Preview of first game of the season: Sunderland away (24th August)

A trip up north to Sunderland is probably not the best tonic for the injury hit and struggling O’s. Sunderland, whose last competitive match was to beat Leeds United in the 1973 FA Cup final will surely prove too much for Petchey's side. The Wanstead and Woodford Guardian agree that Sunderland ‘not unnaturally are odds on favourites to win.’ Despite trying to find glimmers of hope for Orient their chief sports correspondent has remarked how ‘I’m going along with the forecasters and predicting a home win.’ And with Bob Stokoe’s Cup Winning side brimming with confidence and led by their England international centre half Dave Watson , who can blame him...

Orient in pre-season crisis (20th August)

Orient 2- 3 Charlton (pre-season)

Goddard, Arber, Downing, Harris, Hoadley, Walley, Bowyer, Brisley, Bullock, Queen, Fairbrother. Sub: Fisher

‘There are still too many passes going astray and we’re not going in hard enough. We must toughen up.’ - Orient manager George Petchey

With just days to go before Orient’s opening clash with Sunderland, things aren’t going well. Despite a morale boosting win over Division 1 QPR in a friendly the week earlier, Orient’s 9 day tour of Belgium and Holland revealed a mix bag of results. Now Orient have slipped to a dismal defeat in their final pre-season friendly to 3rd Division Charlton. Despite twice leading Orient allowed Charlton to come back into the game for a demoralising 3-2 defeat. Petchey exclaimed how he found manner of the defeat disturbing rather than the defeat itself. The Wanstead & Woodford Guardian’s sport correspondent tore into the defensive display, noting the ‘continual mishandling’ of Goddard in goal, and the inept performances of the back four of Arber, Downing, Harris and Hoadley in front of him. As well his criticism Orient’s toughness, Petchey slammed his players, claiming ‘ we showed a lack of professionalism which will be punished by Sunderland unless we iron out the faults quickly.’

However, there were glimmers of hope, with young 17 year old Bobby Fisher impressing and former striker Ian Bowyer seeming to enjoy a ‘new lease of life in midfield.’ However, with Bowyer locked in contract standoff with the club, rumours of his impending exit are rife, with speculation that former O’s manger Jimmy Bloomfield, now at Leicester, may be about to bid around £50,000 for him. Injuries are also mounting up for Orient ahead of the big kick off. Link man Ricky Hepolette is still out with foot injury, while club captain Bennet still has a groin injury- with rumours even abounding that this will force him into early retirement.

Orient appear to have been all but written off in the press, with the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian bemoaning the lack of an experienced defender signed, claiming Orient will be ‘hard pushed against clubs with the resources of Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Middlesborough & West Brom’. Perhaps even more worryingly, the Sun newspaper has yet again predicted Orient as their favourites for relegation.

Ok, so I'm a bit late

So far this blog, much like Arsenal's search for a world class 'keeper, has been all wild promises and expectations made over the summer, yet has so far have come to nothing. I know the season's already 5 or 6 games in, but this is a week by week account, when football wouldn't even be mentioned until the August. Yes, I realise I'm still a couple of weeks behind- I've been away, ok! And I'll stagger some posts to get up to speed. No-one will ever know...

So fasten your seatbelts, hold on tight, and get ready for the 37 year old trip down memory lane fo your life - here come the posts.