Independent Leyton Orient Forum

The best & worst journeys
Not for the game or the score

Just the journey

Mine
Walthamstow- Southend (away )

5 of us in a car
The newest driver age 17/18
" I know a short cut "

As we got to Newport Pagnell
We started to think
Kick offs in 5 minutes
Hope this short cut works out quick.

away to Shrewsbury
The coach broke down half way to the game and we at to wait for a replacement coach to arrive. Replacement old coach arrives, no suspension, felt really sick and ill - terrible journey
Eventually got to the game at half time
Asked the steward whats the score, he said we were winning 3-0, happy days could not believe it
5 minutes later we all realised he was of course a Shrewsbury steward
we lost 6-1 and I missed our goal cos I was having a wee!
Had better away days

Remember going to a W.B.A away game on a Saturday around 74, three of us in a Triumph Herald one of my friends was driving. Anyway we set off and made our way to M1 from Hackney, got onto the M1 and carried on laughing and joking. Then we carried on and on and on before we were somewhere not far from Derby. We did not really know the directions, well the driver anyway and finally we headed towards Birmingham. Remember leaving motorway at a sign for Castle Bromwich it was now 3pm or just after. We stopped a local and asked if we were near West Bromwich he said did not have a clue although he may have been taking the piss!
We decided to give in and headed back to London in hot sunshine listening to radio 2, i think we lost 1-0 to a late goal. What a lovely way to spend a Saturday driving up and down the M1 and not seeing a ball kicked in anger.
By the way, is Castle Bromwich anywhere near West Bromwich?...i would guess yes but i'm going to check it out.

One that jumps out was March 2012..MK Dons on a Tuesday night. Wasn't going to go and then thought i'd check trains which were something like £20 return. No one else wanted to come so I left work early and got on the train, which was obviously rammed. Barley got on and stood for 45 mins or so it took. Looked up the walk briefly before I left, which was about 10 min from the station. Turns out I had google maps on car journey instead of walking, which was an hour. I had the time but ended up walking pretty much down the side of the A5 in the freezing cold.

Got there before kick off and had my deodorant confiscated and we went one down within about 3 minutes. Ended up putting in a turgid performance as the cold wind whipped around the half empty stadium. I left just before the 4th goal went in for them and heard it from outside as my cheap ticket meant i had to get a certain train that was 45 mins after the game finished and i had an hour walk back ahead of me. I dont know why i didnt get a cab tbh, i think i was very poor at the time. I ended up running for the last mile and got to the station without about 1 minute to spare and got home about midnight.

Journey back from Macc this season stood out as well. Got delayed up there, stood on an open terrace in the wind and rain whilst watching blokes outside goading OFT and being chased around a car by a few of our fans, alongside us going down 3-0 to a team that almost got relegated. Train home got redirected and instead of 2 hours, took about 3.5. Disgusting.

Boxing Day mid 70s my brother had just bought a Lovely car, very luxurious for the time, he woke me up at 7:30 in the morning and asked if I fancied going to Hull to watch the Os it was absolutely freezing and we had the radio on all the up there as one by one fixtures were called off because of frozen pitches. We got into Yorkshire and BBC said game was definitely on, as we approached the Humber Bridge they announced it was off.

The weather was pretty dire but my brother was determined we would see a game and we ended up at Peterborough who were playing Birmingham ( I think) ended up getting home absolutely frozen.

Bristol City away in the seventies there was five of us in a Rover the driver was called "Bigfoot". We got to Bristol stuck in a oneway system done three circles round the same area went past the same church each time and i'm sure the vicar blessed us on the 3rd lap. Anyway we pull in petrol station as steam coming from engine, "Bigfoot" takes a look under the bonnet and we decide to soak him with buckets of water. I can see it now he's 6'2", long hair and bottle rimmed glasses dripping wet and all i can remember is him shouting every swear word possible at us. Cant remember the score but remember the laughs!!

Norwich City FACup away on a tuesday evening, strong winds and terrible weather. We pull into Carrow road and game gets called off, drive back but stop in pub just outside Norwich we have some great crack with country yokels. On the drive back to London can remember stormy weather and fallen trees in the road.
The rearrange match ended up with us beating Norwich 1-0 Peter Kitchen who else. Great night well worth the wasted journey before.

Apple Wumble wrote: ↑Mon Jun 29, 2020 2:58 pm Journey back from Macc this season stood out as well. Got delayed up there, stood on an open terrace in the wind and rain whilst watching blokes outside goading OFT and being chased around a car by a few of our fans, alongside us going down 3-0 to a team that almost got relegated. Train home got redirected and instead of 2 hours, took about 3.5. Disgusting.

It was a grim day, considering it was August and we were triumphantly back in the league. The doubts about Embleton were first aired there.

OyinbO wrote: ↑Mon Jun 29, 2020 5:10 pm

Apple Wumble wrote: ↑Mon Jun 29, 2020 2:58 pm Journey back from Macc this season stood out as well. Got delayed up there, stood on an open terrace in the wind and rain whilst watching blokes outside goading OFT and being chased around a car by a few of our fans, alongside us going down 3-0 to a team that almost got relegated. Train home got redirected and instead of 2 hours, took about 3.5. Disgusting.

It was a grim day, considering it was August and we were triumphantly back in the league. The doubts about Embleton were first aired there.

Less than 3 months after JE Passed away.

How a Club recovers from that & ends ok
Is testament to the Good work done by all involved.

Lets judge Ross & everyone else on next season .

Over 50 years ago, with girlfriend, now wife, coach trip to Bristol Rovers. Crap day.

Won the coach raffle, 2 tickets for the Directors box.

Got to the ground, game off. Never got off the coach.

Remember mid 90s last minute decision jumping on a National Express
coach Golders Green to Hartlepool at 1.00 for a 7.45 Tues night K O..
Coach took an age stopping just about everywhere, heavy rain all the way
up north and this in the days before we all had mobile phones..
Arriving at the old Hartlepool bus station walking up to the ground “ game
off” straight back on the national express at 7.30 to Golders Green arriving
back at 2ish...

To Cardiff for the Play-Off final vs Blackpool.

Red & White scarves streaming out of car windows galore on the M25 and M4.

Seeing Leyton Orient's name on the overhead gantries directing us which junction to turn off at for parking.

Pity about the result, though Chris Tate gave us hope after, was it, 20 seconds.

COYOs

Apple Wumble wrote: ↑Mon Jun 29, 2020 2:58 pm Journey back from Macc this season stood out as well. Got delayed up there, stood on an open terrace in the wind and rain whilst watching blokes outside goading OFT and being chased around a car by a few of our fans, alongside us going down 3-0 to a team that almost got relegated. Train home got redirected and instead of 2 hours, took about 3.5. Disgusting.

Yeah was an absolute b*stard of a day that one. Glad I went as first away game back in the league and all that.

The only good thing was that I was going on holiday the next day.

If I remember the delays were something to do with a power cut in the Midlands somewhere and we were routed all over the gaff. It was reduced speed, no air-conditioning and no catering on the way back. The only decent thing about it was that when I spoke to the train inspector he told me that the driver had delayed it enough to just push it over the mark for refunds for everyone which I duly received.

Newcastle away 11 years ago. Midweek match. 6 hours by coach. Halfway up my manager called to ask why I wasnt in work and asked me to come in (despite being at Leeds at the time). Stopped at a working mens club near newcastle, got tanked up. Police escort in. Up about 2000 flights of stairs. Bloke had a fit next to me in the ground. United won 2-1. Didn’t get home until 5am.

BiggsyMalone wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:06 am Newcastle away 11 years ago. Midweek match. 6 hours by coach. Halfway up my manager called to ask why I wasnt in work and asked me to come in (despite being at Leeds at the time). Stopped at a working mens club near newcastle, got tanked up. Police escort in. Up about 2000 flights of stairs. Bloke had a fit next to me in the ground. United won 2-1. Didn’t get home until 5am.

"We only lost 2-0"

As if we scored a goal.

First game of the season away at Plymouth years ago, some f*cking hot air balloon show over Bristol brought the M4 to a standstill, tried to drive through Bristol for a bit before giving up and coming home.

Pretty sure we won, though.

RedO wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 1:35 pm

BiggsyMalone wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:06 am Newcastle away 11 years ago. Midweek match. 6 hours by coach. Halfway up my manager called to ask why I wasnt in work and asked me to come in (despite being at Leeds at the time). Stopped at a working mens club near newcastle, got tanked up. Police escort in. Up about 2000 flights of stairs. Bloke had a fit next to me in the ground. United won 2-1. Didn’t get home until 5am.

"We only lost 2-0"

As if we scored a goal.

I remember we were all singing that & the Geordies
were laughing there b*llocks off at us for doing so.

Tent Keague wrote: ↑Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:04 pm

Apple Wumble wrote: ↑Mon Jun 29, 2020 2:58 pm Journey back from Macc this season stood out as well. Got delayed up there, stood on an open terrace in the wind and rain whilst watching blokes outside goading OFT and being chased around a car by a few of our fans, alongside us going down 3-0 to a team that almost got relegated. Train home got redirected and instead of 2 hours, took about 3.5. Disgusting.

Yeah was an absolute b*stard of a day that one. Glad I went as first away game back in the league and all that.

The only good thing was that I was going on holiday the next day.

If I remember the delays were something to do with a power cut in the Midlands somewhere and we were routed all over the gaff. It was reduced speed, no air-conditioning and no catering on the way back. The only decent thing about it was that when I spoke to the train inspector he told me that the driver had delayed it enough to just push it over the mark for refunds for everyone which I duly received.

Yeah, I got a £4 can of beer that was the last cold one because of the power cut. Think we came in like 3 minutes over the delay time. Happy days.

tuffers#1 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 1:46 pm

RedO wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 1:35 pm

BiggsyMalone wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:06 am Newcastle away 11 years ago. Midweek match. 6 hours by coach. Halfway up my manager called to ask why I wasnt in work and asked me to come in (despite being at Leeds at the time). Stopped at a working mens club near newcastle, got tanked up. Police escort in. Up about 2000 flights of stairs. Bloke had a fit next to me in the ground. United won 2-1. Didn’t get home until 5am.

"We only lost 2-0"

As if we scored a goal.

I remember we were all singing that & the Geordies
were laughing there b*llocks off at us for doing so.

Spoke to a steward at the game who told us that from where we were sat (up in the gods) it was almost half a mile to the far corner flag.

Top of the JES wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:13 pm

tuffers#1 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 1:46 pm

RedO wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 1:35 pm

"We only lost 2-0"

As if we scored a goal.

I remember we were all singing that & the Geordies
were laughing there b*llocks off at us for doing so.

Spoke to a steward at the game who told us that from where we were sat (up in the gods) it was almost half a mile to the far corner flag.

Felt like half a mile up those bloody steps !
I had to stop for a cigarette.