Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Buddy Manucci wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:04 pm Sincerely wanted Wrexham to go up last year, hoping they do next. Will always have my respect.

Will alwyas look out for Wrexham not just because of this but because I was aware they had such bad luck trying to get out of this division.

Family tragedy first, football comes second of course, I feel for his family, their sense of loss will stretch long beyond ours. RIP Justin, you pass away as a man of achievement.

Me & Mrs NES are still in shock. I still can’t believe it and wish it was a bad dream. We will miss him tremendously.

It was 3 AM here in Japan when I found out.

Like some others, I never really knew Justin. I only saw him twice in person at a few games last year on a trip back.

Apart from that, every Saturday I would sit in my living room here, dark and quiet outside, listening or watching Orient play and could sense the positivity that was everywhere.

The spirit he developed was amazing; more so after the despair of what had gone on previously.

Being an Os fan was fun again and you could feel the sense of pride back.

As was said, we are a club that came back from the brink.

And now this.

It does not seem real but unfortunately it is.

I almost never cry, but this past 6 weeks I have cried tears of happiness and now tears of sadness.

So sorry for his family who obviously feel much more pain.

Not sure how the club move forward or recover from this but we have to.

Thank you Justin.

Sorry about your loss guys

Awful, awful news.

Justin has been a big piece of the jigsaw that has brought real joy back to this club. We owe him a lot and he will be terribly missed.

Difficult to find words to express the sheer devastation of this tragedy. As others have eluded to on here, it just doesn't feel real.

RIP Justin

Lots of excellent comments on here. It is hard to express the numbness that I and fellow Os supporters feel over this tragedy. Can only imagine how heartbreaking this is for the family.

Thanks for everything Justin - you gave us our pride back.

Thank you Justin for giving me my most happiest and satisfying moments in 30 years of supporting Leyton Orient Football Club. For this alone you will never be forgotten and will be with us always come 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.

Your legend at this club can now never be tarnished.

Sleep tight and may you rest in peace

Just back in the country from holiday, the last few days of it were ruined by this news. I've shed a few tears.

RIP Justin and thank you for getting us back in the league and winning our first trophy for a long time.

Life can be so cruel

The EFL have this up:
https://www.efl.com/news/2019/june/just ... 1969-2019/
Added poignancy being he got us there.

I only saw the sad news today, I would like to offer my condolences to you all and his family.

R.I.P Justin

Been in Italy all week so not posted on here.
RIP Justin- one of the greatest Orient managers and was only beginning.
I trust the board to do everything respectfully and in the right order .

I am 67 with some health issues but I have told my two daughters that I realise that whenever I pass, they will grieve and given our closeness, a lot.

But I have told them specifically that I do want them to carry on with life as soon as they can. Remember me, but life goes on.

I find it hard to believe that Justin (as a pro) would not have felt the same regarding Leyton Orient, but never thought the need to express that at his tender age.

Locking strings? Strange.

I obviously knew he was a premier league footballer and a manager who was dotted around the lower leagues, but I don’t think I really grasped how well known and how well respected he was.

It’s pretty rare that when you leave this earth, you leave having positively affected thousands and thousands of people’s lives.

Words by their very nature are elusive, but there have been many fine attempts by Os fans and others to try to begin to express the extent of the grief people are feeling.....

"First you gave us direction,
then you gave us hope,
finally, you gave us back our pride!"

Orient_Man_And_Boy wrote: ↑Fri Jun 14, 2019 4:14 pm "First you gave us direction,
then you gave us hope,
finally, you gave us back our pride!"

Terrific Words

A week since he passed. Man alive how sad it was for us.. Was suprised how upset it made me feel. Simply not right. Had to visit the stadium twice last weekend to try and begin some closure.

So very sad.... Thank you Justin for all you did for The Os.

I have visited most of the fan's forums where Justin was a player and a manager and not one bad word has been said about him. He was held in high regard as a player and a manager wherever he went. RIP Justin, it was an honour to have you as our manager at Leyton Orient.

Orient_Man_And_Boy wrote: ↑Fri Jun 14, 2019 4:14 pm "First you gave us direction,
then you gave us hope,
finally, you gave us back our pride!"

Fine words indeed - RIP big man - all O’s fans owe you a debt of honour.

Just seen this on BBC FOOTBALL - Re Cheltenham Fans: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48749798
Thank you so much guys, very moving tribute.

Just re reading some of these threads and watching some of the tributes, it brings it all back doesn’t it? I remember finding out in the airport in Fuerteventura waiting to come home. I am not ashamed to say that at that moment I let my girlfriend take my son and step daughter into a shop, took a wander away and shed a tear. What a devastating end to my first holiday away with my girlfriend and kids. A rollercoaster of emotions, obviously I had been following the news from on holiday but, personally I just thought ‘he’ll be fine, it’ll be a scare but he’ll recover, maybe take a couple months out and then he’ll be back in the Orient dugout, guiding us towards League 1!’ I genuinely felt with him at the helm we could’ve gone again that season.

I don’t know if I can think of anyone else that has managed to cement himself into legend status in such a short space of time at this club. He got us, he got the club and it’s philosophy and it’s community, he was Orient personified; friendly, warm, passionate but above all, just a great man.

Gone but never forgotten.