Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Let's calibrate everyone's expectations for our first season back in League 1.

Just glancing at the teams comprising League 1 next year, I've got to assume that we're firmly bottom half in terms of budget size. Equally I don't see many financial minnows whom we should automatically expect to outperform. For me, it would be an acceptable (though obviously not very enjoyable) outcome if we simply steered clear of relegation troubles.

I suppose that would only feel acceptable,though, if we could see some encouraging signs for the next season - e.g. a good core group of contracted players, a happy Wellens, a clear philosophy for how we'll play, better players signing in each transfer window.

Champions is very acceptable

Sort of depends on new contracts and recruitment. But at a higher level, I’ll be happy to avoid relegation. If we are still in league one next year I’ll be happy. Ideal a nice cup run and firmly
Mid table where we aren’t fighting for our lives all season.

Saying all of that, expectations could change quickly. We’ve got a bit of lightning in a bottle atm and you do often see teams that go up from league two are still flying the following season, regardless of budget. If we keep the bulk of the group together and Richie is at the helm I wouldn’t be surprised if we are in the top ten and potentially challenging for the playoffs.

Honestly though, a season against some big teams, at semi decent grounds where we are competitive and hard working is enough for me

Automatic promotion. Anything else and the season ticket book gets ripped up and binned. Nige and Kent youse have been warned.

15th

Promotion

OTF Photography Ltd wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 11:14 am Sort of depends on new contracts and recruitment. But at a higher level, I’ll be happy to avoid relegation. If we are still in league one next year I’ll be happy. Ideal a nice cup run and firmly
Mid table where we aren’t fighting for our lives all season.

Saying all of that, expectations could change quickly. We’ve got a bit of lightning in a bottle atm and you do often see teams that go up from league two are still flying the following season, regardless of budget. If we keep the bulk of the group together and Richie is at the helm I wouldn’t be surprised if we are in the top ten and potentially challenging for the playoffs.

Honestly though, a season against some big teams, at semi decent grounds where we are competitive and hard working is enough for me

Agree with that. A midtable finish shouldn't be sniffed at, we spent years trying to establish ourselves at league 1 last time around.

What I would hope is that we begin to show a bit more imagination recruitment wise. We're never going to be competitive budget wise with the top teams in league 1 so we'll need to be a bit more canny in the transfer market. The model we'd ideally develop is something like Peterborough and seeing value where others don't, and being able to develop those players to sell for big fees.

Easier said than done but if the ownership are talking about Brighton and Brentford as clubs they're looking at for growing Orient, then this will be an essential part of it. For a team that dominated league 2 last season, we don't have many players with a high resale value and that'd need to change if we're to over achieve. Interested to see how Ling adapts to being at a higher level..

We'll do a lot better than we did in 2006/7 - the situations aren't that similar at all. We dominated League Two this year - and we have far more ambitious owners, and a Manager whose best years are still in front of him.

Survival is a realistic target for next season.

For what it’s worth I genuinely think that Stevenage will be going straight back down to League 2.

Anywhere above the bottom 4 is a bonus.

Impossible to say until we see who stays and what our recruitment is like. If we keep El Mizouni, Vigs and Smyth add a couple of good signings, we can make the play offs comfortably. Lose those 3, add in a couple of poor signings, lose the manager half way through the season, we can do a forest Green.

Happy if we stay up. My thoughts are the same before every season.

Beradogs wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 11:37 am Impossible to say until we see who stays and what our recruitment is like. If we keep El Mizouni, Vigs and Smyth add a couple of good signings, we can make the play offs comfortably. Lose those 3, add in a couple of poor signings, lose the manager half way through the season, we can do a forest Green.

Bang on dogs, but not sure about the playoffs? Plus holding on to Wellens

The first aim following promotion is to stay up and establish oneself in the league above, and I believe we should be well capable of doing that.

OK so we don’t know the squad yet, but based on what happened last summer under RW I think he’ll get a decent squad together.

I’d be happy with mid-table, anything more a bonus.

Mid table would be great, anything from 12th to 18th.

Purely based on my own selfishness and the time and money I put in supporting this club. My minimum level expected would be to still be able to make the play offs with 3 games to go. Anything less would seem too much like "old Orient"

RW has said that he wants the team to play a certain way. Doing this may mean we are 18th, when we could have finished 10th playing a different style, but he is about building for the next level.

I reckon we should be able to manage something approaching mid-table.....

So many with the "Little Leyton Orient" mentality. Gie yersels a shake.

Never mind next season. If we don't win every pre-season friendly I'll be burning my season ticket and posting the ashes back to the owners.

The board will be saying solid mid-table consolidation, knowing/believing that you need the 3 year plan to get close to promotion.

RW will make agreeable noises, but he will be saying to the players (hopefully mostly from this season plus some good additions) - "let's go for it again!" - especially if we have a solid or better start to the campaign.

We do have an exceptionally good manager - and if I was NT/KT/ML - I'd go for it whilst he is onboard. What are the worst-case scenario(s) - a) we make the playoffs and fail to win them or b) if we go up and then we have a season of struggle!

Lower middle

I know Richie would probably want another promotion again and of course I wouldn't say no . Personally though I would be happy enough with a mid table finish . All I'm looking for next season is consolidation as a League 1 club . Anything else would be a bonus .

banqo wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 12:01 pm Mid table would be great, anything from 12th to 18th.

This will do me and Mrs NES.

All depends on which players we have. If Smyth, Vigs & El Miz sign, with a couple of new signings, i reckon a play off place is calling.
We'll have see who's here in early August