Leyton Orient vs. Colchester Restarted After Protest Caused Apparent Abandonment
Apr 29, 2017
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 16: A general view of the ground ahead of the start of the Sky Bet League Two match between Leyton Orient and Dagenham & Redbridge at Brisbane Road on April 16, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)
Leyton Orient's League Two match against Colchester on Saturday was abandoned and then restarted after fans of the beleaguered home side took to the pitch.
ESPN FC's Iain Macintosh shared footage of the protest and applauded the fans for doing so:
He later also confirmed the match had been abandoned. But once the fans of both sides had left, the pitch was quickly prepared to play out the final five minutes.
The EFL explained the decision to trick the fans in a statement:
A statement from the @EFL confirms they tricked Leyton Orient fans into thinking their League Two match vs. Colchester United was abandoned. pic.twitter.com/gLuAFrBegx
The demonstration started after Colchester scored twice in the span of minutes to take a 3-1 lead. Orient had battled back from a 1-0 deficit in their final home match of the season, and the immediate setback was too much for the fans to handle.
The historic club has endured a miserable season in League Two, culminating in relegation to the National League after over 100 years in the Football League.
Chairman Francesco Becchetti is as unpopular as manager Omer Riza, and both were the target of chants during Saturday's protest.
With Colchester still hunting for a spot in the play-offs, the decision to play out the final minutes is an understandable one. It will not sit well with the fans of either side, however.
Last-placed Orient are scheduled to finish the season at Blackpool on Saturday, May 6. Like the O's, the Tangerines are a historic club that have fallen on hard times of late, although Blackpool could yet qualify for the play-offs.
Leyton Orient President Appears to Kick Coach, Club Play Down Incident
Dec 27, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36__kq8Mnf4
Leyton Orient have played down an incident in which club president Francesco Becchetti appeared to kick assistant coach Andy Hessenthaler.
The incident occurred immediately after Orient's 3-2 win over Portsmouth on Boxing Day, but the club have released a statement explaining the bizarre footage, according to PA Sport Report, via Eurosport :
Mr Becchetti and Mr Hessenthaler would like to clarify the reports in the media following the Boxing Day game.
The event reported in the media was very much in good humour for both the president and assistant manager and part of an ongoing and good natured exchange between the two over the past few weeks.
There was absolutely nothing untoward about the exchange and the two men get along very well professionally on the pitch and personally off the pitch.
Hessenthaler also dismissed the incident, telling Sky Sports News, via Eurosport:
It's a little bit of banter—a bit of stuff that's been going on for the last few weeks between us and probably looked worse than it was.
He's a passionate guy and we all are. We're all desperate to win. It was a little bit of fun and games at the end. He was getting involved and we've got to concentrate on what we were doing.
Becchetti was sitting behind the dugout as Orient came from behind to claim an impressive win.
Leyton Orient Staff Checked into Hotel in Bizarre Attempt to Improve Form
Nov 19, 2015
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Leyton Orient manager Ian Hendon gives instructions during the Sky Bet League Two match between Northampton Town and Leyton Orient at Sixfields Stadium on September 26, 2015 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
How to arrest a form slump, with Leyton Orient owner Francesco Becchetti.
Orient's 3-1 loss to Hartlepool over the weekend extended a run of poor form that has seen the League Two side win just twice in 12 games, after winning their opening five games to the season.
Becchetti's side are seventh in England's fourth tier, but the Italian has had enough and checked his team into the £100-a-night Marriott Hotel in Waltham Abbey immediately after Sunday's defeat, reports Sam Cunningham of the Daily Mail.
While the squad of 18 and six staff are at least allowed to visit their families, they have to eat, sleep and live at the hotel, as well as travel to and from training with their team-mates.
The move is expected to cost the club thousands, though it will feel like short change if they can achieve their goal of promotion.
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: A general view of the interior of Brisbane Road before the Sky Bet League One match between Leyton Orient and Port Vale at Brisbane Road on September 14, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
"I wouldn’t want to be the one paying the bill," manager Ian Hendon said. "The owner has had different sporting ventures over the years and he said sometimes it’s good to get together and spend time together. It helps team bonding."
Forty-nine-year-old Becchetti bought the London side in July 2014 for £4 million.
It's unclear whether the side will remain holed up in the hotel after Saturday's match against York, but Hendon jokes that his employer might want him there longer-term "if we win four or five-nil."
If not, well, the boss might well try confiscating his cellphone.
Andrea Dossena to Leyton Orient: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and Analysis
Nov 6, 2014
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 26: Andrea Dossena of Sunderland in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Sunderland at Anfield on March 26, 2014 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Sitting just a point above the relegation zone after 16 games, League One side Leyton Orient signed Andrea Dossena to a one-year contract on a free transfer Thursday.
The club announced the news via a press release on their website:
Orient have today (Thursday) agreed a contract with former Liverpool, Napoli and Sunderland left sided player Andrea Dossena.
The 33-year-old has been capped by Italy and was a free agent after being released by Sunderland at the end of last season. He is familiar playing at left back or on the left wing and joins the O's on a contract until the end of the season.
Dossena made just seven appearances for Sunderland last season, failing to score a goal or tally an assist and earning a poor 6.27 average match rating from WhoScored.com. In 2012-13 he split time between Napoli and Palermo, failing to score or add an assist in 18 Serie A appearances.
His drop in form happened rather quickly, as he had a solid season for Napoli in 2011-12, scoring two goals and adding three assists in 33 appearances while earning a 6.78 average match rating from WhoScored.com.
The 33-year-old is clearly on the downside of his career, but his experience at the top levels will provide Leyton Orient with a serious upgrade down the left. He certainly should help the club stave off relegation, already a concern this season.
New York Cosmos Ready for Clash with League One Leyton Orient
Jul 15, 2013
League One side Leyton Orient are set to take on the New York Cosmos at their Matchroom Stadium next week in a preseason friendly.
The Cosmos, who boasted the likes of Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto in the 1970s, will play Orient and Championship side Watford in the upcoming weeks as they travel to England.
They joined the North American Soccer League this year following a three-decade absence from League football. The club's demise came in 1984 and it disbanded in 1985. The Cosmos were relaunched in 2010 but denied access to MLS.
On 24 July, this legendary American team, which contains a European Champion in Marcos Senna who was part of Spain's 2008 triumph, will travel to Leyton in East London.
The New York Cosmos in their heyday attracted 77,000 fans to the Giants Stadium in New York when the likes of Pele were among the playing staff.
They are currently managed by Giovanni Savarese, who played 30 games for the Venezuela national team as well as playing one game for Championship side Millwall.
Leyton Orient's ground has a capacity of 9,270. The New York Cosmos are used to a slightly bigger stadium, the James M. Shuart Stadium, which holds 15,000 fans.
Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn tweeted about the match in June.
Orient were close to reaching the League One playoffs last season, finishing just three points off of Swindon Town in the division. They will be looking to build on the previous season's success.
The fixture will be a chance for both teams to gain a larger international following. The Cosmos are a fallen giant many British fans will remember for their past, which could bring a large crowd to Brisbane Road.
The New York Cosmos are currently on a break from the league and have their first competitive regular league fixture on the third of August against Fort Lauderdale Strikers at their Shuart Stadium.
