I spoke to Simon Cooper, author of acclaimed Leyton Orient book ‘The Fall and Rise of Leyton Orient’, to explore the emotional core of the club’s modern history – from tragedy and triumph to identity and looking the future.
Your book captures both the heartbreak and triumph of Leyton Orient’s recent history. Was there a particular moment in the club’s journey that was especially emotional or inspiring to write about?
“Yes, the whole story was inspiring in its own way. Emotionally, there were two standout moments. One was talking to Matt Porter about the 2014 playoff final defeat. He was only the second person I interviewed, and he really opened the doors to Leyton Orient for me – he’s a super friendly, lovely bloke.
“We sat down before a Tuesday evening game, and I brought up the 2014 final. He said, ‘I haven’t spoken about it since.’ It had been ten years, and within 60 seconds of us talking, he was in tears.
“That really brought into sharp focus how much this club means to its community. Football clubs aren’t just businesses – they’re lifelines for people.
“The second emotional moment was Justin Edinburgh’s death. It was tragic and shocking. The club didn’t properly recover for at least two years. COVID hit soon after, adding to the grief.
“Telling that story was incredibly challenging. I had to be sensitive but also honest. Many of the people I spoke to described talking to me as a kind of therapy. What happened to Orient – the playoff defeat, the takeover of the club by Francesco Becchetti, Justin’s passing – was deeply traumatic. As a journalist writing a book, I ended up becoming a therapist as well.”
You contrast Orient’s quiet League Two title win with the highly publicised promotion of Wrexham. Do you think that kind of under-the-radar success reflects the club’s identity?
“Absolutely. Orient have always been the ‘other club’ in East London – always in the shadow of West Ham, Arsenal, Spurs, Millwall, and Charlton.
“A lot of people see them as a second club. They’ll check the scores, they have a soft spot for them because of their granddad or a mate. But Orient is very community driven.
“For many generations, the club seemed to ‘know its place.’ That’s changing now under Richie Wellens, but historically, they’ve gone under the radar.
“That’s partly why I wanted to write the book. I couldn’t believe no one had documented this incredible story. And honestly, I’d argue the Leyton Orient story is far more dramatic than the Wrexham one.
“Don’t get me wrong—I love the Wrexham show. But their main issue was not getting out of the National League. What happened to Orient was far more chaotic and emotional.
“That said, there’s no real beef. Before Wrexham, it was Salford getting all the attention. It’s just the way of the world.”
As a fan of the club, how did your personal connection to Orient influence the way you wrote the book?
“It definitely had an impact, but I tried to take myself out of the book as much as possible. I wanted to tell the story of Leyton Orient through the voices of those who were there—players, fans, staff.
“That said, I did include some of my own memories to add colour and perspective. It helps to ground the story in reality. These things didn’t happen in some distant past—they happened six months ago, to real people, including me.
“But this isn’t a memoir. It’s a narrative story of Leyton Orient, told by the people who lived it. I was just the storyteller.”
You mentioned Richie Wellens earlier. With him in charge, how optimistic are you about the club’s future?
“Richie is absolutely key to Orient’s short- and mid-term future. He’s already shown he can adapt and rebuild, even with limited resources.
“After we lost Paul Smyth following the League Two title, he brought in Dan Agyei – who, despite being injured early on, has been brilliant this season. That’s just one example.
“Richie is constantly evolving his style of play and finding the right players for it. It takes time to click, but when it does, the team has a real identity.
“He’s also shown he can adapt to the grind of League One – sometimes it’s beautiful football, sometimes it’s 1990s-style industrial stuff. Richie’s passion, vision, and skill make him an exceptional manager.”
Finally, Simon, with this book being such a compelling project, do you have any plans for future work – either on Orient or elsewhere in football?
“My next project is actually a book about darts. It covers the last 18 years – from the famous Phil Taylor vs. Raymond van Barneveld final at the Circus Tavern, to the rise of Luke Littler.
“I’m following the 2025 darts season from behind the scenes, including its evolution after moving to Ally Pally.
“As for Leyton Orient – I’d love to tell another story in ten years and see where the club is then. We’ll see. I’ve got options.”
The Fall and Rise of Leyton Orient is available from Pitch Publishing and all good book sellers.
Callum McFadden 