Leyton Orient have endured two years of misery – but now is their best chance to turn it around
New owner Francesco Becchetti has brought turmoil to East London since 2014 playoff final defeat, but a small storm is brewing in East London
LEYTON ORIENT could have had it all.
Leading 2-0 at half-time in the playoff final at Wembley over Rotherham, Championship football awaited for the first time since 1982 - but it all went so wrong, eventually losing on penalties.
Fast forward two years and the club see themselves a league below, having been instantly relegated - while last campaign they just missed out on the playoffs.
Eccentric businessman Becchetti is onto his seventh manager – and during his tenure has sacked some of the club’s popular staff members, brought in a boss who did not speak a word of English and appointed former Newcastle player Kevin Nolan.
He also picked the team, received a touchline ban for literally kicking current boss Andy Hessenthaler in the backside and had an extradition order to Albania after alleged shady dealings finally quashed in court last month.
But despite all this the future, incomprehensibly, looks bright. Perhaps unlike Leeds’ fellow Italian chairman Massimo Cellino or Charlton’s mysterious Roland Duchatelet, Becchetti’s heart is undoubtedly in the right place.
He attends most games home and away and has a truly hands-on approach – perhaps too-hands on at times.
And in a recent fans forum, he admitted that over £10million has already been invested into the club, he has made big and costly mistakes.
Most importantly, with near-neighbours West Ham having moved across the road into the “Tesco Stadium”, he has pledged to support its long term future.
On the pitch, things look particularly good this time around. Hessenthaler, assistant last season to Ian Hendon and Nolan, is a veteran of 500 games as a manager and has been allowed to sign some quality players in the quest for much-needed stability.