It would be fair to say that it's been a rollercoaster ride supporting Orient, to say the very least. However, despite having a fairly rocky season, here at Everything Orient we'd like to reflect on the positives of this season and what we have to look forward to next season.
Stability – With the season coming to an end, we now have a stable board that is looking towards our 5 and 10 year future plans. With this means we now can have a proper pre-season with competitive friendly fixtures this summer. Last year we were given a month to find players that wanted to come to us and no luxury of a pre-season, I imagine Edinburgh has already got a list of targets to strengthen our squad.
Kent Teague – The man is fast becoming royalty with the fan base. He is approachable on all forms of media and willing to talk to any fan with their questions. He sits with the fans at away games and always make sure he goes into all bars at home games. His love for this club in under a year is crazy and I can’t wait to see what he does next for us.
Players – At the start of the season some thought we would be challenging for promotion, mid-way through the season, relegation was looking a likely prospect. But after a shaky start to the season, we are now one of the most in-form teams in league now thanks to Edinburgh’s arrival mid-season. The players, both new and existing, want to play for Edinburgh and want promotion on their CV now, the passion is back! We also have an England C international, Sam Ling, when was the last time we could say that?
Backroom staff – Early on in the season there was a gesture by the club to the long-suffering staff by bringing them onto the pitch to say ‘thank you’ for sticking with the O’s over a very testing 3 years. While some have since departed, we have also attracted new staff in CEO in Danny Macklin who has engaged with fans and always on hand to answer questions on twitter and via email. He is always looking for ways to improve the ground and bring more commercial money into the team - although he may have stepped the mark in recent times. Credit goes to interim CEO Marshall Taylor who brought this club back from the stone ages and sorted out all of the accounts from the last 3 years.
Other Teams – The ladies team are on fire! They got promoted last season and aren’t far off getting another promotion this season! Their fan base is growing by the game and those that haven’t get yourself down to a LOWFC game soon. The youth team continues to produce talented youngsters and staff alike. Hopefully we will see some break into the first team next season or further their career at bigger clubs.
Atmosphere – Lastly, I feel the atmosphere around the ground and amongst the fans is changing for the better. The last 3 years were bad, but once the takeover came in, it all changed. Season tickets went through the roof and with Edinburgh in charge, I have no doubt that we will see a similar number, if not more, sold for next season. The commanderie with the fans and players is great, everyone seems to bond and it makes for a good atmosphere.
I, for one, can’t wait for pre-season to start! Let’s bring on next season and another go at promotion and watch us get back to where we belong!
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