In this series at Everything Orient, we take a look back at ex-Orient players and see where their careers have taken them since their departure from Brisbane Road.
Player Profile
Terry Mancini – affectionately known as ‘Henry’ after the composer Henry Mancini of Pink Panther fame – made 167 appearances for the O’s between 1967 and 1971, scoring 16 goals in the process. He was a highly committed and successful defender and extremely popular with fans and teammates alike.
Mancini played an integral role in the Orient team that won the Division Three Championship in the 1969-70 season, the only trophy that Orient have ever won. Over the course of his career he also earned five international caps with the Republic of Ireland.
Mancini was born in Camden in 1942 and was originally named Terry Seely, later taking the surname of his stepfather when his mother remarried.
Where Have They Been?
Mancini began his career with Watford, joining the club in 1960, but didn’t settle under manager Ken Firphy and was released on a free transfer mid-way through the 1965-66 season. He then spent 20-months in South Africa playing for Port Elizabeth City before returning to London to join Leyton Orient in November 1967.
Mancini spent four seasons with Orient and captained the side that won the Third Division title in 1969-70. In an interview Mancini recalled how the title was won under manager Jimmy Bloomfield without any coaching:
"He didn't coach us at all throughout that season, he would just pick two five-a-side games and let us get on with it. Can you imagine that today? But it worked. We were a dedicated bunch,” Mancini revealed.
It was certainly a successful period for Leyton Orient, with Mancini playing a key role at the heart of the defence. He was partnered in the team by some memorable players including goalkeeper Ray Goddard, strikers Vic Halom and Mickey Bullock, wingers Barrie Fairbrother and Peter Brabrook, midfielders Terry Brisley, Peter Allen and Barry Dyson and defenders Dennis Rofe and Tommy Taylor.
Much to the chagrin of the fans, Mancini was sold the following season to fellow Second Division club QPR. Mancini’s success continued, however, as QPR finished runners-up to Birmingham City to gain promotion in 1972-73 to the old First Division. At that time QPR were the top London club, having players such as Frank McLintock, Dave Webb (also an ex-Orient player), Gerry Francis, Terry Venables, Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles.
In 1974, at the age of 33, Mancini was sold to Arsenal for £20,000 where he helped the Gunners survive in the First Division, giving them the grounding for their future successes.
He left Arsenal in 1976 to play for Aldershot on a short-term contract before enjoying a season in the more glamorous surroundings of Los Angeles, playing with the likes of George Best and Charlie Cooke.
Mancini’s international career with the Republic of Ireland started in 1973 playing against Poland, and he went on to win five caps in total.
Where Are They Now?
As well as playing, during the early 1970s Mancini was an occasional presenter of LWT’s The Big Match when, in an attempt to distance itself from the BBC’s more staid Match of the Day, the programme experimented with using current players as presenters.
After retiring from the game in 1977, Mancini coached several teams before eventually leaving football altogether and running a variety of businesses, travelling the world with his own events business and a travel company specialising in holidays to Spain.
