Get the low-down on Leyton Orient, ahead of our trip to the Matchroom Stadium.
Our first away game of the season is a trip London and the Matchroom Stadium where we face Leyton Orient. Last season's promotion hopefuls fell at the last hurdle eventually finishing 8th under player-manager Kevin Nolan. This season Orient will be again hoping to challenge for promotion under new manager Andy Hessenthaler. The club was actually founded as Eagle Cricket club in 1881. Previously, Leyton Orient played one season in the top flight of English football in 1962-63, being the highlight of the club's history along with The O’s getting to the semi-final of The FA Cup in 1978. The Exiles will have to be wary of Orients star-man midfielder Dean Cox who has both fantastic pace and a great shot, scoring in Orients 3-2 win over the Amber Army at Rodney Parade last season. County will be looking to get 3 points in the first away game of the season, with away form being crucial as the new look squad look to go as far as possible.
THE MANAGER - ANDY HESSENTHALER
Andy Hessenthaler began his career in non-league football and did not turn professional until he joined Watford in his late twenties. In 1996, Hessenthaler joined Gillingham and over a decade at the club as a player and later player-manager. After leaving Gillingham, he had a brief spell at Barnet before joining Dover Athletic in 2007. After three years at Dover, he became manager at Gillingham for the second time, but left at the end of the 2011–12 season. He returned to the Gillingham as assistant manager in 2014, before taking on a similar role at Leyton Orient the following year. In 2016, he was appointed the manager of Leyton Orient, succeeding Kevin Nolan.
STAR MAN - DEAN COX
The winger, who can also play a more central attacking midfield role, scored six times last campaign and has the impressive return of forty-four goals in just over two hundred appearances for Leyton Orient.
THE GROUND - THE MATCHROOM STADIUM
Formerly known as Brisbane Road, the ground has been the home ground of Leyton Orient since 1937, before which it was the home of amateur football team Leyton F.C. The highest attendance at the ground was 34,345 for the visit of West Ham United in the 1964 FA Cup. The stadium has hosted a number of England U-16 and England women’s team matches and also hosted the 2007–08 FA Women's Premier League Cup final.
LAST VISIT - 26th JANUARY 2016
The Exiles travelled to the Matchroom Stadium at the start of the year, in what was Manager Warren Feeney's third game in charge.
The fixture saw the return of County defender Darren Jones, who signed for the Club just twenty-four hours before taking to the field in East-London.
A contentious Jay Simpson penalty in the 85th minute meant that County returned to Wales empty handed.
INTERESTING FACTS - DID YOU KNOW...
The name ‘Orient’ is said to be in the club’s name at the instruction of Jack R Dearing, a former player who used to work for the Orient Shipping Company and the Club is the second-oldest club in London behind Fulham.
Directions
BY CAR: From South/South-East via Blackwall Tunnel: Out of the tunnel, continue on A102 following signs to `Stratford, Dalston'. Remain on the A102/A106 for 4.2 miles, following signs for Leyton, passing New Spitalfields Market and over a bridge. At lights just after Car Superstore, turn left into Oliver Road.
BY TRAIN: From Leyton Station, turn right down the hill and follow the High Road to Coronation Gardens on your left. Turn down Buckingham Road after the park and the ground is in front of you. From Leyton Midland Road, turn left towards Leyton and continue down the High Road past Leyton County Cricket Ground until you reach Windsor Road. Turn down Windsor Road and the ground is in front of you.