Greetings and happy new season one and all! How have we all coped with the Orient-less void that normal people like to call “summer”?

After carrying on the celebrations following a second title-winning season in six years for a good few weeks, including going to the League 2 Play-Off final to see which would be the last to be confirmed awayday of the new campaign (for the record Carlisle was our slightly preferred option, so happy days there!), and then having the absolute honour of being invited to join the RainbO’s as allies at Pride in London; the missus and I finally settled down into enjoying the summer break.  As fun as last season was, especially the final couple of months, like most of you I think my liver enjoyed the rest(!), and after a brief sojourn in South America I am feeling refreshed and ready to go for what promises to be another exciting Orient adventure.

Transfers & The Squad

Going into the summer transfer window, it is probably fair to say that there was some concern amongst the O’s faithful about the gaffer and some of our key players being tempted away by more money and opportunities at a higher level.

After some early rumours about Richie being lured to another club (Reading? Yeah right!), it seems that he is determined to have a crack at establishing us in the third tier. His achievements in his time at the helm so far suggest that mid-table security, if not an optimistic push at the play-offs, is the minimum target for 2023/24.

In the end we did have to say goodbye to a trio of players that played pivotal roles in our brilliantly successful season last time out. After being voted player of the season for three seasons in succession, setting a new record for clean sheets, giving away penalties only to then save them, Vigs simply couldn’t resist (and who can blame him?) the chance to join Premier League Burnley. There certainly can’t be any true Orient fan who won’t wish him all the very best of luck for the future.

At pretty much the same time we also got the news that Paul Smyth was on his way back to QPR after two years in E10. While his contribution last season and those magical goals will never be forgotten by those of us that were lucky enough to witness them, the comments that he made on re-joining his former club did stick in the craw somewhat. It is all too easy to forget that we offered him a fresh start after being shown the door at Loftus Road, all the matches that he missed during the beyond frustrating 2021/22 season, and the way that Richie and the medical staff managed his minutes last time out to try to keep him fit. It is undeniable how brilliant he was in the first half of last season, although with just one goal after Christmas and a few missed matches in late winter, his impact really seemed to tail off.

It was with a heavy heart that we had to say goodbye to genuine club stalwart and definite fan favourite Craig Clay. Lest we forget that Craig was part of the hastily assembled squad that started the first season in the National League, and despite some doubts from previous managers (hi Mr Jackett!) was part of two championship-winning teams and a key member of the squad. The missus and I have had the great pleasure of bumping into Craig on a couple of occasions, most bizarrely on the Tube on the way to a League match a couple of seasons back, and would both say that you would be hard pushed to find a more genuine, honest, and humble guy. It was great to learn that he had signed for Sutton and I’m sure we all wish him the very best of the luck for the future, unless of course we draw them in one of the cups!

Probably due to a perceived lack of opportunities with Dan Happe returning to fitness and signing a new contract, Shad Ogie opted to sign for Gillingham. Personally, I always quite rated Shad but a career in football is very short, and he had to make the right decision for himself and his future prospects.

Of course there have also been some exciting looking additions to the squad ahead of the big kick-off:

• First through the door was Max Sanders a central midfielder who made 72 appearances for League 1 Lincoln City across two and a half seasons at Sincil Bank.

• Next was forward Daniel Agyei who notched 16 goals and 5 assists for an ordinary Crewe side last season and who stood out in all three of our meetings with the Railwaymen. Sadly though it seems that he may be ruled out for a significant period after picking up an injury in pre-season.

• Ethan Galbraith became another central midfield addition when he joined from Manchester United (it still seems really weird writing that!) after previously playing under Richie at Doncaster on loan and having appeared 38 times for Salford City last term.

• Within the space of a relatively short time we got the news of the signing of two new goalkeepers: Sam Howes from Wealdstone and Sol Brynn on loan from Middlesborough. Even at this early stage it would seem that Brynn will be the first choice but with Howes and Rhys Byrne as back-up it seems we have sufficient cover there, might one of the latter pair even go out on loan?

• Striker Joe Pigott signed from Ipswich Town after spending last season on loan at Portsmouth where he scored 7 goals in 44 matches. 

However it is probably fair to say that what really got O’s fans excited about our prospects for building on last season’s success, was the announcement of the return of two of our standout performers from 2022/23, both on loan, in the form of Idris El Mizouni and very recently Ed Turns. While neither player needs very much in the way of introduction, it says a lot about our club and the way that it is perceived that not only did both players want to return but their respective parent clubs were happy for them to do so.

Then just this Wednesday we got the news of our ninth signing of the summer in the form of Jordan Graham an out and out winger joining from Championship side Birmingham City, who boasts over 50 appearance for the Blues over the last couple of seasons, although slightly concerningly registered no goals at all (quiet at the back about how he will fit right in at Orient!). 

While it remains to be seen how the new signings will fit with those players already at the club and what Richie’s first choice eleven will be, it is difficult to argue with the ambition shown by the club, nor how the board have backed Martin Ling and the gaffer. It really feels as if Richie is beginning to shape the side and the squad the way that he wants it. Who knows there may even be another addition in the centre forward role if rumours are to be believed.

Pre-Season

Probably the least said about our pre-season results the better! However if we choose to see them as purely part of the preparations for when it really counts, we can only hope that the necessary fitness work and time on the training ground has got us to where we need to be come 3pm tomorrow. Although the injuries that we picked up will no doubt frustrate Richie to an extent.

Speaking of the trip to the Valley tomorrow, didn’t the news that we had sold out our entire allocation of 3000+ tickets make you feel proud? Obviously the feelgood factor has carried on through the summer, but if we can get off to a decent start then that will only help to carry on our momentum.

Prospects for the new season

With three teams coming down from the Championship, four coming up from League 2, and a significant amount of money already being spent, it is always difficult to get a read on which teams might be among the favoured for success in 2023/24, although it might be a fair bit easier to predict the strugglers given Wigan’s ongoing plight.

Having conducted extensive research (ok, ok I read a few of the season previews!), it would seem that Barnsley, Derby, Bolton, Blackpool and probably Portsmouth are amongst the favoured sides, while most seem to predict a mid-table finish for the O’s, a lot may well depend on how we start the campaign. There is no question at all that going into the third tier is a step up in class and our largely rock-solid defence from last season is undoubtedly going to be put under more pressure by better quality attacking units.

Equally while it really didn’t matter in the end, there was an ongoing concern throughout the last campaign that we didn’t create enough chances or score enough goals, we have to hope that the new additions and a more fluid attacking approach can create more chances and lead to more goals, as it feels very much as if we are going to need it to. 

Above all though I have been like a kid waiting for Christmas ever since we left Bradford on the 8^th of May. I am absolutely buzzing at the prospect of getting back underway with another Orient adventure, even if the first away trip is actually closer to our house than Brisbane Road is!

The “Exciting New Project”

As I mentioned in the final blog post of last season, I have spent a large part of the summer break pulling together a book about how this magical club of ours has completely stolen the missus’ and my hearts. I am hoping to be able to self-publish it in the next couple of months with all proceeds to be donated to the Justin Edinburgh Foundation. Not having a single artistic bone in my body, the one area that I am currently struggling with is in putting a decent-looking cover together, so if there is anyone out there in Orient-land that knows anything about graphic design and the like, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Cheers and Up the League One O’s!