Previous page Next page   ORIENT - THE PETCHEY YEARS 1973/4   Orient, after being promoted in 1970 were to re- main in the Second Division until 1982. In those twelve years they only managed higher than tenth position once. This was that season. The summer of 1973 saw the departure on free transfers of Steve Bowtell (to Margate), Ray Fulton (to Folkstone) and Barry Dyson, who at the time was said to be interesting Peterbrough, Crewe and Aldershot as well as an American club (he eventually moved to Colchester).   George Petchey issued the time honoured phrase of an Orient manager when in the Waltham Forest Guardian he said, "obviously I won't be prepared to let any of my best players go" having preceded that with " I will have to wait until I can sell a player before I can go into the transfer market". He dismissed the need for defensive players with "I have four centre halves at the club. He wasn't interested in get- ting Terry Mancini back from QPR. "A player of his age is no good to us" he said. Arsenal disagreed and signed him. Mickey Bullock was on the transfer list at his own request and Orient were ready to listen to offers for Ian Bowyer, who had yet to sign a contract. With Ricky Heppolette in plaster and Peter Bennett injured Petchey signed - guess what? - a defender! Yes you did just read that he said we had four centre halves at the club and didn't need de- fenders. Guess where he signed him from? Crystal Palace? Yes right again. David Payne (26) cost £20,000 and joined Terry Long (as youth coach) and Peter Barnes (as secret- ary) as the first signings from Palace for the 73/4 season. They were not to be the last. Barnes re- placed John Falltrick.   25 August. Away to Sunderland (1-1 Queen) won the 1973 cup final against Leeds and former Orient bussler Vic Halom and Leeds United's Allan Clarke appeared on the front cover of the Sunderland programme for the first match of the season against Orient at Roker Park. The team: Goddard, Hoadley, Downing, Allen, Linton, Walley, Fairbrother, Brisley, Bullock, Queen, Payne, sub Fisher. It was the goalkeepers that gained the attention of the national press. "Goddard on top form, Montgomery saved Sunderland with great saves from Bullock and Queen", wrote Len Shackelton. "Monty magic" was the Joe Cummings headline. "Led by strikers Gerry Queen and Mike Bullock an Orient blitz might easily brought half a dozen goals. But Montgomery gave a brilliant exhibition", wrote Jack Milburn. "Goddard saved brilliantly from Vic Halom" said Charlie Summerbell. 1-1 was the result with Queen scoring with an easy 15 yard shot, while Hughes headed home a cross from Halom.   28 August. Away to Brentford (1-2 Bowyer, Fairbrother). The League Cup got underway in west London where Orient won 1-2. A bad backpass by Stewart Houston meant that Ian Bowyer had the easy task of touching the ball home. Fairbrother's "tenacious running" lead to the second goal. A long ball from Downing, a perfect flick by Bullock led to Fairbrother doing what he did best - netting from close range.   1 September. Home to Bristol City (0-1). No joy at home where we lost 0-1 to an 88th minute header. In the programme, Dave Dodd was urging us to join the new Orient Sportsmans Club, which held its functions at Orients new training ground - three miles away in Clapton! When the clubroom was opened (1/10/73) by Hackney mayor Bob Owen, chairman Page said "We have signed a new lease with the owners, the Lea Valley Development Corporation for seven years, and we are going to make a go of it. Did they?   8 September. Away to Fulham (0-3 Bullock 2, Queen) They, after two games, were top of the division, but manager Alec Stock's celebrations for his 25 years as as a soccer manager were spoilt by Orients 0-3 win at Craven Cottage. Bullock scored two headed goals from crosses by Payne. Queen got the other. In the Orient quiz in the Fulham programme we were asked to name a former Fulham striker that had a short spell on loan to Orient from Charlton in 1968/9. Actually they made a mistake, he was on loan from West Ham. (It was Roger Cross not Vic Halom).   Against Bolton (11 September), Orient were denied a penalty when Fairbrother was rugby-tackled by Warwick Rimmer. When the same player fell over Don McAllister's leg a penalty was awarded and Gerry Queen scored from the spot. Bobby Charlton was made manager at Preston North End. Supporter George Taylor was banned for life as the club disbanded the supporters club. "We don't want these people at Orient" said chairman Page. This sort of man was no longer wanted. I wonder what sort was. One in the eye for Page when Dick James wrote to the WF Guardian: "I would like to quote Mr Page from the Orient programme 3 years ago. He said "I would like to thank George Taylor and his friends and helpers for all their freely given assist- ance in painting and decorating and so many other jobs that had to be done during the summer". At he heart of the matter was that Taylor ran the coaches to away matches. He lost total control as travel man- ager when Brian Blower wanted to take command and fix prices. George saw away travel much the same as the man before him, Terry Baxter, both treated travelling away as a service to the supporters. It was not to be a means to screw fans for as much money as possible. On one memorable midweek trip to Middlesbrough the coach was only half full but the price remained the same. "What we lose on this trip" said Terry "we will make up on future trips". George was asked by some supporters to run coaches for them, a sort of breakaway group. He was then accused of touting for business inside the ground, which he had no need to do, hence the ban. Added to this was the closing of the small supporters clubroom (now used by the players). This meant that supporters had nowhere to meet after the match. They could of course travel the three miles to the Sportsmans Club in Clapton but this would not be open immediately after the match.   Orient, at home to Blackpool (15 September), won 3-2 after being two down at half time. Bullock headed home Brisley's corner while Peter Allen lobbed the ball over the keeper for the second. Queen scored from the penalty spot.   Jackie Charlton's third placed Middlesbro (17 September) were held to a goaless draw. Petchey waffled on in the programme about the forth- coming England match with Poland in the World Cup. Do managers really believe that we want to know what they think about all and sundry? We want articles regarding Orient FC and nowt else.   Another comeback was made in the match at Villa Park (22 September) which ended 2-2. Villa took the lead in 67 seconds through Bruce Rioch. Bullock hit back with a low drive that took a deflection on its way past keeper Cumbes in the 33rd minute. Three minutes later Villa gained the lead again, but only for two minutes. Bullock outpaced(!) two defenders and crossed to Heppolette who took advantage of the confusion in the Villa defence. Hoadley and Downing were booked.   Sixth placed Orient drew 0-0 with Swindon (29 September). Jill Palmer of the Evening Standard was writ- ing in the Orient programme. The WF Guardian was asking where all the fans had gone. Mr Page was banning them!   Orient lost 3-2 to top of the table Middlesbro (2 October) at Ayresome Park. Four goals came in the final 15 minutes. Bullock and Heppolette scored for us. Terry Brisley was carried off after 70 minutes.   Goalkeeper Goddard injured his back in training and Mike O'Shaughnessy made his début at Boothferry Park (6 October) making two good saves and was beaten only by a penalty taken by Stuart Pearson. Bullock headed his sixth goal of the season from a cross by Walley. Terry Neill was the Hull City manager.   Blackburn (9 October) were knocked out of the League Cup with Fairbrother's diving header from Allen's cross, and Bullock headed home almost out of the hands of keeper Jones from Downing's high lob. Ian Bowyer had played only one match out of a possible 12. Fairbrother, from a rebound, and Heppolette from point blank range, were the scorers against 3rd placed Forest (13 October). Forest, managed by Dave Mackay, signed Bowyer for £40,000 and Petchey spent £25,000 on goalkeeper John Jackson from Malcolm Allison's Crystal Palace. What was that bit about no defenders required again. I never saw the point in buying Jackson. Ray Goddard was more than just a compitent keeper and, at 24, had a lot of playing years left in him. Jackson was 31. Bill Roffey, yes another defender, joined Orient a week later from the same club. Roffey had been expected to join Southend in a £112,000 deal which took Peter Taylor to Selhurst Park.   Jackson made his début against second placed Luton (20 October). According to which paper you read, Brisley or Hoadley handled in the penalty area. Referee Challis didn't see it. Manager Haslam did but he doesn't count does he? Queen scored from the edge of the area and Fairbrother headed in Walley's cross as Orient won 2-0. Team; Jackson, Payne, Downing, Allen, Hoadley, Walley, Fairbrother, Brisley, Bullock, Queen, Heppolette, sub Harris. Fisher was down with the pox. Chicken variety that is.   Orient moved into second place in Division Two with a 3-0 home win against Bolton (22 October). 11,702 people saw goals from Queen 2 (1 pen) and a header from Fairbrother do the damage. Goddard and Arber were told they could go if they wanted to.   Orient could only manage a draw at Oxford (27 October) when Bullock headed in after 70 minutes. Jackson came off the field with a bloody head having saved a penalty from Derek Clarke, awarded after Downing had punched the ball from under the bar.   York City (31 October) held us to 1-1 in the League Cup at Brisbane Road. A corner by Peter Allen was headed in by Queen in the 21st minute. Barry Swallow equalised.   Orient went out of the London Challenge Cup 4-0 losing at Spurs in a replay. John Margerrison and Chris Jones were among the scorers.  Keith Osgood was in the Spurs team whilst Ralph Coates was in the first team that lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle. In the South East Counties League a 4 all draw was recorded at White Hart Lane. Bill Roffey made his début in front of the largest crowd of the season (12,848) vs Preston (3 November). Fairbrother jabbed home a Heppolette cross, but it was left to Bullock to thunder home a right foot shot from 25 yards to earn Orient a point. In the Evening Standard at the start of the season George Petchey tipped Middlesbrough, Villa and Bristol City as teams for promo- tion. After 15 games Boro were first, Villa second, and City fifth (Orient being fourth).  He added "Crystal Palace have a chance with so many fine players". They were bottom. He had coached many of their fine players! Peter Allen was named as the Evening Standard footballer of the month and George Petchey Bell's manager of the month.   O's went out of the League Cup at York (6 November) 2-1. Bullock headed his tenth goal of the season.   A hail of seat cushions towards the directors box signalled Sheffield Wednesday's (10 November) 2-1 de- feat in front of their lowest crowd of the season (9,961). Mickey Bullock headed Terry Brisley's corner in off the bar and Fairbrother crashed in a low shot from the edge of the area. Wednesday were fifth from bottom in the table and I seem to recall manager Derek Dooley getting the push at Christmas.   WBA (17 November) were well beaten at Leyton with Jackson in dazzling form. "a long ball from Tom Walley caused havoc in the Albion defence and Gerry Queen touched it on for Fairbrother to hammer his eight goal of the season" said the East London Advertiser while the News of the World wrote, "Orient shook Albion with a great goal immediately after the restart. Hardworking Queen pushed Heppolette away, Downing overlapped and crossed for Bullock whose downward header dropped for Heppolette to slam home. Downing was chopped down by Mayo who was lucky not to be booked". The Evening Standard, who still had an evening paper on a Saturday, commented, "Albion bought on substitute Shaw for the out-of-touch Glover."   Millwall's (24 November) six match unbeaten run was ended by Orient 0-1. A national newspaper described the goal, "Allen chipped a short cross, Queen juggled the ball back to Bullock, and East London's most improved player smashed his shot in off the bar"    A setback. We lost 1-2 at home to Cardiff (1 December), newly managed by Frank O'Farrell, who were 5th from bottom. Fairbrother scored with a diving header. Orient were in second place behind Middlesbrough with 24 pts, two in front of the next opponents, Notts County (8 December).   Three goals in the first 15 mins, a Bullock header and 2 from Queen put paid to County's chances despite a fightback to 2-3. Fairbrother scored 20 mins from the end. Gerry Queen was carried off with a dislo- cated shoulder.  Harris and Goddard were placed on the transfer list. Harris was rated in the East London Advertiser at £25,000 and Goddard £5,000 less. Both players appeared in the next match against Carlisle (15 December) as O's suffered their second successive home defeat (0-1).   Orient signed 27 year old John Boyle on a free transfer from Chelsea. Of course we didn't need defenders did we? Bobby Arber and John Lewis turned down moves to Southern League Wimbledon.   The team away to Swindon (22 December) was, Jackson, Boyle, Roffey, Allen, Hoadley, Walley, Fairbrother, Brisley, Bullock, Downing, Heppolette, sub Harris. Jackson let a 35 yarder from David Moss through his fingers to equalise Bullock's goal. Fairbrother got the other in a 2-2 draw.   Malcolm Allison's Crystal Palace (26 December) were soundly beaten 3-0 at Leyton despite spending £150,000 on Don Rogers (Swindon), £75,000 on Paddy Mulligan (Chelsea), £115,00 Derek Possee (Millwall), £100,000 on Alan Whittle (Everton) and £115,000 on Peter Taylor from Southend. Goddard for Jackson was the only change in the team as Bullock and Fairbrother with a brace, scored for the O's. 20,611 watched this Boxing Day match.   Bill Roffey was given the run around by the Conway Brothers against Fulham (92 December). He decided he might have better luck up front. With 18 mins left he let fly a crashing right foot shot from 35 yards. Goalkeeper Peter Mellor had no chance.   The first game of 1974 saw Orient 0-2 winners at Bristol City (1 January 1974) without an Orient player scoring! Deflections of shots by Walley and Downing were to blame. Peter Allen was carried off with a bruised shin.   Two goals in the mud against Bournemouth (5 January) for Fairbrother were enough to send Orient into the next round of the FA Cup. Team: Goddard, Payne, Arber, Harris, Hoadley, Walley, Fairbrother, Boyle, Bullock, Heppolette and Downing. Sub Queen.   The same team, but Boyle replacing Arber at full back and the return of   Brisley to the side, drew 1-1 at Blackpool (12 January) where Bullock's penalty equalised a Mickey Burns header.    In a match where Sir Alf Ramsey was reported to be watching Barrie Fairbrother, Orient beat Sunderland (19 January) 2-1 with Fairbrother making the first goal and scoring the second. Downing and Hoadley were popular with the referee Ken Barker, so was Ian Porterfield.   Orient flew off for a few days sunshine in Spain before facing Pompey (29 January) at Fratton Park in the FA Cup. Some 45 coach loads of fans and 32,838 people saw a goaless draw. Keepers Milkins and Goddard seeing plenty of action. Paul Went, Peter Marinello, Ron Davis and Ray Hiron plus eight others faced, Goddard, Hoadley, Payne, Linton, Walley, Fairbrother, Brisley, Bullock, Queen, and Heppolette. Sub Downing. These were the days of the three day week so the match was played on a Sunday with the re- play the following Tuesday (29 January) at 1-30pm.     A 1-1 draw, after extra time meant a further replay. And after Petchey had won the toss we were to play at Selhurst Park a week later. Fairbrother scored our goal.   Carlisle (2 February) completed the double over us by winning 3-0. Frank Clarke (no not that one, this one was the brother of Derek and Allan) and that man Laidlaw got the goals after slack marking by Hoadley. Prior to the match Orient were in second in the table with 36 points, 4 in front of Luton and five behind Middlesbrough. This was the start of a disasterous spell. In the Âﾐ final 15 matches Orient were to pick up only 12 points. The next two matches were postponed. First was the match at home to Aston Villa, it was to be significant. The second was due to Portsmouth beating us in the FA Cup because they were due to play Nottingham Forest, who should have been our league opponents. 17 year olds Tony Grealish and Gary Hibbs signed professional forms.   Strong arm stuff from Hull City (23 February) saw three of their players booked for kicking lumps out of Fairbrother and Heppolette (twice). They also walked off with a point as Heppolette scored and Stuart Pearson equalised. Fairbrother commented on the Orient pitch, "It was dreadful". Orient were to spend £1,000 on it in the summer. "It must be im- proved for First Division football" said Petchey.   Heppolette was again the scorer in the 2-1 defeat at Forest (26 February). He was also sent off after re- taliating to a right hander received from Tommy Jackson who also got an early bath. Petchey launched a bitter attack in the Evening Standard on soccer thugs and terrace louts, which, if you have visited Forest, you can vouch for. Heppolette had a swollen left cheek, stud marks on his thigh and bruised ankles. Orient cut a record. 'Football, football' it was called. It was on the Pye label, it had and 8" crust. It was the only 7" record with an 8" hole. Any more record jokes? Petchey whinged at the lack of fans, he must have caught it from Page.   A goalless draw at Palace (3 March) in front of 29,056 spectators continued the slide. We were still second, Blackpool and Luton were a point behind. Crystal Palace programme editor had photos of Vic Halom and John Kaye transposed.   Another draw, this time 1-1 with Oxford (10 March) saw Orient slip further down the table. They were now in third place, Luton were now second (and were our next opponents) with 39 points and Blackpool and WBA a point behind us on 37. An own goal by Hoadley and..... I'll let the WF Guardian describe the Orient goal. "Downing, storming in from the left, risked life and limb as he plunged forward to head the ball into the far corner". Petchey continued to moan about support.   I can't ever remember Orient getting a good result at Luton (16 March) and former Evertonian Jimmy Husband made sure of a Luton win. He got a hat trick as O's lost 3-1. A Hoadley 30 yarder equalised Husband's first. Michael Hart of the Evening Standard interviewed George Petchey. "The hard game is be- hind us" he said "We knew Luton would be a big obstacle. They beat us  3-1 and its over. The players are relieved. They are all in great spirits this week.   “They know they will beat Sheffield Wednesday (23 March) on Saturday". They knew no such thing. They lost 0-1. Ken Knighton, Holsgrove, Rodrigues and Shaw were Wednesdays bookings in their fight to stave off relegation. Roffey was booked for Orient. This put Orient in 5th place on 39 points on goal average. Notts Forest and Carlisle had the same number of points, WBA had 38, while above, Blackpool were on 40 and Luton on 43.   Another relegation match at Preston (30 March) ended happier. A fourth minute goal, in off the post by Downing meant Orient were joint 3rd with Blackpool and Carlisle above us on goal average. 18 year old Laurie Cunningham signed professional forms along with Nigel Gray and John Smeulders. Bobby Arber was off to South Africa to try his luck. The Evening Standard reported Orient attendances were up by 77% 80,000 more supporters had seen them play.   A headed goal in the 14th minute by Fairbrother was not enough as Millwall (6 April) drew 1-1. A further 'goal' by Fairbrother was ruled offside as Brisley was in the back of the net.   We could only draw 0-0 at Portsmouth (12 April). Going into the away match at WBA, Orient were in 3rd position, with Blackpool and Carlisle a point behind. We then lost one nil to a WBA (13 April) side that included Allan Glover. Joe Mayo was the sub. "We have 3 games top play at home - and we will win all those to get promotion " said George Petchey to a national newspaper. We won one but the last 3 games were all 1-1 draws.   Revenge against Portsmouth (15 April) for our FA Cup defeat was sweet. Queen got both goals in a 2-1 win. Paul Harris asked to be taken off the transfer list, Ray Goddard had a bruised thigh, Arthur Page announced he was giving up his Orient chairmanship and was to become a life president. Brian Winston took over.     An 11th minute goal from Fairbrother against Notts County (20 April) meant the first of the 1-1 draws. Middlesbrough were top of the league on 63 points, Luton next (49) followed by Blackpool (47) Carlisle (47) and the Orient on 46 with a game in hand over the teams above them. David Payne broke his leg (or rather Willie Carlin did it for him) as Bullock's 19th minute goal was equalised at Cardiff (27 April). So it was all on the last match at home versus Aston Villa (3 May).  "O's 90 minutes from a place at the top" wrote the WF Guardian. Phil Hoadley blatantly bought down Brian Little, Ray Graydon scored from the spot. Bullock equalised 15 minutes later. 29,766 saw a 1-1 draw and O's stayed in the Second Division with 48 points. Orient were in 4th place and Carlisle were promoted with 49 points. Many incidents can be pointed at as the reason we didn't go up, not least of all the Hoadley penalty in the last match, the same player's slack marking in the Carlisle game, Jackson's fumble in the match at Swindon, Payne's broken leg. None of these was the real reason. However, it seems to me that teams in the run into promotion that sign a forward, as did Jimmy Bloomfield in 1970, somehow have a better chance. Barrie Fairbrother was player of the year, Heppolette, Goddard and Hoadley the runners up. Fairbrother was top scorer with 19 goals (inc 2 in the League Cup and 3 in the FA Cup), Bullock 18 (inc 2 LC), Queen 13 (1 LC), whilst Dean Mooney finished the season with 37 goals in youth games and also scored 10 in the reserves. Average home attendance was 11,793.    That ended my history of Leyton Orient 1965-1974. For the next 43 years (as I write) we have been relegated far more times than promoted. My enthusi- asm waned and I stopped going to away matches and buying programmes. Managers came and went with monotonous regularity. Second rate players were/are the norm and whereas in the above history 29 players used in the season was unusual it became a regular occurrence. As I said at the start I will make an attempt to write my history using the internet and the pro- grammes I have. From 2010 I have maintained a sort of blog and can  be viewed here. Previous page. Start of 1973-1974 season. Next page. Previous page. Next page.

1970 v Swindon.

1974 April v NottsCounty 1-1. Bullock.

1974 20 April v Notts County. Fairbrother.