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Leyton Orient’s crisis deepens after their team doctor resigns as players have not been paid once again

Dr Craig Rosenbloom was the medical expert at the club from the start of the season

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LEYTON ORIENT’S players have not been paid for another week – and now their problems have worsened by losing their team doctor.

Dr Craig Rosenbloom, who has been medical expert at the League 2 crisis club since the start of the season, resigned on Thursday to the shock of the squad.

 Leyton Orient are a club in serious crisis as they head for non-league for the first time in their 140 year history
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Leyton Orient are a club in serious crisis as they head for non-league for the first time in their 140 year historyCredit: PA:Press Association

The EFL’s basement club, nine points from safety and heading for non-league for the first time in their 140 year history, had not paid popular GP Rosenbloom for two months as Italian owner Francesco Becchetti froze the budgets to pay staff.


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And SunSport understands he saw his job advertised online without knowing days after Rosenbloom asked to be paid before covering any more matches – resigning as a result.

It leaves Orient in a precarious position as most professional clubs have a doctors for the team and one for the crowd – and currently they have just one remaining for the supporters on matchday.

Rosenbloom, an Orient fan since the age of 10, could now add himself to the list of creditors owed money by Becchetti before the next hearing at the High Court on June 12.

 Italian owner Francesco Becchetti has frozen budgets to pay staff
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Italian owner Francesco Becchetti has frozen budgets to pay staffCredit: PA:Press Association

And he joins the likes of the first team physio and the groundsman in leaving Brisbane Road in recent weeks as turmoil deepens in east London.

Orient received a stay of execution last month when Becchetti, who took over in 2014 when Orient has just missed out on the Championship, paid an outstanding £250,000 tax bill and pledged to put £1million into the club to fund the employees.

 Leyton Orient players haven't been paid yet again
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Leyton Orient players haven't been paid yet againCredit: Getty Images
 Fans have continued to protest against the owner
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Fans have continued to protest against the ownerCredit: Andrew Orchard sports photography

But since then Orient’s players were not paid on time last week and received a text from chief executive this week telling them they have to wait for a few more days yet.

Members of the squad have already threatened to go on strike in protest against unpopular millionaire owner Becchetti.

They have a right to serve the club 14 days’ notice on their contract if the club is in breach – which they are now – and leave with morale at an all-time now.

Last week manager Danny Webb had resigned after a bust-up with Becchetti, as Under 16’s boss Omer Riza took over first-team duties until the end of the season - and became the O’s FIFTH manager of the season only to be sent off in his first game, a 2-0 loss to Wycombe.

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