Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Now to me i was blessed to have been around during some very good midfield players time. However, there is only one choice here, Mr Laurie Cunningham. A man who made me fall in love with football and orient. He is to me the greatest player I've seen pull on the orient shirt. As a young lad I didn't really understand why he had to go, but boy didn't he do well? After he left I always looked out for WBA results and followed him to see
If he scored.

Honourable mentions Stan Bowles what that man couldn't do with a football was not worth worrying about. Alan Comfort when he had the ball i was off my seat.

Being as Laurie has already been mentioned,so many really good players to choose from starting with the first team I saw with Lucas and Lee, but throw in another two names, Peter Allen and John Chedozie ! OMG, how we could do now with a strong holding midfielder like Allen and a fast and tricky winger like John !

Cox for me. I did also really like Craig Easton. He was a brilliant signing.

Shaun Brooks

Peter Bennett for me - real footballer and never gave less than 100%

redintheface wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:58 pm Peter Bennett for me - real footballer and never gave less than 100%

Very good player who was very versatile, could play in different positions and do a good job.
Shame he was somewhat injury prone.

Tough one but I will go for Steve Castle

Lovejoy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 9:06 pm Tough one but I will go for Steve Castle

Good shout that.

Woosnam.
Allen
Vincelot

Cunningham was in a different league to everyone else. Chedozie, Comfort to get me off my feet. Vincelot, immense for us for a couple of years and probably my favorite ever player.

Snotty has to be in there .
Like Brooks a serious p155head stopped him making it to the very top .
Steve Parsons gets a big shout purely for a pretty boy to be as hard as nails as he was .

Reverend Alan Comfort.
Dean Cox.

Castle and Vincelot.

Vincelot probably the best defensive midfielder I’ve seen at the club. And never gave less than 100% ever.

Romain Vincelot

Stephen Dawson and Romain Vincelot sharing the CM spot, both cut from the same cloth. Great engines, full commitment to the cause. Everything you want in a battling CM.

On the flair front Cox and Odubajo, wow we were spoilt with those in the same XI plus the CM above.

Laurie Cunningham without doubt the best player to ever put on a Orient shirt. He was WORLD CLASS!!!
Remember a midweek evening game at Charlton, they couldant get the ball of him all night. That was when defenders were hard as hell, he took the p.ss
Not sure you could class him as a midfielder, he was a winger when wingers were forwards.

Laurie Cunningham, simply the best.

Now this is a tough one, Bogie is up there along with Castle, but I always loved a good winger Comfort, Carter, Burnett, and more recently Cox, but it's got to be Achampong, don't remember anyone else getting me up on my feet more than him.

Peter Allen

Cunningham was different class. Loved Peter Allen as well.

Can’t believe this thread has gone so far without mentioning Tony Grealish.

A Dawsonesque version of Peter Allen - bags of energy and talent. Sadly died far too early

Its a shame that there is no footage of Peter Allen's tackles. How he could slide in and take the ball cleanly without touching the opposition was a mystery to us fans but he did it time after time.

Was never fortunate enough to see Laurie Cunningham so I'll go for the Rev Alan. Class act and primarily responsible for getting me to go see the O's regularly.

ContrifibulatoryFred wrote: ↑Thu Nov 28, 2019 7:22 am Can’t believe this thread has gone so far without mentioning Tony Grealish.

A Dawsonesque version of Peter Allen - bags of energy and talent. Sadly died far too early

Grealish were superb for us that's for sure. He also went on to play in the top level and represent his country numerous times.

Peter Allan was coming to the end as I was starting watching the O's.

Depends on whether you are looking for a play maker or a destroyer.
Playmaker Phil woosnam followed by Stan Bowles, ball winners, Cyril Lee, mal Lucas, Peter Allen, Peter Bennett , Steve castle.
I consider that due to the way we played at the time that Laurie Cunningham should be thought of as a winger not a midfielder.