As the dust settles on Orient’s 2024/25 campaign, it is probably fair to say that after a difficult start to the season, it was one of further establishment in League 1, although we came very close to a hugely unexpected promotion to the Championship. To call the season just gone a rollercoaster would be an understatement, and in many ways wouldn’t do justice to one that was filled with some painful lows, unexpected highs, and some very special matches and occasions.

July 2024

It all got underway in unfamiliar surroundings north of the border in the grand old city of Edinburgh, for the specially arranged friendly with Hearts – a club with so much in common through its history with our beloved Orient. It felt like a real adventure with all of the events aligned to the match proving to be both enjoyable and hugely emotional. It of course helped that the O’s won, but the whole event was more about two grand clubs remembering what had gone before in our respective histories.

August 2024

After some more pre-season preparations in “exotic” and “far-flung” destinations including Spain, St Albans and Dagenham(?), the season proper got started with a home tie against Bolton. The new broadcasting deal between Sky TV and the EFL meant that all League One matches were given a 5:30pm kick-off time, which leant the occasion a slightly strange feel.

The Trotters had just missed out on promotion to the Championship the previous season having lost to Oxford in the play-off final, nevertheless most people seemed to think they would be one of the teams in the mix again in 2024/25. Mind you there was a whole host of clubs in the division who had previously appeared in the Premier League but were now plying their trade in the third tier.

We conceded a goal after just 8 minutes (not the most auspicious start to the season, it has to be said!), before returning loanee Charlie Kelman equalized just before the half-time break. We were holding our own through the second half until new on loan goalkeeper Zach Hemming made a complete mess of claiming a ball into the area and gifted former O Victor Adeboyejo the winner. While Hemming did improve as the early part of the season progressed, it never felt like he fully recovered from that debut error.

A home League Cup tie followed with the visit of Newport County to E10 just three days later. For once, this season would actually see Orient progress in all three cup competitions, and this one very much got the ball rolling thanks to a first minute goal from Dan Agyei and further strikes from new signing Diallang Jaiyesimi, Bradon Cooper and Kelman, as we ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.

Next we were off to the Valley in what would prove to be the first of four meetings with Charlton over the course of the campaign. It was a roasting hot day and the first of several 12:30 kick-offs thanks to the new TV deal. In a recurring theme for our meetings with the Addicks, a hard-fought game between two evenly matched sides was settled by a strike from Luke Berry in added time. The game also gave us our first glimpse of young Tottenham prospect attacking midfielder Jamie Donley. He slotted straight into the team due to an injury to Ethan Galbraith, and in all fairness he looked a little bit lost in the hurly burly, more physical world of League 1. We could only hope that he would come good as he adjusted to the pace and physicality of regular senior football.

The following Saturday we hosted big-spending and hot favourites for the title Birmingham City. While we gave a decent account of ourselves, the match was decided in the opening 20 minutes, with Keshi Anderson giving the Blues an early lead, only for Ethan Galbraith to equalize minutes later, before Alfie May (grrrr!) won it for them.

The second round of the League Cup saw us make another relatively short trip south of the river, this time to The Den home of Championship Millwall. In front of a buoyant Orient travelling faithful, Dan Agyei put us 1-0 up in the opening quarter of an hour, before a battling and spirited defensive performance saw us hold on for a 1-0 win and progression to the third round, where we would face Premier League Brentford the following month.

We rounded out August with a trip to Shrewsbury where we had ended our travels the previous season. Thankfully this time the kick-off was scheduled for the more traditional (and reasonable!) time of 3pm, although perhaps someone should have told the Orient players that the match had started(!), as we then proceeded to put in what was for me our worst performance of the season, losing 3-0 to a team that ended up finishing bottom of the league. So that was played 4, lost 4 in the league- not exactly the start we had been hoping for, although as a slight encouragement we had progressed in the League Cup. Surely things could only get better…couldn’t they? 

September 2024

The first match of September proved to be a bit of a strange one for yours truly as the O’s would be facing Arsenal Under-21s in the EFL Trophy. In the end it didn’t prove too much of a test of my loyalty as I am fundamentally against Premier League “B teams” being allowed to enter the competition in the first place, and now being some seasons removed from my Emirates season ticket I am not too familiar at all with the Arsenal academy squad.

Even though Orient lost 2-1, our goal coming from Dan Happe, this game was notable for two things from a playing personnel perspective: firstly we got our first glimpse of on loan left back Jack Currie who would go on to have such an impressive season for us; and secondly, late in the second half nominal right back Sean Clare was brought on as sub in central midfield. Up to that point it’s fair to say that Clare’s form at right back hadn’t been entirely convincing but as we saw as the season progressed as a central midfielder he looked like a different player.

After the first of several utterly annoying international breaks, came a trip to Berkshire to face Reading. A slightly fortuitous strike from Charlie Kelman that seemed to go through the keeper’s grasp was enough to secure our first 3 points of the campaign. The following Tuesday we headed off to the G-Tech Community Stadium to face Brentford in the League Cup. As impressive as the ground was, definite food for thought for a future new stadium for the O’s, the evening will sadly be remembered for the appalling stewarding which saw overly invasive searches and downright potentially dangerous “crowd management”.

We got our first glimpse of another Spurs loanee Josh Keeley between the sticks that night, and while Hemming would return for the following league games it wasn’t long before the young Irish stopper established himself as the clear first choice. Despite taking the lead through Brandon Cooper, three quick-fire goals before half-time from the Premier League side put an end to our run in that competition.

The following Saturday saw us travel up to Greater Manchester to face a much fancied and strong Stockport County side who would eventually finish in third spot in the table. It was one of those games where everything just seemed to click into gear, and we ran out 4-1 victors thanks to a first half double from the hugely impressive Ethan Galbraith and second half goals from Dan Agyei and Sean Clare. The missus was also so happy with the pies that we not only had one each before the match, but she also bought some for the way home as well.

We then drew 2-2 at home with a surprisingly underwhelming Peterborough side the following Tuesday, before ending September with a goalless stalemate at home to Hollywood-backed Wrexham. After a frustrating August, it had been a month that showed some signs of progress. 

October 2024

If we thought we were finally getting ourselves on the right track, we were dealt a dose of reality when we were beaten at home 1-0 by Exeter City under the Tuesday night lights at Brisbane Road, before losing 2-1 away at Lincoln the following Saturday. The result was of course disappointing, but we still managed to really enjoy our weekend with friends Rob and Tracey in what is a very picturesque town.

We were back in EFL Trophy action the following Tuesday when we drew 1-1 with Colchester in a match that will be remembered in the main for the irritating Col-U number 9, Samson Tovide, who spent most of the match winding up the Orient players and the crowd that was in attendance. Thankfully we had the last laugh when he skied his penalty in the shootout well over the bar, and we secured the bonus point when Charlie Kelman converted his.  

After another Interlull (© Arseblog) we were off to one of the missus’ least favourite awaydays: Northampton. That we lost 1-0 neither came as surprise nor any kind of encouragement for her to go back there in the future. 

The disappointing trip to Sixfields was followed by a functional at best Tuesday evening 1-0 home win over Rotherham and every Orient fans “favourite” opposition manager, Steve Evans, but if we thought this was a sign of us starting to get our act together we were to be sorely mistaken. The following Saturday we were humbled at Adams Park, beaten 3-0 when in all fairness it could, and probably should, have been more. As an old, experienced head coach in rugby league once said: we were so bad we were lucky to get nil!

I remember walking out of the ground that day completely lost for what was going wrong and struggling to find any straw of positivity to clutch onto. It really felt as if we were going to be dragged into a fight to avoid a relegation battle. At that stage we were 20^th in the table having played 13, won just 3, drawn 2 and lost 8. Anyone suggesting we would be pushing for the play-offs just six months later would have been laughed out of town or carted off to a local institution!

November 2024

We started November with a Sunday afternoon FA Cup trip to non-league Boreham Wood, where despite taking a comfortable 2-0 lead we somehow then conspired not only to concede two late goals, but almost throw the game away completely. In the end we managed to progress via a penalty shootout in which Josh Keeley hinted at the magic he might be capable of by saving the first spot kick. Ultimately Ethan Galbraith converted his to send us through to the second round.

We followed that up with an unexpected 3-0 win at home to Blackpool and then beat MK Dons 3-1 away in the EFL Trophy to seal our progression to the knockout phase.

After another blank weekend thanks to international call-ups we travelled to another of the better half’s hated grounds to face Stevenage. That the highlight of the match was probably one of the Orient travelling faithful throwing sweets down to Simon the official Orient photographer tells you all you need to know about that uneventful goalless draw.

Next we were beaten 2-0 at home by Huddersfield in a performance in which we offered very little at all, and at that point with us mired 21^st in the table we were playing abysmally, and I think many of us were starting to fear the worst. Then came the unquestionable turning point in our season.

Trailing 1-0 at home to National League Oldham Athletic in the second round of the FA Cup, as we entered the 9^th minute of added time at the end of the match, our goalkeeper with a flair for the spectacular, Josh Keeley, sought permission to go up for a free kick. He arrived at precisely the right moment to rescue us: finding the back of the net via a combination of his head/shoulder, sparking utter pandemonium around our famous old ground. It was unlike anything I had ever witnessed at a football match before!

Dan Agyei won it for us with a close range finish in injury time at the end of extra time. It might sound a bit melodramatic but if we had gone out of the cup at that point, then I am really not sure how the rest of our season would have panned out.

Until next week when [spoiler alert!] things start to improve…Up the O’s!