critical of Hendon. No plan B, a squad too small to sustain injuries and suspensions etc. I would not make them wrong. I don't think he has lost the plot rather than he had no plot to start with. If he has learnt anything under Uncle Sam it is not obvious. Hessenthaler admitted we needed more players with McAnuff’s experience after the Yeovil match yet his boss played Kashket instead of McAnuff and Kpekwawa rather than Dunne. Make sense? The problem is we lost a lot of experienced players in Mooney (173 league starts), Henderson (171), Cuthbert (240), Bartley (151), Lisbie (284), Wright (167), Dagnall (284), Omozusi (145) and Clarke (416). In their place we gained five players of experience but the rest struggled to start 40 league games between them. Shaw (0), Essam (22), Turgott (6), Palmer (0), McCallum (10). He replaced McCallum with Marquis and failed to find his strength but eight goals in 18 games (+3 subs) for Gillingham last season means he has strengths. Hendon has failed to replace Cox. Dagnall won't be signing for us as he is waiting on international clearance after signing for Scottish Championship side Hibernian. Loanees have not been experienced either with McGuire starting no games, Kpewana five with only Marquis (69) and Chicksen (42) having any experience. Ignoring the first five games 22 points in 20 games as I write, is relegation form. There is a parallel between the current season and 1965-66 but I will leave that to bore you with next time. Not least of all is the debacle that was McAnuff. Neither Hendon or Becchetti have commented on whose decision it was not to play him. If Becchetti then he needs to say why. If it was Hendon's then the same applies but if it was not then he needs to assure us that he did everything he could to get him played. Personally if I was Hendon and Becchetti told me who I could and could not play I would be waving goodbye but not using all the fingers. To Becchetti I say (if it was his decision) non impiegare un cane e la corteccia di te. (don't employ a dog and bark yourself). To the pair of them do the British thing an hold up your hand, or as the Snickers adverts says, GET SOME NUTS. Rupert. Nolan was duly installed as player-manager on a two and a half year contract. He waxed lyrical about the club here. Kpekawa had his loan extended to 1 March. Hendon was linked with the Swindon job. We completed the signing of striker Armand Gnanduillet from Chesterfield for an undisclosed fee. The 24-year- old has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the O's, following three years at the Proact Stadium. Capped by Ivory Coast at youth level, Gnanduillet experienced promotion from League Two in his first full season with the Spireites and went on to make 98 appearances in which he scored 12 times. The 6' 4" forward recently enjoyed a three-month loan spell with League Two outfit Stevenage where he registered six goals in 16 appearances, with two of those coming against us on January 2. During his time in E10 Gnanduillet will wear the number 32 shirt and could make his debut at Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow subject to Football League approval. First team coach Kevin Nugent left the club. He had five months left on his contract. Others out of contract ignoring loanees are: McAnuff, Essam, Woods, Baudry, James, Pritchard, Turgott and Shaw. 23 Jan. Away to Wycombe 0-2. Perfect start. Nolan’s managerial start could not have been better as Simpson and Jahraldo-Martin goalls saw off the Chairboys. Nolan sat this one out and bought back Baudry after suspension, dropped Kpekawa, Turgott and Pritchard. In came Jahraldo-Martin for his first start, Atangana and Shaw. Goalless at half time Simpson got a goal from the centre of the box on 63’ and two minutes from time Jahraldo-Martin scored his first league goal from an assist from Simpson. Probably did not help Wycombe that they sold Matt Ingram to QPR for a undisclosed fee. Team: Cisak, Baudry, Shaw, Essam, Clohessey, Jahraldo-Martin, Payne, Atangana, McAnuff, Simpson, Palmer. Substitutes: Grainger, Turgott, Gnanduillet(Palmer 80), Kpekwana, Nolan, Kashket, Pritchard(Atangana72). Up to 8th. Still no place for Dunne? Rumour has it that Becchetti did not trust Hendon’s ability to sign players. If Dunne is an example I am not surprised. Home to 20th place Newport on Tuesday is next. Lets hope they have the same problem as Wycombe as they have sold Aaron Collins to Wolves for the same fee. Other scoring ex O’s were Luke Summerfield for York, Lee Barnard for Crawley and Andy Barcham for AFC Wimbledon, Demetriou for Walsall, Hooper for Sheff Wed, he has just joined them from Norwich. Southend dropped Mooney as they beat Coventry 3-0. Nathan Clarke was not of the team sheet for Bradford. Neither Dagnall or Bartley has scored for Hibernian but both started the match against St Mirren. Henderson sat on the bench for 90’ for managerless Scunthorpe. Legzdins has only made three appearances for Birmingham, in the cup whilst Lowry has started once and came from the bench once. Portsmouth and Chesterfield sold us players this week and they both lost at home to Oxford and Millwall respectively. Slade’s job at Cardiff is not all it seems as rumour has it that he was asked to trim the wage bill in the summer. To this end he got rid of six players for £1,400.00, released a further seven and loaned eight out including Alex Revell to Wigan in November. He has signed only two players and loaned one in. The Football League slapped a transfer embargo this month on them along with Bolton, Fulham and Nottingham Forest. That appears to mean Russell can on get players in on loan. Nolan said he wanted some more signings. He has one week and and five hours to do so. 26 Jan. Home to Newport 1-0. Two out of two. I took a penalty in the 85’ that Simpson converted to decide this match. Darren Jones who bought down McAnuff to give away the penalty was in his third time at Newport Nolan made his debut. Team: Cisak, Baudry, Shaw, Essam, Clohessey, Jahraldo-Martin, Atangana, Payne, McAnuff, Simpson, Palmer. Substitutes: Grainger, Turgott, Gnanduillet(Palmer 68), Pollock, Nolan(Jahraldo-Martin79), Kashket, Pritchard(Simpson 90). Up to 6th. Bristol Rovers have also played 28 matches and are four points above us in fourth place. Portsmouth above us have played 26 whilst Accrington below only 24 and a point behind us. Home to Cambridge next. Shaun Brisley was signed on loan from Peterborough until the end of the season. He has started nearly 200 league games though only 13 this season most on loan to Northampton. That’s more like it, a long loan period and an experienced defender. Andros Townsend left Spurs for Newcastle. Adam Chicksen was loaned to Gillingham, Shane Lowry returned to Aussie’s Perth Glory. 30 Jan. Home to Cambridge United 1-3.Schoolboy defensive errors, Essam 2 Shaw 1. This was over by the tenth minute when Shaw gifted them a goal via an awful backpass. Essam seemed to have forgot any defensive rules, particularly putting yourself between the attacker and the goal and not trying to guess which way they will go. He did that twice. Gnanduillet came on the the ineffective Palmer on 54’ and scored three minutes later following a goalmouth scramble but we were 0-2 down by then. Nolan came on and had an excellent chance to score but his shot went wide and Simpson was unable to get onto the end of it. Team: Cisak, Baudry, Shaw, Essam, Clohessey, Jahraldo-Martin, Atangana, Payne, McAnuff, Simpson, Palmer. Substitutes: Grainger, Turgott (Jahraldo-Martin 58), Gnanduillet(Palmer 54), Brisley, Nolan (Payne 67), Kashket, Pritchard. Down to 9th. Away to sixth placed Portsmouth next. Feb 1. Too much for Nolan, he bought in an old mate in 32-year-old right back Nicky Hunt from Mansfield initially until the end of the season but with another year option. We paid the well known undisclosed fee. Maybe QPR’s decision to recall Cole Kpekawa from his loan spell had something to do with it though he was not picked by Nolan. Jahraldo-Martin’s loan was extended to the end of the season. Defender Jerome Binnom-Williams was loaned from Crystal Palace until the end of the season. The downside is that he has only played 35(11) games, none for Palace but on loan with Forest Green, Southend and up till Jan 16, for Burton. Kevin Nugent joined Luton as First Team Coach joining goalkeeping coach Kevin Dearden there. Darius Henderson signed for Coventry until the end of the season. Feb 6. Away to Portsmouth. Nolan picked himself for this one and dropped Essam, Clohessey and Palmer. Can only assume Atangana was injured as he played no part in the match. Also starting were Hunt, Moore and Brisley. Goalless at half time but on 53’ McAnuff scored from a shot from outside the area to give us the points. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Shaw, Jahraldo-Martin, Moore, Payne, Nolan, McAnuff, Simpson. Substitutes: Sergeant, Gnanduillet(Simpson 80), Essam, Clohessey(Moore 73), Pritchard(Nolan 70), Binnom-Williams, Palmer. Back up to sixth. Apparently Atangana did not play due to a gentlemen’s agreement between the managers. Dunne has been injured. Automatic promotion should be our target given our play-off history of played five won two. That may be a bridge too far as we are down to seventh after Mansfield drew at Oxford. Pos Team P GD Pts 1 Northampn 28 20 61 2 Plymouth 29 17 56 3 Oxford Utd 28 19 52 4 Mansfield 31 9 48 5 Bristol Rers 29 10 47 6 Wycombe 29 6 46 7 Leyt Orient 30 5 46 8 Portsmouth 28 20 45 Oxford are in the last play-off place six pints above us with two games in hand. Portsmouth are a place below us with a point less also with two games in hand but Accrington are just below Pompey on the same points as them but they have four games in hand of us. A bridge too far? Next match? A six pointer at home against Northampton who are a massive 15 points above us with two games in hand. Semedo was loaned to Chelmsford City for a month. Feb 12. Home to Northampton. 0-4. Thumped. If we wanted to get automatic promotion then we had to be one of the top three clubs. After this we needed to be one of the top two as the Cobblers were clearly one of the top three. It was goalless at half time. Nolan said "We matched them in the first half but they contained us. They made us look ordinary in the second half.” Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Shaw, Jahraldo-Martin, Moore, Payne, Nolan, McAnuff, Simpson. Substitutes: Sergeant, Gnanduillet(Jahraldo-Martin 66), Essam, Clohessey, Pritchard((Moore 78), Atangana, Palmer(Payne 85). Down to ninth. Away to Notts County next. Andrea Pressenda and Roberto Gagliardi join the Club as Head of Communications & Relationships Manager and Head of Recruitment respectively. Andrea, who initially joined as technical director, will build the external relations and the media relationship. He will also develop the relationships with other clubs in Europe, the strategy of the club and the improvement of the communication. Pressenda, 35, is a journalist and has worked for Sky Sports, Sport Uno, SSC Napoli, Piuenne, Nuvolari TV, Mondadori, Canale 21 and Agon Channel. Gagliardi returns to the Club as Head of Recruitment and has extensive experience in talent identification in both Italy and in the UK, having worked as an international scout for Serie A club AC Chievo Verona. Feb 19. Away to Notts County. 0-1 back to winning ways. Binnom-Williams started having been ill the previous week and through a possible lack of fitness the week before. Gnanduilet and Atangana started at the expense of Shaw, who I thought was at fault for the last goal against the Cobblers where he was ball watching rather than marking anyone, Payne and Jahraldo-Martin. Goalless at half time it took a pinball sequence taking in at least seven attempts to either clear the ball or put it in the net before Brisley shot it home following a corner from McAnuff. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Moore, Gnanduillet, Nolan, McAnuff, Simpson. Substitutes: Grainger, Payne(Nolan 85), Essam, Clohessey, Pritchard, Jahraldo-Martin(Moore 72), Palmer(Gnanduillet 64). Staying at ninth with Wycombe and Portsmouth on 49 points. Feb 25. Sixty years ago today Tommy Johnston scored his first goal for the club . This is what the Football Monthly said in an article in December 1968. TOM JOHNSTON will never forget Christmas, 1957, for that was when he broke Leyton Orient's goal scoring record. It became almost automatic for Johnston to score for Orient. He had scored in his first game for the club at Swindon, he got the goal against Millwall which made promotion certain in 1956 and in one spell of 82 matches he hit the net 67 times. Yet it was a remark made half in jest by someone who was almost a complete stranger to him that proved the turning point in the career of this lean, lanky Scot from Loanhead who finished the 1957-58 season the leading scorer of the whole Football League with 44 goals. It was February, 1956, and Leyton Orient were returning from an away game and discussing the club's need for an effective centre forward. "We really must have one. Any of you lads got any suggestions?" asked chairman Harry Zussman. " I reckon we ought to go after that fellow Johnston who plays for Newport County. He always plays a blinder—at least against me." That somewhat rueful speaker was Stan Aldous, the then Orient centre-half against whom Johnston had scored four times in the meetings of the two clubs that season. No one was more surprised than Aldous when he read that his chairman had followed his advice and that in future he would be trying to help Johnston score goals instead of endeavouring to stop him. His transfer cost the Os about £6,000 but they reaped rich dividends for their outlay. Johnston clinched their bid for promotion to Division Two and just over two years later went to Blackburn Rovers for £15,000 to help the Lancashire club into Division One. Eleven months after that he was back at Orient. This time the need was for someone to save them from relegation. Once again Tom came through, hitting nine goals in fourteen games. Johnston sailed away to fame on a modest enough craft—Loanhead Mayflower, a Scottish junior club who play almost in the shadow of the Scott Monument in Princes Street, Edinburgh. They paid Tom 6s. 6d. a week to help boost his pit earnings. Then came an accident which ended Tom's life as a miner and but for a near miracle put paid to any chances of him becoming a professional footballer. It was one of those almost daily mishaps in the quest for coal. Nothing to warrant headlines, but it cost Tom Johnston a broken leg and a badly crushed arm. The leg healed well and became as strong as it was before the accident but for some time it was touch and go whether his arm would have to be amputated. In the end it was saved but Tom there-after would no more have thought of taking the field without having it strapped than he would have left one of his football boots in the dressing-room. Tom moved on from Mayflower to cruise along in local Soccer waters. He went to Peebles Rovers and then broke into the big time with Kilmarnock. That was in 1947, the year he got a free transfer from Rugby Park. He drifted down to England for short spells with Darlington and Oldham Athletic. A humble enough apprentice-ship to the Football League. Oldham put him on their transfer list at £2,500 and Norwich City signed him as a useful acquisition to their reserve strength. The years were going by and it did not seem possible that Tom would ever be anything but a moderately successful Third Division performer. Then came the end of January, 1954, and a fourth round F.A. Cup tie against Arsenal at Highbury. Norwich City's regular centre-forward, the late Johnny Summers, was injured and Tom was brought in to lead the attack at the last moment. What happened is history, and a shining page of Soccer history at that. Johnston rocketed home two glorious headers in twenty minutes and the Gunners went out before their own supporters 1-2. In fiction, this would have been the turning point of his career, the tide in affairs taken at the flood and leading on to fame and fortune. Being life, and not the stage or the novelist's manuscript, Tom still had some considerable time to wait before he became a nationally recognised player. Despite the great victory over Arsenal he could not establish himself as "The Canaries" first choice centre forward and soon he was on his way again, still in Division Three, to Newport County. Now for the first time in his already longish career Tom became a regular first-teamer but it was not until that move to Orient that he became one of the Sunday paper round-up writers' joys. In March, 1958, Johnston went to Blackburn Rovers after getting Orient's reluctant agreement to let him go. Tom felt that if he could get into a First Division side he had a chance of being capped by Scotland. His Oldham-born wife had relations at Blackpool, Rovers wanted a centre-forward and Tom reasoned he had a better chance at Ewood Park than at Brisbane Road, London. Blackburn gained promotion by beating Charlton 4-3 in a tremendous match at The Valley on the last afternoon of the season, when the Athletic needed only a point to go up instead of Rovers. I was lucky enough to be one of the 56,000-odd who saw this thriller. In the first half of the following season Tom was no failure in First Division football. In 25 games he scored 14 goals. But in February, desperate Orient persuaded Rovers to let Johnston go back to them. Blackburn received a cheque for £7,000, nearly half what they paid for him. As they got immediate promotion there can be little doubt they were satisfied with his brief year at Ewood Park. Tom showed he had lost none of his scoring flair for he quickly re-established himself as Orient's leading scorer and passed the 200-goal mark. He agreed to give up his dream of becoming an inter-national star because, now well past 30, he had the good sense to realise that a man is very seldom fortunate enough to fulfil all his ambitions. For a man who was half-killed under tons of rock hundreds of feet below the earth's surface, and failed to reach the top with his first four senior clubs Tom Johnston had every reason to feel proud of his life in football. He made himself into a consistently successful goal scorer because he had that iron determination which has always typified the best of his race, because he was accurate with both feet and head, was quick to spot a scoring position and kept calm when he got into one. Only once did it seem that the phlegmatic ex-miner from Midlothian had lost that calm. That was when he was sent off in a Second Division game against Doncaster Rovers in September, 1956. Orient pressed for a personal hearing for him a month later and the very unusual step was taken of failing to support a referee's decision. A Football Association commission cleared him of the charge of attempting deliberately to kick an opponent. Orient's manager at that time, Les Gore, put it to me: "A man as successful at kicking the ball between the posts as Tom Johnston does not need to even think about kicking the opposition." LEYTON ORIENT, Third Division South champions, 1956: Standing—Les Gore (trainer), Nichols, Heckman, McMahon, Facey, Webb, Gregory, Lee, Welton, Bishop, Julians, Johnston, Smith, N. Collins (asst. trainer), Earl. Sitting—White, Blizzard, Aldous, McKnight, Woosnam, Hartburn. Football Monthly December, 1968 Feb 27. Home to Crawley. 2-0. Black men, black gloves. Not sure why but every black man in the team wore black gloves. Three minutes from half time a pass from Moore found Gnanduillet on the edge on the area, back to goal. He got away fromn his marker and powered a left foot shot missing the keepers right hand a pwering into the net. On 72 Moore found Clohessey on the wing who beat his man to send a cross to the far post where Gnanduillet side footed his second. Crawley were not at the races having only 38% of the play and one shot at goal compared to our 18. Our 15 corners to their three. Shrewd bit of team selection by Nolan picking Clohessey to replace the injured McAnuff rather than Turgott. Also Nolan had realised Simpson was being marked out of games and needed another striker, cue Gnanduillet. Not sure what the Clohessey record is for crosses in a match but I think he set a new one as he took most of the corners. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Moore, Gnanduillet, Nolan, Clohessey, Simpson. Substitutes: Grainger, Payne, Essam, Shaw, Pritchard, Jahraldo-Martin(Moore 76), Palmer(Gnanduillet 79). Up to seventh. Away to 11th placed Carlisle on Tuesday. Elsewhere Mooney was missing a penalty for Southend, Barcham scored for AFC Wimbledon and Stockeley scored two for Exeter against Stevenage who are managerless and bought in nine players in the transfer window. Moncur was loaned to Wingate & Finchley along with Kashket. Correction Kashket joined Lee at Welling while Pollock also went to Wingate & Finchley. March 1. Away to Carlisle 2-2. Same old defensive errors. Moore picked up an injury and sat on the bench, Gnanduillet was also injured and took no part. They were replace by Payne and Jahraldo-Martin. On 17’ Jahraldo-Martin gave away a free kick and Carlisle took the lead through it. It remained that way till half time. Nolan thought his strategy was not working and bought on Palmer and Moore to replace Payne and Clohessey. Within five minutes Simpson put us level and on 72’ but the defensive errors of old returned. In the first half nobody picked up the man crossing the ball nor did there appear to be any marking in the area but the target was missed. on 80 there was no marking to our right hand side and the ball found its way to the unmarked and unchallenged Raynes to head the ball home. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Payne, Jahraldo-Martin, Nolan, Clohessey, Simpson. Substitutes: Grainger, Moore(Clohessey), Turgott, Essam, Shaw, Pritchard, Palmer(Payne 45). Staying at seventh on 53 points along with Pompy and Bristol Rovers both of which have a game in hand. Home to middle of the table Luton on Saturday. March 5. 0-1. Rubbish. If there was a man of the match it would be Scott Cuthbert. Unfortunately he now plays for Luton. A bad mistake by Brisley gave Luton all the points. They packed their defence with bodies and we were nowhere near the races, not just not at them. Brisley was stretchered off and replaced with McAnuff with Clohessey dropping back. Despite 66% of the play most crosses were poor and a high percentage not finding a red shirt. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Binnom- Williams, Atangana, Moore, Palmer, Nolan, Clohessey, Simpson. Substitutes: Grainger, Payne, McAnuff(Brisley37), Essam, Gnanduuillet(Palmer 60), Pritchard, Jahraldo-Martin(Moore 67). Down to 8th and away to second placed Oxford next Saturday. With an hand injury to Grainger that needed surgery Nolan got David Gregory on loan from Crystal Palace. March 13. Away at Oxford 0-1. Baudry a liability? Jahraldo-Martin was prefered to Moore and McAnuff replaced Palmer. Again a goalless first half but McAnuff struke in 74’ to seal the points. Wonder where we would be if he had played the whole season? In the third minute of added time Baudy got himself sent off for the second time this season. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Jahraldo-Martin, McAnuff, Nolan, Clohessey, Simpson. Substitutes: Gregory, Payne, Turgott Essam, Gnanduuillet(Jahraldo-Martin 62, Essam 90+4)), Pritchard, Palmer. Up to seventh. Home to 17th placed Morecambe next. We appealed against Baudry’s sending off but lost. He was banned for four matches. Nolan and team did not fancy Essam, Shaw or, if he is fit, Dunne so they got Coventry’s Peter Ramage on a month’s loan. March 20. Home to Morecambe 1-0. Penalties three, Simpson nil. After 12 minutes McAnuff played a lovely ball through to Simpson who was bought down by the goalie. He was sent off but Simpson again missed from the spot. Goalless again at half time. Ten minutes from time Binnon-Williams played in a cross and an attempt to clear resulted in the ball cannoning off a defender into the net. Nolan had learnt nothing from the Luton match as the midfield whether Atangana or James, continued to play too close to our defenders, passing across and back allowing the opposition to put 11 players behind the ball. points. Wonder where we would be if he had played the whole season? In the third minute of added time Baudy got himself sent off for the second time this season. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Ramage, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, McAnuff, Nolan, Clohessey, Simpson, Gnanduillet. Substitutes: Gregory, James(Atangana 45), Turgott Moore(Clohessey 45), Pollock, Jahraldo-Martin, Palmer(Nolan 67). Only allowed to field five loan players. No man of the match as far as I am concerned. Cisak did not have much to do as we had 65% of the play. Hunt seemed not to know the meaning of pass and run. Brisley was unimpressive as was Attangana. Ramage seemed to play hit and hope as did James when he came on. Binnon-Williams was at maximum competent though if that is the best we have at Under 21 level we are in trouble. McAnuff was good but Nolan thinks clever little flicks work in this league. Simpson didn’t get a sniff. Gnanduillet hit the bar. Still at seventh. Away to fifth placed Accrington next. They are five points above us. Sam Ling and Jack Humphreys are on loan at Histon. Pritchard was loaned to Stevenage for a month whilst Essam went back to Dover until the end of the season. March 25. Away to Accrington Stanley. 1-0. This was a six pointer but we lost to the oly goal of the match six minutes into the second half. We were without Baudry (suspended), McAnuff and Jahraldo-Martin (on international duty. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Ramage, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Nolan, Clohessey, Simpson, Moore, Gnanduuillet. Substitutes: Gregory, James(Atangana 45), Turgott(Moore 61), Palmer(Gnanduillet 61), Pollock, Payne, James, Shaw(Clohessey 58). March 28. Home to Hartlepool. 0-2. Shambles. Same old story, goalless for the forst 45’. The Monkey Hangers went into the lead four minutes into the second half. Then Shaw, on for Nolan made a bad msitake to let them score a second. Bristley was out injured and Payne replaced him. Not sure what Nolan was doing on the pitch as he did not seem to be marking anyone nor was his distribution up to much but that was in line with James, Ramage and Payne. Not sure Nolan knows what he is doing. Nobody marks the corner taker nor the througher-oner. He played four across the back, three in midfield and then had Simpson playing ten yards behind the two lumps that are Palmer and Gnanduillet. Is there any point in playing two forwards of a similar type and no wingers? Team: Cisak, Hunt, Ramage, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Nolan, Clohessey, Payne, Simpson, Palmer, Gnanduuillet. Substitutes: Gregory, Turgott(Gnanduillet 61), Koroma, Pollock, James(Payne 75), Moore, Shaw(Nolan 61). Down to eight. April 2. Away to York 1-1. Missed penalty, can’t beat ten men. And this against a team destined for the National League. Back came McAnuff to miss a penalty and Brisley to the exclusion of Payne and Gnanduillet. York took the lead after 17 and it took us until 75’ to get a point via James. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Ramage, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Nolan, Clohessey, Simpson, Palmer, McAnuff. Substitutes: Gregory, James(Atangana 66), Turgott, Gnanduillet(Palmer 80), Pollock, Moore, Jahraldo-Martin(Clohessey 66). Away to Barnet next. As much as Hendon did not get the best out of Marquis 9 starts, six as sub and one goal against Staines in the FA Cup it seems Nolan cannot get the best out of Simpson. Marqus has scored five goals for Northampton in 7(2) starts. In the local rag Nolan was not happy with the amount of goals scored, 13 from 14 matches. Here is a couple of clues for him. Mark the player taking a corner to stop the ball returning to him and mark the player taking throw ons for the same reason. When the keepers take a goal kicks don’t let the players all congregate on the right hand side of the pitch. Instead tell two or three players to spread themselves on the left hand touchline. This means the opposition will need to mark them with all least the same number of players plus one. This will open up the play. Don’t play Simpson ten yeards behind other forwards. Finally playing across the pitch and back allows the opposition to get 11 players between the ball and their goal. Gregory had his loan extended. April 9. Away to Barnet. Stung by the Bees. 3-0. Another poor performance fielding basically the same team. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Ramage, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Nolan, James, Simpson, Palmer, Jahraldo-Martin. Substitutes: Gregory, Baudry, Shaw, Turgott, Gnanduillet(Simpson 67), Clohessey, Koroma(Nolan 63). Home to bottom club Dagenham next. April 12. Nolan was relieved of his managerial duties to concentrate on his playing. Hessenthaler would take over first team duties. There was some talk of his lack of goals in the 14 times he has played for us as at West Ham he scored 30 times in 130(11) league games. A goal every 4.7 games. April 14. Lee Harrison had his contract terminated. The terms of West Ham’s lease at the Olympic Stadium were announced to which Barry Hearn quipped “my dog cold have got a better deal” April 16. 3-2. Dagenham down. At half time we were cruising thanks to Simpson’s third minute goal from a good cross by Clohessey and one in added time thanks to Turgott’s cross. Then, true to form it went pear shaped as, Cureton the former O who Slade cold not get to score for him got one back on 60. A minute later they were level. Five minutes later Gnanduillet scored the winner from a cross from Turgott and down went the Daggers after nine years out of what is now the National League. Coming the other way were Cheltenham. Nolan took no part in the match due to an ankle injury if you believe the official website and Senor Belli, ( an Italian nudist) as I will call him had influence over team selection according to Hessenthaler. So there is no way of knowing if McAnuff is injured. Why is Senor Belli interfering in an area he know noting about? Would he employ Hessenthaler to run his business? Ramage got his loan extended until the end of the season but sat on the bench. Back came Baudry and Gnanduillet got the nod over Palmer. Not sure why Gregory was not on the bench. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Clohessey, James, Turgott, Simpson, Gnanduillet. Substitutes: Sargeant, Jahraldo-Martin, Koroma, Kashket, Palmer(Gnanduillet 66), Ramage, Payne(Atangana 82). Up to tenth (we were 11th) two points from a play off place which is two to many for me as there are three other teams (Wimbledon, Exeter and Wycombe) tin a better position than us. Currently in poll position is AFC Wimbledon who like Portsmouth above them have a game in hand over teams below them. They play each other next Tuesday week and away to Dagenham on this Tuesday whilst we play fifth place Plymouth on the same night. Then we are away to Wimbledon and home to Mansfield who put five past Notts County today. Strangest incident involving an ex O player must be that of Alex Revell. The MK Dons keeper got sent off in process of giving away a penalty. Revell donned the keepers jersey and saved the penalty. April 19. Home to Plymouth 1-3. Season over. Two goals from set pieces bade farewell to any promotion prospects though it is still possible. James scored from the penalty spot after Palmer was bought down but a bad error by Baudry, we was at fault for the Cureton goal against the Dagger, sealed it for Plymouth. Simpson never wasted a ball but the rest were poor. James appeared to have been told to lob it up in the air towards their goals and he had a hit and hope approach to this thinking it was beyond him. Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Binnom-Williams, Atangana, Clohessey, James, Turgott, Simpson, Gnanduillet. Substitutes: Sargeant, Jahraldo-Martin(Turgott 86), Kashket(Clohessey 70), Palmer(Gnanduillet 63), Moore, Ramage, Payne. Down to 11th. April 23. Away to Wimbledon 1-0. Season definately over. If I were in charge I would send all loanees back to their clubs and give youth a chance following the Under 18’s winning their league on Thursday. Pritchard had returned from his loan to Stevenage but took no part in the match due to an injury. I could find no reason for the absence of Simpson and Atangana Team: Cisak, Hunt, Brisley, Baudry, Ramage, Clohessey, James, Moore, Turgott, Gnanduillet, Palmer. Substitutes: Sargeant, Jahraldo-Martin, Kashket(Clohessey 76), Semedo(Turgott 85), Pollock, Binnom-Williams, Payne. Down to 14th. Back for Simpson and calf for Atangana were the reasons for not playing it seems. Lets be fair we have had three ‘managers’ this season and they have all failed to mould 11 players into a team. In the past I have tried to predict who would feature in the promotion/relegation stakes in the coming season. Looking at what teams do in the last ten games should be the key. In that case Luton and Hartlepool are in the frame for promotion along with Cambridge whilst ourselves and Morecambe could be going in the other direction. Hope I am wrong. Southend and Gillingham are also plummeting down the table in the division above. April 30. Home to Mansfield 1-0 Palmer. Hessenthaler decided to give starts to Pollock and Semedo with Baudry and Hunt making way for them. Simpson and Atangana were doubtful but in the event played. Goalless in the first half. Palmer hit the post before a free kick from James found him on the far post and he headed in against his old club. Team: Team: Cisak, Brisley, Pollock, Ramage, Atangana, Clohessey, James, Semedo, Turgott, Simpson, Palmer. Substitutes: Sargeant, Kashket, Gnanduillet, Moore(Atangana 46), Binnom-Williams(Ramage 58), Koroma(Semedo 71), Payne. Pollock looked impressive and Baudry was not missed. Semedo was not given a chance to shine as the across and back play always allowed the Stags to get 11 plyers behind the ball. On this display I would not give any of those out of contract a new one. Neither James nor Baudry have been part of success with the club. Cannot see McAnuff getting a new contract nor Shaw, Pritchard or Turgott. Essam may have another year but if not then I don’t see a new contract coming his way. I don’t see any of the loan players being offered a contract though I thought Brisley was Man of the Match. Hessenthaler expressed concern that if a new manager was not employed sooner rather than later then he would be in the same position as last year when too many players out of contract left before Hendon arrived as he would have made an effort to resign Cuthbert and Dagnall but they had made other arrangements. He was also worried that the youngsters would be poached before we offered them a contract. Someone must have been listening as Pollock and Sergeant were given contracts. This form the Club website: Professional contracts for Goalkeeper and Defender. Leyton Orient youngsters Aron Pollock and Sam Sargeant have signed two-year professional deals with the O’s. Pollock made his first-team debut and picked up the man of the match award in the 1-0 win over Mansfield Town on Saturday. On signing the deal, Pollock said: “I am really delighted to have signed my first professional contract with Orient. I am looking forward to pushing on with pre-season already and building on the first-team experiences I have already gained.” Sargeant has recently returned from an England Men’s Goalkeeping Camp and has featured on the first-team bench on 11 occasions this term. On the news, Sargeant said: “It is something I have been working towards for a long time and I am very excited for the next two years. ”I am hoping to continue my development and will push to be involved with the first-team on a regular basis.” Third year scholar Freddy Moncur has also agreed a one-year professional deal, while under-18 trio Sam Alderson, Michael Clark and Victor Adeboyejo have all been offered third-year scholarships. Meanwhile, Sam Ling, Jack Humphrey, Montel Agyemang and Christian Owusu will be leaving the Club. May 7. Away at Yeovil 0-1 Palmer. Hessenthaler continued to play the younsters as Pollock and Semedo started again and Seargent replaced Cisak. No Frenchmen played any part in the match with Moore replacing the injured Atangana. On the bench were younsters Kashket, Judd, Moncur and Koroma and so was McCullum. Goalless at half time a Brisley picked up an injury as was replaced by Turgott on 22’. Pollock also picked up an injury and was replaced by Koroma. McCallumm replaced Simpson on 73 and three minutes from time Palmer got the winner to the bottom left corner. Team: Seargent, Brisley, Pollock, Ramage, Hunt, Clohessey, James, Semedo, Moore, Simpson, Palmer. Substitutes: Cisak, Kashket, Turgott(Brisley 22), Moncur, McCallum(Simpson 73), Judd, Koroma(Pollock 56) We finished the season in eight place, six points from a playoff place. Elsewhere Ex O’s Jabo scored two goals for Carlisle whist Stockley scored one for Exeter. Hibs got nearer a Premiership place but Bartley and Dagnall were on the bench. Hessenthaler remained hopeful the the managerial position would be solved in the next week. Though he was not sure whether he wanted the job. From the last Orientear of the season Not much movement in the ex Os front this month other than :Farnborough who signed Terrell Forbes from Hemel Hempstead Town on a long term contract until 2017. Jamal Campbell-Ryce, loaned by Sheffield United to Chesterfield. Gary Taylor-Fletcher is playing for Tranmere Rovers. So here is something I had up my sleeve, other than my arm. Earlier this season there were some similarities with 1965. Not in league position as the highest we got in 1965 was 19 th eventually 22 nd but in the lack of managerial experience and players leaving and joining the club. Dave Sexton became the manager in January 1965 and he was the first manager without any experience since before 1949 when Alex Stock joined the club after managing Yeovil. Before Sexton arrived stars of the first division team of 62/63 (like the Wembley team of 2014) had departed. Another five would do so in the summer. Robertson (16 games) left in May '63 to join Dover, Lewis (28) Folkstone May '64, Deeley (36) Worcester City July '64, Gibbs (17) QPR Aug '63, Graham (27) QPR Aug '63, Bolland (20) Norwich March '64, Taylor (16) Notts Forest Aug '63, Mason (13) Poole Town March '64, Lucas (37) Norwich Sept '64, Lea (40) Ipswich Sept '64. Sexton sold Ted Phillips (331 games) to Luton in February and in the summer only 12 players survived as he let go goalkeepers Mike Pinner (113) and George Ramage (42), defenders Stan Charlton (507), Sid Bishop (323) and Mike Hollow (35), forwards Gerry Ward (132), Dave Dunmore (352), Terry McDonald (171) as well as Tony Dunne and Jeff Harris. In their place came Gordon Ferry (11), Colin Flatt (0), Tony Nicholas,(133), Adrian Thorne (136) and Vic Rouse (260). In fact a more experienced than we signed last summer. In December 1965 following a run of defeats, 0-4 home to Bristol Rovers, 0-5 away to Manchester City and 1-2 at home to Middlesbrough Sexton resigned. For the rest of the season Les Gore stood in as caretaker manager for the fifth and last time, From the youth team he bought in Billy Carter, signed Mick Jones from Chelsea, George O'Brien from Southampton and Dick Le Flem from Middlesbrough but along with Middlesbrough we were relegated with 23 points from 42 matches Cardiff survived the drop on 34 points. Two points for a win in those days. In 2009-10 Hendon was sacked as manager of Barnet after five consecutive defeats. Their new manager made it six (four were at home) in a row, away to Grimsby. They won the last game of the season to send Grimsby (and Darlington) out of the league. Barnet were top after six games and 22 nd after 41. Could have been our season? They had 36 players on the books over the season including Matt Lockwood on loan from Colchester. The following season Barnet finished 22 nd (their highest position was 17 th after five games) and boasted no less than four managers/caretakers. Not dissimilar to us in 1965-66. Rupert The club announced their list of released players and there were no surprises. Baudry refused an offered contract and all those whose contracts are ending in the summer were released. Woods, James, McAnuff, Essam, Shaw, Turgott, and Pritchard were the other seven. Let’s be fair they were all part of a team that failed to get us promoted (except Woods) with James, Baudry and McAnuff amongst the players helping us into the division we are now in. The option of another season with us was taken on Hunt and Freddy Moncur signed a one-year professional contract. Shows how much Hendon knew of our division if three of his signings only lasted a season. Batt was released by Barnet after starting only six games with a further 17 as sub. How did the others that left last season fare? Bartley played 28(8) league and cup games for Hibs without scoring a goal whilst Dagnall 5(10) also without scoring. Lisbie never started for Barnet and only appeared four times a a sub. Henderson 7(9) without scoring for Scunthorpe and only five sub apps for Coventry. He never scored a goal last season. Lowry did worse at Birmingham playing one one game with one sub app for Birmingham before returning to to Perth Glory in Aussse. playing ten times for them as getting on the scoresheet once. Legzdins played eight times for Birmingham. Vincelot did better at Coventry starting 46 games scoring four goals and picking up 12 yellow and one red card in the process. Josh Wright started 42 (2) games for Gillingham scoring once. At Plymouth Gary Sawyer started 49 games also without scoring. Nathan Clarke didn’t do that well at Bradford starting 24 (6) apps but also goalless. But Bradford are in the play offs. Luton started badly but Scott Cuthbert lead them to 11th place with his 40 apps though he failed to score. At Southend David Mooney steered them into 15th place after looking promotion material. His 29(9) apps lead to eight goals. Jayden Stockley’s ten goals on loan at Exeter earned him a contract at Aberdeen. Marc Laird was released by Yeovil as was Henderson by Coventry, Glenn Morris by Gillingham, Zakuani by Peterborough, Simpson at Cambridge, Lee Barnard at Crawley. Down from League One come Colchester, Blackpool, Crewe and Doncaster. Leaving us are Dagenham and York plus promoted Northampton, Oxford, Bristol Rovers and one other. Coming up were Grimsby and Cheltenham. Other ex O’s released were Campbell-Ryce by Sheff Utd, Nicky Shorey by Colchester, Adam Chicksen by Brighton. Lee Cook at Eastleigh. Peter Ramage at Coventry. John Marquis at Millwall. Nicky Adams left Northampton for Carlisle. Robbie Simpson joined Exeter as did Lloyd James. Glenn Morris joined Crawley. David Hunt left Margate for Wealdstone. Despite gaining promotion via the play offs and scoring a penalty in the final Akinfenwa was released by AFC Wimbledon. Mauro Milanese lost his £100,000 wrongful dismissal claim in the High Courts last week. Milanese left the O’s on January 26, 2015 following claims of serious misconduct and Mrs Justice Whipple upheld the club’s dismissal ruling at the High Court last Thursday. Six grounds were given for the sacking of the Italian, but only one was upheld. It related to his handling of an agreement involving an academy player, whose name was not disclosed to the court. Milanese’s involvement was ruled by the judge as a “very serious breach of the implied term of mutual trust and confidence and constituted gross misconduct.” He is entitled to £8,300 worth of damages from the club for accrued salary and expenses, but was ordered to pay £100,000 court costs. Shane Lowry signed a two-year deal with the O’s on July 23, 2014 and was earning £3,800-a-week during the 2014/15 season, before his salary was set to rise to £4,050 for the 2015/16 campaign. Milanese was the main Orient representative involved in the transfer and his part in the deal explains why the club were so keen to let Lowry leave in the summer of 2015. Then boss Ian Hendon revealed Lowry had asked for a transfer, but if he had remained with the east Londoners he would have been earning over £4,000-a-week despite being in League Two. Another intriguing piece of information from the documents released online was the salary of Andrea Dossena. The Italian joined Orient on November 6 and having played for Liverpool and Sunderland in the Premier League appeared a major coup for the club. But he went on to make just 15 appearances, scored only one goal and during his time with the club was earning £7,667 per week. Milanese agreed an agent’s fee of £25,730 in this deal and during Darius Henderson’s transfer also sanctioned the agent’s fee would be £46,800. The former sporting director lost his £100,000 wrongful dismissal claim down to his handling of the agreement involving an academy player, however, and not due to his role in the transfers of Lowry, Dossena and Henderson. Orient had asked for Milanese to repay all of his salary and benefits during his employment, but the judge ruled “the claimant worked for the defendant for several months, with many aspects of his performance not being subjected to any criticism by the defendant. “He is entitled to be paid for his time and to have his contractual benefits (accommodation, etc) paid for him.” It was a messy end to a long court case between Milanese and Leyton Orient, but does show just why the 2014/15 season went wrong on a number of levels Read more at. Copyright © LONDON24 It was rumoured that Hessenthaler was to become the next manager. Maybe he would sign Akinfenwa as he employed him at Gillingham. Russell Slade was removed from his position as manager of Cardiff City earlier this month and was handed a role as head of football at the Cardiff City Stadium but was interviewed for the Blackburn Rovers job. Relegated Charlton were also interested in Slade but they have had as many managers as we have over the past few years. Hessenthaler was given the job for a year. He spent two seasons as the Gillingham manager finishing both seasons in eighth place. Only goal differenced stood between a play off place in 2010-11 and two points a year later. He wasted no time in replacing James with 27 year-old Burton midfielder Robbie Weir on a two-year contract with another year option. That makes sense as he knows what getting promotion entails having pent four years at Burton making 184 apps and scoring nine goals. Northern Irishman Weir started his career at York before moving, initially on loan to Tranmere playing 45 (12) league games scoring three goals. Not making as much sense was signing 20 year-old left back Josh Doherty from Watford. He only played one match for them. Hope he lasts longer than Shaw. He signs on a years contract with another year option. Doherty is a Northern Ireland Under-21 international. 20 year-old left back Doherty played in midfield before coming to England. Slade did not get the Blackburn job but signed a three year deal with newly relegated Charlton. They have had six managers in the last two years. Three of them last season. Of course Cox was linked with a move. Fitness coach Craig Smith left for a job with Stevenage. He was replaced by Simone Lucchesi. The Italian joins having already been in similar roles with Sampdoria, Lecce and Lazio in Italy as well as in the USA with the New York Cosmos. So he speaks our language? June 8. Winger Gavin Massey was signed from Colchester on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee as his contract did not expire until 2016-2017 season. As a trainee at Watford the 23 year-old made only 9 sub apps for them before joining Yeovil on loan. After 9(8) apps and three goals he was loaned to Colchester between Jan-May 2012 making 4(4) apps without scoring. The move was made permanent in August 2012 and he went on to make 142 (28) apps scoring 21 goals. The last time the name Massey, Leyton Orient and Colchester were mentioned in a sentence was when Roy Massey left us, but that was back in the late 1960’s. With eight players leaving us and three joining we may need to sign another five, or four if they don’t replace goalkeeper Woods. They may not replace Baudry if they play Pollock and the forgotten Dunne. Still means replacing Turgott and Pritchard. Crawley have signed seven players already. Andy Edwards was made assistant manager. Ollie Palmer had employed his own fitness trainer in a bid to up his game. He was physically sick on the first day. June 10. We signed 26 year-old left back Callum Kennedy after his contract expired with AFC Wimbledon where he has spent the last three years. He has signed a one- year deal and played for Hessenthaler whilst on loaneat Gillingham. Swindon was where he spent his first five years playing 36(7) apps scoring a single goal. After his Gillingham loan (3 apps) he was loaned to Rotherham 4(1) apps and signed for Scunthorpe in June 2012 but only stayed a season (12(6) apps) before his AFC Wimbledon stint playing 63((17) apps scoring two goals. Bristol Rovers defender Tom Parkes has emerged as a possible summer transfer target for us. Parkes is one of several members of Darrell Clarke's promotion-winning squad who is currently considering their future after receiving the offer of a new deal. It has also been reported that Orient are lining up a move for Oldham Athletic captain Liam Kelly, a Scotland international who signed from Bristol City in the summer of 2014. June 15. We signed Parkes on a two-year deal. With back to back promotions he is another who knows what promotion is all about. When he was 18 he was loaned to Burton by Leicester but he made no apps for the Foxes. He was loaned to Yeovil and another three times to Burton before a loan to Bristol Rovers got him a contract there. He joins us having played 217(6) games scoring eight goals. At 6’2” he will be our stopper. Glenn Morris left Gillingham and went to Crawley. John Marquis joined Doncaster. Nicky Adams left Northampton for Carlisle. Robbie Simpson joined Exeter as did Lloyd James. Jayden Stockley left Bournemouth for Aberdeen on a free. Jamie Jones left Preston to go to Stevenage after playing for them 17 times last year. He only played 20 times for Preston after leaving us. PNE also loaned him to Coventry, Rochdale and Colchester. Ade Azeez went from AFC Wimbledon to Partick Thistle on a free. Lee Barnard went non league when he joined Braintree. Aparently Alex Revell recommended him to the club and vice versa. Revell left MK Dons for promoted Northampton. Northern Premier League club Blyth Spartans have signed former Sunderland and Accrington Stanley left back Michael Liddle. The former Republic of Ireland U21 international spent part of last season with EBAC Northern League club Dunston UTS. He played one game for us in 2010 on loan from Sunderland who also loaned him to Carlisle, Gateshead as well as Accrington. Harry Lee left Welling for Braintree. George Porter also left Welling and went to Bromley. Jason Demetriou left Walsall for Southend on a free after rejecting a new deal. Gabriel Zakuani given a free by Peterborough joined Northampton. Luke Summerfield left relegated York and joined promoted Grimsby. He played 15 games for us on loan from Plymouth in 2009. Shwan Jalal played two games for us in 2014 whilst on loan from Bournemouth. Since then he has played for Bury, Northampton and Macclesfield but has now joined Wrexham. Scott McGleish was promoted from player-coach to assistant manager at Wealdstone. Andros Townsend joined Crystal Palace for £13m. July 1. Academy coach Danny Webb has been appointed first-team coach whilst earlier in June Martin Brennan was announced as the new Goalkeeping coach. Brennan has signed a one-year-deal and arrives from Championship side Fulham, where he worked with both the first and Under-21 team. Prior to his work with the Cottagers, Brennan held roles with Tottenham Hotspur, where he worked primarily with their Under-21 goalkeepers and Wycombe Wanderers. We completed the signing of signed French defender Yvan Erichot following his departure from Belgian Jupiler League side Sint-Truiden. The 26-year-old, who can play at right-back or centre-back, has agreed a two-year contract with the option of a further year. Erichot came through the youth ranks at AS Monaco and has also had spells on loan at Clermont and Unaio Leiria. See more data here. He had played in 103 matches for Sint-Truiden, Clermont Foot Auvergne 63 and União de Leiria scoring four goals and picking up 20 yellow cards and two straight reds in the process. 1.9 metres tall which pre EEC is six foot two. Converted thus: 1.9 m * 1ft 0.3048 m = 6.233595801 ft July 2. Our seventh signing of the summer was Oldham’s skipper 26 year-old midfielder Liam Kelly on a three-year deal for the now well known undisclosed fee. Kelly started his career at Kilmarnock where he made 107(6) apps scoring 18 goals from 2009-2013. In January 2013 he signed for Bristol City but only played 19(2) games without scoring in the 18 months he was there. In June 2014 he signed for Oldham and made 85(2) scoring seven goals in his two seasons. Shaun Brisley signed for Carlisle. July 5. Jordan Bowery became our next signing. I have to say that he has played more league games as a substitute than starting matches 60(109). Despite being only 25 he has already played for seven clubs. Starting his career at Chesterfield where he was sent out on loan to Barrow making 1(3) apps without scoring but his ten goals in 33(50) league apps prompted Aston Villa to spend £5000,000 on him in 2012. But after 5(14) league apps without scoring and a loan period at Doncaster also with out scoring (3 apps) he signed for Rotherham in June 2014. Again starting more times from the bench than starting a match 8(32) scoring five goals. Before leaving the Millers in January 2016 he was loaned to Bradford 1(2) zero goals. Last year he helped Oxford gain promotion scoring seven goals from 9(8) apps. I only hope someone has seen something in him that the stats have missed. He comes on a two-year deal with a years option. We were also reported to be interested in Oldham defender James Wilson but he joined Sheffield United. Chris Dagnall left Hibs for Crewe. Club statement: “The club wishes to announce that midfielder Kevin Nolan has left with immediate effect to pursue opportunities elsewhere. We wish him the best of luck and thank him for his efforts during his time with the club.” Ryan Hedges was loaned to Yeovil. Scott Wagstaff joined Gillingham after leaving Bristol City. Akinfenwa joined Wycombe after being released by promoted AFC Wimbledon. The team left for pre season training in Italy. They played one game against the National U19’s team and lost by a single goal. It was so hot they had to play in three 30 minutes spells. Back in the UK they beat Wealdstone 2-1. Wealdstone took the lead through a set piece before Simpson and Semedo scored. Against Dover they lost 2-0 whilst a second XI lost 4-1 at Braintree. Hessenthaler then said he needed another centre back. Kevin Nugent joined Slade at Charlton as Assistant manager whilst McAnuff joined Stevenage. Jimmy Smith was made captain at Crawley. The friendly at Woking was won 0-2 thanks to goals from Cox & McCallum. Three trialists were included. At Canvey Island, whose assistant manager is Joe Keith, we won 1-2 with goals from Alzate and Abrahams. Team there was: Sam Sargeant, Myles Judd, Toby Stevenson, Henry Ochieng, Michael Clark, Daniel Happe, Sam Alderson, Charley Barker, Victor Adeboyajo, Steven Alzate, Ruel Sotirlou. Subs: Sam Roach, Patrick Adamson, Tristan Abrahams, Andrew Tayaca, Teddy Perkins, Rian McLean, Sam Dolby. Margate wanted to bring in Charlie Grainger on a year-long loan. July 23. The friendly in E10 against Charlton ended 0-0. July 26. Charlie Long was appointed Digital Media Officer. We signed Harry Cornick on a six-month loan from Bournemouth. His only apps for them was 1(1) in the FA Cup. He has been loaned to Welling, Aldershot, Waterloo & Havant and Yeovil making 37(14) apps scoring 11 goals which is not bad for a 21 year-old winger. He did not play in the friendly at Dagenham which was won 1-2. Gnanduillet equalised before McCallum scored in the 91st minute. Team:Grainger (Cisak 46), Judd (Erichot 46), Brown, Parkes (Clohessy 73), Doherty (Semedo 46), Koroma (Moncur 65), Atangana (Weir 61), Moore (Kelly 61), Cox (Massey 77), Palmer (McCallum 61), Gnanduillet (Bowery 73). Final friendly is at home to Gillingham on Saturday. In the EFL Trophy we were drawn at home to Stevenage, away to Southend and away to Brighton. A second XI went to Cray Wanderers and Solomon Taiwo turned out for them. Since he was on loan with us he has also played for Mansfield, Luton, Aldershot, Dover and Margate. Gary Woods joined Hamilton Academicals. We were reported to be interested in Carlisle defender Michael Raynes. Actually it was not the last friendly as an Orient XI turned out at Royston Town which ended in a 3-3 draw. Team: Sargeant (Grainger HT), Dunne (Happe 62), Trialist A, Clark, Doherty (Koroma 80), Koroma (Alderson 62), Ochieng, Trialist B, Alzate, Adeboyejo (Dalby 62), McCallum (C) (Abrahams 32). GOALS: Adeboyejo (11), Dunne (38), Happe (90) 30 July. Tragedy at the last friendly at home against Gillingham when the game was abandoned after 77 minutes due to an injury to Gills Lee Martin. We were two up through Bowery and Simpson through a penalty. Not quite the last friendly as there was one a Greenwich Borough managed by Gary Alexander and John Mackie. Two goals from McCallum ensured a draw. Team:Grainger, Hunt (Pollock 45), Dunne, Brown (Happe 45), Doherty, Koroma, Ochieng, Alzate, Trialist (Adeboyejo 12), McCallum, Kashket (Barker 70) SUBS: Roach. Turgott joined Brom;ey. Jermone Binnom-Williams left Crystal Palace for Peterborough undisclosed fee. Darius Henderson joined Mansfield after leaving Coventry. Jamal Campbell-Ryce left Sheff Utd for Barnet on a free as did Paul Rachubka from Bolton to Bury. 6 August. Away to Cheltenham 1-1 Massey. Simpson on his way? Hessenthaler said he (Simpson) was unavailable. He was having talks with Southend. I don’t know what is the record is for a goal on debut but Massey’s in three minutes must be close. But old habits die hard and we let one in with 14 minutes left. Lack of any marking to blame. Team: 1 Cisak, 2 Clohessy, 37 Erichot, 6 Parkes, 22 Semedo, 11 Massey, 15 Atangana Booked at 55mins, 8 Weir Substituted for Kellyat 71'minutes, 20 Cornick Booked at 90mins, 9 Palmer, 21Bowery Substituted for Gnanduilletat 81'minutes, Substitutes, 3 Kennedy, 4 Kelly, 7 Cox, 16 Hunt, 24 Sargeant, 28 Koroma, 45 Gnanduillet 9 August. Home to Fulham in the EFL Cup. 2-3 (McCallum 2). We went 0-3 down before Cox and McCallum came on and the double act gave McCallum two goals. Team: 24 Sargeant, 16 Hunt, 25 Pollock, 37 Erichot, 3 Kennedy, 11 Massey, 4 Kelly, 22 Semedo(Cox 62), 9 Palmer, 20 Cornick, 8 Weir, Substitutes, 10 McCallum(Cornick 61), 7 Cox, 2 Clohessy, 1 Cisak, 14 Moore, 15 Atangana(Weir 74), 45 Gnanduillet. 13 August. Home to Newport. 0-1. Same old same old. Hessenthaler decided to start with McCallum and Cox for this one but they were not up against the boys team that were Fulham. Again the midfielders were too far behind the forwards and we barely troubled their keeper. Semedo gave the ball away when it was easier and safer to kcik into touch and a goal was nearly the result. Poor marking by Erichot lead to their goal. Erichot was fine at defending (in the main) but his passing was hopeless. Corrnick showed his class once the came on and Hessenthaler indicated Atangana would start at home on Tuesday to Stevenage and that Simpson may be available. He had been Tom & Dick and no offers made to buy him. . Team: 1 Cisak, 2 Clohessy, 37 Erichot, 6 Parkes, 22 Semedo, 11 Massey, 8 Weir, 8 Kelly, 9 Palmer, 7 Cox. 81'minutes, Substitutes, 3 Kennedy, 16 Hunt, 24 Sargeant, 20 Cornick(Weir 72), 15 Atangana(Cox 72), 45 Gnanduillet, 21 Bowery(McCallum 59). Eastbourne Borough have signed former Fulham midfielder Alex Smith. Calaum Jahraldo-Martin left Hull for Oldham on a free. 16 August. Home to Stevenage. 3-0 Massey 2, Cox. Four wingers, Simpson returns. Stevenage could have been 3 up after 30 mins instead Massy put us in the lead on 20. Dean Cox crossed in for Jay Simpson, Jamie Jones saved his effort before Harry Cornick's follow-up header hit the post and eventually fell to Massey, who fired in from six yards. Cox made it two nil after Massey found Cornick whose cross was HEADED in. On 75 Bowery crossed for the unmarked Massey to score his second of the night and three for the season. Simpson looked sharp with lovely close control and Atangana looked class as did Parkes. Despite his goal Massey did not impress me nor did Kelly or Weir. Team: 1 Cisak, 16 Hunt, 37 Erichot, 6 Parkes, 22 Semedo, 11 Massey, 15 Atangana, 8 Kelly, 27 Simpson, 7 Cox, 20 Cornick. Substitutes, 3 Kennedy, 2 Clohessy, 24 Sargeant, 8 Weir(Atangana 50), 45 Gnanduillet, 9 Palmer(Simpson 74), 21 Bowery(Cox 66). Gnanduillet was signed by Blackpool for an undisclosed fee whilst Moore went on a six-month loan to Dover. Next page Last year.