Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Born in Hackney hospital, lived in Colchester Road, Leyton until 1987, then moved to Chingford for another 20 years, now live in Essex.
My first game was around 1969/70 from memory, a Tuesday afternoon combination game, got told off by John Jackson for running around the East stand
Didn't put me off, I actually watch the games now.

Grew up in Hackney, born in 1957. Saw my first Os game in May 1966 with my older brother against Manchester City, a 2-2 draw. We went down to Div 3, they went up to Div 1. We moved to Chingford in 1967, was going to Saturday games on my own in 1969, used to go with my brother to midweek games.

Have lived in Leyton for nearly 10 years. Although first started going around 2006 as simply love live football and wanted to watch a proper London club, unlike the big business Premier League clubs where you’re just a number.

First taken to Spurs (like a lot on here it seems) as a kid as grew up in north London until 1987 but my first love will always be Birmingham City as other than my brother and I, all relatives are Brummies.

But I got tired of the long slog up to St.Andrews and, like many East Londoners moving to Essex, all my Brummie family moved out to Warwickshire and Staffs so nobody there to go with anymore. Still enjoy the Blues away days with my cousins though.

The fact I can walk to BR in 5 minutes and be home for final score makes Saturdays where I’m not working a real treat.

Probably my favourite thing in the world now is 2 hours over the O’s. A very special football club that made me feel very welcome.

Live in Kent now, but grew up in Loughton. First game was in 1970, taken by the Cubs. If my memory serves, O's were 1 down at HT and all the other Spammers and Spuds supporting cubs were taking the piss. I thought they were playing well and decided to support them there and then, just to be different. Turned it around 2nd half and won 3-1.

Kept badgering my dad to take and although he moaned, he was quite relieved, as I kept asking him to take me to Everton, cos I thought that was in London

Born Leyton and still work there
Live in Woodford nowadays
Uncle took me to see his beloved Aston Villa playing at the Os 24th Feb 1973
The Os won 4-0 that day and also won their next 6 home games before drawing last game of the season 1-1 with Sunderland in front of an ecstatic crowd just days before Sunderland overturned mighty Leeds in the FA Cup Final at Wenbley.

i was born in Tufnell Park. I have no memories of my dad, so my first 17 years were a football wilderness. My peers were equally divided between Spurs & Gunners ( Gunners long term success-Spurs did the double ). In 1955 Chelsea won the League ( equivalent of O's attaining Premiership ), so must have slipped in my subconsciousness. By the time I was 17 I was living in Hornsey Rise & had a step-dad. He was a Notts County fan & Chelsea was his London side. I had to put up with constant sport banter, which eventually, wore me down. At this time Chelsea played their epic Inter City's Fairs semi final 2nd leg V Barcelona on TV. Charlie Cookes' debut. A legendary match. Then we had 1966 World Cup. My mate suggested we go & watch Chelsea V Arsenal. 3-0 & Osgood at his brilliant best. I was hooked. Became a football fanatic. My stepdad dragged me to unlikely places to see Notts County. My mates would often come to see other matches all around London, as we all supported different sides. I visited loadsa grounds following Chelsea. Then I got married & by this time was living near Ilford. Conjugal joys & a complicated journey to Stamford Bridge cooled off a football passion. The Premier League was the final nail in the coffin. It was a betrayal of the working classes.
By 1992 I was living in Hainault & had a new partner. Her son liked Spurs. I took him a few times. It was a bit like going to your own funeral. I couldn't hack it. We did some Cup matches: Fulham, QPR etc & the bug bit me again. Orient was the easiest ( & cheapest ), & God knows they needed some support. We did our bit. Foster kids were dragged to matches. My foster daughter lives in the Wirral now & still supports the O's. Ex-wife & stepson still support the O's. I now live in Grays & when the weather warms up I will go again. Haven't missed an O's Wembley match in the last 30 odd years. Been as far as Southport to see their Cup successes ( as did the kids ).

I live in North Devon now so home matches are a bridge too far.
Born in Lower Clapton, and my dad supported Clapton Orient when they played at Millfields Dog racing stadium.
He took me to Brisbane rd. when I was seven in 1957. Three years later I started to go on my own, always on the North terrace as it was nearest to the bus in Lea Bridge rd. I was aspiring to be a goalkeeper and enjoyed watching Frank George and Mike Pinner {brilliant}. In those days I believe the ground's capacity was around 30,000.
The 62-3 season was remarkable, beating Man U and Liverpool at home, shame other results didn't go well.
But loved the team....Stan Charlton {the best RB ever} , Sid Bishop { best CH} Mal Lucas, Cyril Lea {best midfield}
and of course Dunmore, Ellwood, Terry on the wing. And of course the combined smells of linement and cigarete smoke,
The cries of 'peanuts all roasted!'
I have to say though, I don't live in the past, just want Orient to be up where they belong.....COYO's

I live in Dereham in Norfolk.

I was born in Epping, grew up in Loughton, my dad was an O’s fan, having been born in Glyn Road, Clapton, his house was a mere goal kick from our old Millfields Road ground. So supported the O's from as early as I can remember, and a season ticket with my dad before eventually moving north.

Have no allegiance to Norwich, where I work (well I work from home most of the time!). I keep an eye on Dereham Town (Northern Premier, Midland Division), my second team is Posh for my son a fan, his mum from Wisbech, so we look out for each others' teams.

tuffers#1 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 8:17 am Texas ,Nige rang me .

Thought you were London Irish Tuffers?

I too was born in Wanstead Hospital. Lived in Cavendish Drive till I was 5 or 6, moved to Sedgwick Road, went to Newport primary then George Mitchell secondary. Cannot remember what was the first game I went to but after that I became a firm supporter. Got married and moved to south Essex in '77 Don't go to games anymore, although I went to the Doncaster game this year with my son-in-law (a hammers fan) and 2 young grandchildren (who are now fans) at the invitation of his aunt who is a regular in the North Stand.

Born in Walthamstow, raised in Romford, live in mid-Essex.

My dads side of the family supported the Os so I was born into the curse. Didn’t have much interest in football until World Cup 94. Think my first game was the 94 season actually. All I remember is people shouting about keeping it on the floor in a rage and it’s comforting that nothings changed. Got one of the tenner season tickets and my grandparents took me. Used to love it win lose or draw. Got to about 13 years old and was more interested in going out with my mates on a Saturday than sitting in the freezing cold watching Orient so stopped going for a few years (including the good year we got promoted in 2006) but still supported from afar. Started going again every so often when I was in my early 20s. In about 2009 I convinced a mate to get a season ticket with me and for the next 5 years we went to pretty much every game home and away. Pinnacle of enjoyment was 2013/14 and I think I went to about 42 of the league games that year. Went home and away still in the FB years and the NL years but started falling out of love with it after Justin passed. Stopped going in November 2019 and a combination of covid and having a baby I’ve been to about 6 games since. Hoping to revive that in the coming years and get my son involved when he’s a bit older.

Quite a few of us got hooked by the £10 season tickets.

Dunners wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 5:21 pm Quite a few of us got hooked by the £10 season tickets.

Really think it’s something the club are missing out on now. Although we seem to have plenty of ghost kids who will hopefully turn into paying ghost adults in years to come

Born in Loughton when Clem Atlee was PM and George VI was king. Went to school with Stamford O's sister (still in touch) , later moved to Clapton/Homerton. Mates took me to BR in '63 where l contracted terminal orientitis immediately at a 1-1 draw with Norwich.

I'm surprised so many old gits inhabit this board, so why so many arguments? Aren't we all a bit long in the tooth for all that?

aylesburyos wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:12 pm

tuffers#1 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 8:17 am Texas ,Nige rang me .

Thought you were London Irish Tuffers?

Alias swapped with Kent

Born Oldchurch Hospital Romford 1949, Straight away we moved up to Hull, Father became an adult apprentice on The Hull Daily Mail.
Back to Upminster 5years later, remember going to the O's whilst in the 1st Div with Dad and grandad can't remember the game, only some guy maybe brain damaged walking around the pitch blowing an old army bugle, think I remember him at the Spammers ground as well. family followed O's from about 1890 and it's still going with my children as well, both footballers and were trained by the club at one time

Born in Bethnal Green in 1954. Lived in Homerton. 1st game 1968 v Rochdale, I think.
Now live in village in Lincolnshire just north of Peterborough. 3 other Os in same village!!!
Drive to most games home and away with StamfordO and 2 others in Peterborough.

Born in Leyton ,lived in Leyton used to go to most home games until I moved out in 1980.
Now live in sunny Norfolk so only really go to the bigger games.

Dad an Orient fan, man and boy.

Me, born North West of England. Taken to Crewe, Stockport, Wrexham, Tranmere and Chester and Burnley. Loved it. Godfrey, Castle, Sitton, Juryeff.

Moved to Kent and got the bug. Most home games I was there. Moved abroad and ended up in Australia.

Watch the stream most games including midweek.

You can take the boy from Brisbane Road, but you can’t take Brisbane Road out the boy.

Come on Orient.

Dad an o’s fan. I was born Romford Oldchurch Hospital 1955. Can’t quite remember if first game was Birmingham or Fulham in our famous 62/63 season in first division. Now live mid Essex.

Born in Powerscoft Rd, Clapton, May 1961, a stones throw from the Clapton Dog Stadium

My Uncle Albert and to be son in law Brian started to take me to see the O's mid 1969. Always stood behind the goal on the South Terrace.

Still live in Upper Clapton, so not that far from Brisbane Road.

Moved to London in 1990 for uni, had s season ticket at Arsenal for 4 years before becoming disillusioned with Premier League.
Moved to Leytonstone in 1997 and started going to the O's ten years ago when my son was 5 as wanted him to support his local team.
I moved out to Oxfordshire last year but still come to every home game and a dozen or so away games a season

Best place in the world, Hackney, Lower Clapton E5. Clapton Casuals. But no one listened to Class War and gentrification happened, so not in Hackers any more .