"I knew that I was always going to score" - Matt Lockwood on taking penalties

Matt scores against Carlisle on 19 August 2000.

Once upon a time Orient fans could rest easy in the knowledge that should their team ever be awarded a penalty, nine times out of ten it would result in a goal. 

That’s thanks to Matt Lockwood, the most ruthlessly clinical spot-kicker in the club’s history. The left back scored 36 out of the 40 penalties he took during his nine-year spell at Brisbane Road from 1998-2007.

Here he explains how he did it…

“The first penalty I took for Orient was in the shoot out at the end of the play-off semi-final against Rotherham in 1999. As a kid I used to take them, but I’d never taken one as a pro. But I knew I was going to nominate myself.

We hadn’t practised penalties before the game – Tommy Taylor used to say there’s no point because you can’t recreate the pressure. He’d say, ‘Just go up and pick a spot.’ I was set to take the fourth penalty, but when it got to me Scott Barrett had already saved two. So I knew I had to score mine to win. The pressure was off because even if I’d have missed we had one more where we could have scored to go through.

I knew what I was going to do, I knew what corner I was going in before I’d even run up to take it. I knew I was going to score.

After that, Tommy said to me, ‘I like the way you took that, you were very cool. Do you want to be on them?’ And I said definitely. So I was on them for the play-off final and I’ve been on them ever since.

Cat and mouse

I never practise taking penalties. Tommy just said to me ‘You don’t miss, so don’t practice.’ I just go and take it. Pick your spot and stick it in. But I don’t like taking penalties. Well, maybe that’s not the right wording, but it’s not a nice feeling because the pressure is on the player to score not on the goalkeeper to save it.

Scoring against Lincoln on 16 October 1999

And you’re playing cat and mouse against the keepers because after a while everyone knew who I was, so I always had to mix it up and change it. That season we went up we had some big, high pressure penalties – Peterborough at home, Mansfield away. But I was never going to let anyone else take them because I wouldn’t have trusted them.

Carl Griffiths actually nicked two penalties off me when he came back to the club in 1999. It was the home game against Chester City and we got awarded one in the first half. He sprinted up to the ball, so I said to him, ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ And he said, ‘Oh go on, let me take it, I haven’t scored since I’ve been back.’ And I thought, oh God, you’ve got to handle forwards with care to get their confidence up so I told him he could have that one.

He scored it and got another goal, then we were awarded another penalty in the second half when he was on a hat-trick. So I had to let him have that one too. But after the game I said to him, ‘That’s it, you’re not having any more.’ And he agreed. He said he’d take his hat-trick and run.

Gary Alexander always used to say to me that if I missed one more he was on them. I said, ‘Gal, you’re never going to be on them.’ He’d say, ‘Imagine how many goals I’d score if I took all the penalties as well. I’d be right at the top of the scoring charts every year.’ But I just said ‘You wouldn’t score them.’ And he wouldn’t. He just would not have scored every one.

Missing hurts

I ended up scoring 36 out of 40 penalties for Orient. And I remember all the ones I missed. The first one was in the first game of the 2001/02 season, against Cheltenham away. As I placed the ball I didn’t know which way to go and I knew I was going to miss. I hit a lame effort down the middle, quite slow and the keeper got a foot to it. He hadn’t dived far enough out of the way, and it came straight back to me and I scored the rebound.

The second was away at Carlisle on a Tuesday night in the 2002/03 season. We were 3-0 down in the last minute and the keeper saved it.

Then the next season I missed one against Cambridge at home on the last day. I took a penalty and scored it then the referee made me take it again because their players were in the box. I knew the keeper was going to dive the same way that I’d gone the first time, so I should have dinked it down the middle. But I thought I’m going to put it in exactly the same place and prove that he can’t get it, prove that the first one wasn’t a fluke. And I just miskicked it slightly and gave him a chance to save it. I was more gutted that I bottled dinking it down the middle.

The last one was in the promotion season against Darlington at home. I slipped. Just as I went to take it my standing foot just went and I scuffed it into the ground. I don’t think the keeper even needed to catch it. He just controlled it with his feet.

Taking penalties has been a massive part of my career. I expect to score every time I take one. I knew that I was always gone to score.”

Read the full story of Matt's time at Orient in my book Leyton Orient Greats

Also read:  Matt Lockwood on Orient's promotion season 2005/06 and that game at Oxford... 
Tommy Taylor on his time as manager of Orient 

Leyton Orient 2 Crawley Town 3, 21/12/13

A game in which... Crawley proved they are so much more than Orient's bogey team - more like a huge, festering globule of mucus stuck up the nasal cavity of League One. No offence, hey, because in fact the West Sussex side were worth the three points.

So Orient aren't hitting the heights of their early season form of late - no victories in the last four league games - but then again we'll be top of the league on 25 December. And back in August, even if the news emerged that Santa had developed a debilitating addiction to crystal meth, no one would have expected the bearded fella to deliver a gift like that to Brisbane Road on Christmas Day. 

Moment of magic... Nathan Clarke's goal-line clearance from Nicky Adams' lob in the second half, a physics-defying block that prevented Crawley from going 4-1 up - a scoreline that would have been as hideously embarrassing as losing a pub quiz to a team comprising Jimmy Smith and three jellyfish.

Trevor Kettle

Moment of madness... The moment the young Trevor Kettle thought to himself: "Traffic warden? Nope. Ticket inspector? Nope. Debt collector? Nope. Supreme leader of North Korea? Nope. What I really need is a career where I can wield disproportionate amounts of power and ruin thousands of people's day at the same time. I know: referee!" And while he's not the reason Orient lost, Kettle's bookings of both Batt and Alexander, plus a bizarre drop ball after Lisbie was flattened, upheld his reputation as one of the worst officials in the whole history of the entire universe.  

Top gun... Excellent effort by the aforementioned Nathan Clarke today, and Scott Cuthbert was pretty impressive too, but let's take the time to hail an unsung hero: Gary Sawyer. Yes, the left back took the opportunity of Elliot Omozusi's suspension to remind fans that while he's no Matt Lockwood or Charlie Daniels, he's worth about four Billy Joneses, or 48 billion Danny Granvilles. 

Little donkey... "Worst I played for a long time" wrote Mathieu Baudry on Twitter shortly after the game, and it's true that by his own very high standards he had something of a shocker. He was directly responsible for Crawley's third goal after giving the ball away, missed three presentable headers from corners and his distribution was uncharacteristically sloppy. Still, we can't blame the Frenchman for everything: I'm pretty sure he wasn't involved in the Gallic invasion of Britain in 1797, and he's in no way culpable for the poor quality of the latest Daft Punk album. 

In the dug out... With both Mooney and Omozusi suspended, Russell Slade hardly needed any more bad news. But when Dean Cox was also ruled out for "toothache" - apparently sulking because the tooth fairy had forgotten to leave 50 pence under his pillow - the manager really had his work cut out. Still, we were always going to have a blip at some point and despite that we're still top of the league. And, remember: Slade's teams tend to improve after Christmas, which means promotion is still a realistic ambition.

View from the opposition... "What a result against top of the league. lads worked there socks off" wrote Nicky Adams after the game, scurrying around the conventions of grammar like the tricky winger he is. The one-time Orient loanee is right though: Crawley were better than the home side across the park. Given they have a 100 per cent record against us (beating Orient home and away in 2012/13) it may be easier if we just give them the six points at the start of each season and take the opportunity to rest key players.

Tweet of the week... "Are you sure it's my 30th? Can't be," wrote ex-Orient goalkeeper Glenn Morris to his own wife on Twitter this week, suggesting that for him birthdays are just as confusing as trying to kick a football vaguely in the direction of his team mates. 

Fact of the day... It's actually scientifically impossible for Orient to beat a team containing Gary Alexander. It's known in physics as "The Law of Fat-Ass". In fact the one-time Brisbane Road striker did everything you'd expect of him today: led the line brilliantly, caused a nuisance to the defence, missed a penalty, fluffed a sitter and fell to the ground screaming like an eight-year-old girl watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre every time he went up for a header.  

Matt Lockwood on Orient's promotion season 2005/06

Left-back, penalty specialist and Orient legend Matt Lockwood was a key part of the side that achieved promotion from League Two in spectacular fashion six years ago.

Here he looks back on that wonderful season of 2005/06...

“Every season you start off thinking this is going to be your year. But Orient fans think that the team will chuck it away at the end, that we’ll do something wrong. Even in that last game of 2005/06 at Oxford I bet all the fans were expecting us to go and lose! You just get used to slipping up at the last hurdle.

But from the players’ point of view we were really confident that year. I don’t think the league was the best that season - there weren’t that many decent teams in it.

The FA Cup run [Orient got to the fourth round before narrowly losing to Charlton] was a massive help. It gave us the confidence. When we were drawn against Fulham in the third round we thought it was brilliant that we’d got a Premier League club away, but you worry you could get tonked.

But when we got to Craven Cottage the team sheet came through and we looked at it and thought, hang on, they’ve got quite a few out, we’ve got a chance here. We had the same team we’d been playing all year.

Before the game started, in the warm up, I asked a mate in the crowd if he’d put a bet on. He said yes, so I said ‘I’d go and double it if I were you.’ I really fancied us. I don’t know why. And we started off doing really well and I honestly think we deserved that win. We were the better team. That was just fantastic. It was such a shock for the footballing world.

After the game my phone didn’t stop. People couldn’t believe it. There was a sense of pride - we were a League Two team and we’d gone to a Premier League club and beaten them. Then we got rewarded with another Premier League club away in the next round, Charlton.

I thought we played really well that day. We had loads of chances. When we went 1-0 down I thought, ‘Oh, we can get spanked’, but then we came back with Steelo’s goal. And just as I was thinking we could hang on for a draw they go and get a spawny, deflected goal in the last minute.

But the FA Cup run definitely helped us. It made us think that if we could beat these teams, and take Charlton to 90 minutes, then we can go and beat anyone.

I think if you’re winning games then winning becomes a habit and we were definitely in a winning habit that year. Even when we weren’t playing that well we were grinding out results. Like Mansfield away, that was a big one. That’s not the easiest place to go. We won 1-0 with a penalty. We learnt how to do that.

Peterborough at home [The penultimate game of the season] was a tough one. It’s never easy. When Paul Connor got sent off I thought to myself, oh no, that’s our chance gone. But then Wayne Corden scored a goal to put us 2-0 up. It seemed like every time Grimsby slipped up we were there with the result we needed to get into the final promotion spot.

We were on a run where we’d kept seven clean sheets in a row at home, and we were more gutted that we let that slip in letting in a goal. [Peterborough scored a late goal; Orient won the game 2-1] The back four we had was solid every week. We got used to playing together. We were proud of that record.

Going into the Oxford game we knew what we had to do. The atmosphere there was amazing. The number of Orient fans that turned up was fantastic. It wasn’t an enjoyable game, though, because of the pressure on it. Because there was so much at stake. It was a case of, yes we want to go and win it, but you don’t want to make a mistake, you don’t want to be the one that loses the game.

When we went 2-1 up I thought Oxford have got to go now, they’ve got to give up. But they didn’t, they scored again. And at 2-2 I was thinking, ‘Oh no.’ We knew Grimsby were 1-0 up. Martin shouted out to us: ‘Grimsby are winning, we’ve got to go and score.’ So I went out to the lads and said, ‘We’ve got to get one.’

I was just running around in a daze thinking I just want to score, let’s just win. You’re this close. Five minutes away from promotion and you can celebrate or you’re five minutes away from having three weeks of pressure in the play-offs.

Oxford had a man sent off for tangling with John Mackie off the ball. Mackie was good like that. He’d stamp on someone’s foot, they’d retaliate then he’d dive on the floor holding his face. He’d laugh about it afterwards.

But I thought it had slipped away. I was gutted. I was thinking, ‘Not the play offs again.’ Having had the heartache of the play-offs before I didn’t want to go through that again. We definitely wouldn’t have gone up if we’d had to go through the play-offs. I don’t think we would have been able to lift ourselves again for those three games. So you have to keep believing, you don’t want to give up.

Then we heard the fans all cheer so straight away we knew that Northampton must have equalised. And then Steelo broke and scored the winner – there were about five of us in the box waiting to score because we were so desperate to make sure we went through. But it was fitting that Steelo was the one who scored the goal. The fans loved him. 

Once Steelo scored the relief was unbelievable. We all just piled on each other. We ran over in front of the fans and all the subs just sprinted across the pitch to celebrate. I got caught under the pile and I couldn’t breathe, I thought I was going to die! I literally had to push everyone off. There’s a picture of me crawling out on my hands and knees.

When the final whistle went, that was my best moment at Orient. Eight years prior to that I came to the club because I thought that I we were going to get promotion. So it took long enough to get it but I got it in the end. That’s what I wanted and it was definitely worth the wait.

After the game we went back to the Marriot Hotel just off the M25 at Waltham Abbey where we always dropped our cars off. Loads of fans were knocking about all congratulating us. We ended up going to Faces nightclub in Gants Hill – Eddie Hearn took us out.

But I only stayed out for a little bit. After all the euphoria of it all I was knackered. I’d had such a good day. It must have only been about midnight – and I don’t drink. I just said that’s me done. Go home, enjoy it. I put Sky Sports News on to see all the celebrations.

I felt proud that day. You go and beat Fulham and it’s a one off. But you get promoted, it’s 46 games, a whole season of doing well. That was a really good feeling. Everyone involved with the club can look back on that day and say it was an amazing season and it couldn’t have finished on a better day. It was definitely my favourite moment in my Orient career.”

Read more about Matt's time at Orient in my book Leyton Orient Greats. 

Brentford 5 Leyton Orient 0, 20/8/11

A game which... demonstrated that even when they've hit rock bottom, Orient have an incredible capacity to find even deeper levels of abomination. Where to even begin? The defence: sliced open so many times it was as if they were auditioning for bit parts in a remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The midfield: so anonymous they could almost have secured a spot on Celebrity Big Brother. The attack: all the penetration of a eunuch-porn flick. Need I go on?

Moment of class... Dean Cox's ambitious first-half lob from the edge of the penalty area that beat Brentford keeper Richard Lee but bounced back off the crossbar. Just think what would have happened if that had gone in. Yes, that's right, we would have lost 5-1.

Moment of madness... Lee Butcher's second-half decision to place Dean Cox in his defensive wall for a free-kick, the equivalent of a bricklayer thinking to himself, 'Fuck this cement shit, I'm going to use ice cream instead.' Naturally Brentford's Sam Saunders simply booted the ball knee-high over Tiny's head and straight into the net.

Knight in shining armour... Selecting an Orient man of the match from today's game is like trying to choose which of Katie Price's novels should win the Pulitzer Prize. But, while I should point out that Dean Cox isn't in the best form himself, he's still standing head and shoulders above the rest of the team. Not literally, obviously.

Pantomime horse... No shortage of candidates for this one, but let's focus on Lee Butcher, whose inexperience is somewhat reminiscent of a 16-year-old virgin clumsily trying to have sex with the babysitter. In a couple of years he'll know what to do, but for the moment he's got no authority around the box.

In the dug out... 'I was disappointed,' said Russell Slade after the game, which in understatement terms is a bit like greeting the news that a huge asteroid is about to destroy our entire planet with the words, 'Oh, that's annoying.' To be fair to the manager, after three straight defeats he did at least try to rearrange the deckchairs on the Titanic a bit, but clearly there's a deep malaise in the team and it's something he's going to have to sort out pretty sharpish if he doesn't want the club to sink into relegation.

A word on the visitors... Full marks to Brentford, who managed to steal candy from a baby, shoot fish in a barrel and take acorns from a blind pig all in the space of 90 minutes. The Bees could well have easier matches this season, but only if they decide to play a charity game against the under-11 side from the local girls school.

Meanwhile, on Twitter... Something of a chicken-and-egg spat yesterday when one-time Brisbane Road misser of point-blank scoring opportunities Gary Alexander - @gazalex29 - tried to defend his decision to cup his ears at Orient fans after netting for Brentford last season. 'i was being abused then scored thats when i put my hand to my ear' he claimed, adding, 'i got a letter from a fan saying he was disgusted about the abouse'. Too right, 'abouse' does sound disgusting Gary. Whatever it is.

Lesson for the day: Don't despair simply because Orient are almost certain to be relegated. There may be hope: Why Five-Goal Defeats Are Good For Orient

Brentford 2 Leyton Orient 1, 20/3/11

A game in which... Orient dominated possession with slick passing and incisive attacking, creating numerous chances as they did so. Unfortunately this was entirely confined to the second half of the game, by which time they were already 2-0 down. I'm not suggesting the team were asleep in the first half, but Jimmy Smith was wearing pyjamas, Adam Barrett was snoring and Elliot Omozusi was curled up in the foetal position sucking his thumb.

Still, we can hardly blame them - the team have been on a hell of a run. And, like Konnie Huq's career as a TV presenter, everything has to end sooner or later.

Moment to savour... A jaw-dropping Jamie Jones save deep into the second half that saw him palm a fierce ball over the crossbar despite the fact he was already travelling in the wrong direction in mid-air - presumably anticipating a Matthew Spring own goal attempt.

Head in hands moment... The ease with which Myles Weston turned Matthew Spring to set up Brentford's second goal. The Orient midfielder wasn't simply left for dead, but read his last rites, embalmed and cremated too.

King for a day... After a run of games in which he's struggled to make an impact, this was a return to form for Scott McGleish. He made so much of a nuisance of himself in the second half, Brentford must have felt like they were tasked with babysitting a Red Bull-guzzling toddler.

Boo boy... Gary Alexander, apparently. The former Os striker took a lot of stick from the away fans, not least for his unnecessary cupped ear celebration of his goal. Who do you think you are, Gary, Nicklas Bendtner? (Actually, don't answer that.)

In the dug out... Probably not much else Russ could have done today, save for reminding the team the game started at 3pm, not 4pm. And what's the deal with dropping Terrell Forbes for Elliot Omozusi in the centre of defence?

What would Martin Ling have done? Sung the praises of Brentford's number 29. "Their striker really impressed me," he'd say. "Reminded me of a slightly older Gary Alexander. What? Oh, it was Gary Alexander."

Play-offs? Opposition teams are now clocking on to our tactics (for example, stopping us from playing it out from the back every time Jamie Jones has the ball) but the play-offs remain in our own hands and there's two winnable home games coming up. As Cher once sang through a mouthful of Botox: "Do you believe?"

Leyton Orient promotion squad 2005/06: Where are they now? (Updated October 2012)

They were the 26 players who helped Orient to promotion from League Two in the 2005/06 season. But did their heroics spur them on to greater things in the football world? Here's what's happened to them since...

1. Glyn Garner

Who? The arch penalty-saving goalkeeper and Welsh international (one cap!).

Where is he now? Glyn turned down a new contract at Orient in May 2007 to join League Two side Shrewsbury. "I'd heard that Shrewsbury is a club that wants to go places," he said before spending the next three years mostly on the bench for a club that stayed exactly where it was. After short spells with Grays Athletic and Newport County, Glyn signed for Conference South side Bath City in May 2011, where he remains to this day.

2. Donny Barnard

Who? Brisbane Road's utility player extraordinaire, who never let the side down whether at right back, left back, in midfield or - more typically - playing crossbar challenge with the other substitutes during the half-time interval.
Where is he now? Released in May 2007, Donny made four appearances for Grays Athletic before moving to AFC Hornchurch and then to Tilbury. Now playing for Harlow Town in the Ryman League Division One North.
Follow him on Twitter: @dgbarnard22

3. Matt Lockwood

Who? The goal-scoring left back, spot-kick specialist and Brisbane Road legend who, according to Barry Hearn, was a Premiership footballer playing in League Two.
Where is he now? Matt is now a Premier League footballer - albeit in the Scottish Premier League. After unhappy spells at Nottingham Forest, Colchester, Barnet and Dagenham & Redbridge, the 35-year-old moved north of the border to sign for Dundee, and achieved promotion with them at the end of the 2011/12 season.

4. Michael Simpson

Who? Classy holding midfielder, defensive shield and unsung hero of the side. Think Adam Chambers without the pace, or Paul Terry without the racist brother.

Where is he now? Released by Orient after an injury-plagued 2006/07 season, Michael moved to Conference side Burton Albion and helped them to promotion to League Two in 2008/09. He dropped down to the Conference North to play for Eastwood Town in 2010/11, and then signed for Evo-Stik League Division One South side Mickleover Sports for the 2011/12 season.

5. Joe Dolan

Who? "Joe's ready to get his career going again," said an optimistic Martin Ling upon signing Dolan from Millwall in the summer of 2005. His Orient career comprised two first team appearances.
Where is he now? Joe has played for 12 clubs since leaving Orient, mostly in the Conference South. He returned to Brisbane Road last season with Bromley for an FA Cup match, then went on to play for Havant & Waterlooville, scoring an injury-time winner that saved them from relegation in their last game of the 2011/12 season. They rewarded him by not renewing his contract, and he's recently signed for Metropolitan Police FC in the Ryman League Premier Division, who are presumably unaware of his crimes against defending.
Follow him on Twitter: @joe_dolan5

6. John Mackie

Who? A gutsy, gritty throwback to a bygone era of central defenders, Mackie was the chest-thumping talisman that held the Orient backline together.
Where is he now? After an injury-ravaged season in 2006/07 Mackie moved to Brentford, but left the club by mutual consent after just 14 appearances. These days he runs a fruit and veg stall on Plender Street in Camden, where he can presumably be seen pulling customers' shirts, digging them in the ribs and scraping his boots down their shins.
Follow him on Twitter: @john6gmack

7. Wayne Carlisle

Who? Reliable and sometimes classy right-midfielder who, after starting brightly in the previous 2004/05 season, fell down the pecking order and was eventually shipped out in the middle of the promotion campaign.
Where is he now? Carlisle moved from Orient to Exeter City in the Conference and helped them to promotion to League Two in 2008. He then opted to join local rivals Torquay United, who he also helped to promotion from the Conference. He signed for Truro City in March 2011 but left a month later. He's now Head of Football at Ivybridge Community College in Plymouth and coaches the Exeter City U16 team.

8. Craig Easton

Who? Committed and energetic Scot who'd fizz around midfield with all the effervescence of a Mars Bar in the deep fat fryer at a Glasgow chippy.
Where is he now? After leaving Orient at the end of the 2006/07 season Easton had spells at Swindon Town, Southend (boo!) and Dunfermline Athletic. In June 2012 he joined Torquay United as part of Martin Ling's ongoing quest to re-sign every single member of his Orient promotion squad. Also blogs a bit.
Follow him on Twitter: @craig8easton

9. Gary Alexander

Who? The hard-working and reliable No.9 who would delight the Brisbane Road faithful by going on 10-game scoring sprees, then confound them by then failing to find the net in the next 20 matches.
Where is he now? After spells at Millwall and Brentford, Gary now divides his time between playing for Crawley Town and repeatedly tweeting 'Don't listen to the haterz' then retweeting comments from everyone who doesn't think he's brilliant.
Follow him on Twitter: @gazalex29

10. Lee Steele

Who? That rarest of rare breeds at Brisbane Road, a striker who wouldn't suffer a total meltdown of bodily functions when in sight of goal. Fittingly, it was cult hero Steele's goal that sealed promotion.
Where is he now? Steele's post-Orient career has been a journey down the footballing ladder, from Chester City in League Two, to Northwich Victoria and Barrow in the Conference, then Ashton United and Oxford City in the Southern League Premier Division. Steele was sacked by Oxford City in January 2012 for making a homophobic comment on Twitter about ex-rugby star Gareth Thomas. He's since turned out for Evo-Stik League sides Nantwich Town, Brackley Town and Leamington FC.

11. Joe Keith

Who? Hard-working left midfielder who forged an effective partnership with Matt Lockwood (consisting mostly of Keith covering for the left back when he bombed forward).
Where is he now? Via stints at Shrewsbury Town, Brentford, AFC Hornchurch and Tilbury FC, Keith is now a player/coach at Isthmian League Division One North side East Thurrock FC, though describes himself as "An ex-footballer trying to make it in the real world".
Follow him on Twitter: @joekeith3

12. Glenn Morris

Who? Nicknamed 'The Cat' (presumably because cats can't kick a ball properly either), Morris was equally as capable of jaw-dropping reflex saves as he was slicing the ball straight to the opposition.
Where is he now? Cat spent two seasons at Southend in League Two as their first choice stopper. He was released at the end of the 2011/12 season and snapped up by fellow League Two side Aldershot Town on a six-month contract as back up to their number one Jamie Young.

14. Gabriel Zakuani

Who? Orient's first-ever £1 million transfer, the velvet glove covering John Mackie's iron fist at the heart of the Os promotion-winning defence.
Where is he now? Zakuani's seven-figure move to Fulham was one that unfortunately failed to bear fruit for either the Premier League side or the defender himself. Without making a first team appearance for the club, he went out on loan to Stoke City and Peterborough in the Championship, before a permanent move to the latter, where he continues to ply his trade. He also found time to star in a Dizzee Rascal video.
Follow him on Twitter: @Gabs50Zakuani

15. Justin Miller

Who? The classy South African right back whose trademark cut inside as he drove forward always confounded the opposition.  
Where is he now? Shipped out in Martin Ling's Night of the Long Knives in May 2007, Miller went via League One Port Vale, to Conference South Chelmsford City. After a short stint back in South Africa, he played a season in the Conference for Rushden & Diamond before rejoining Chelmsford City, where he continues to play regularly alongside former Os Adam Tann and Aiden Palmer.

16. Shane Tudor

Who? The chippy poster boy for small man syndrome, Tudor was an effective and talented right winger, albeit one whose principle weapon was knocking the ball past his opponent and then running straight into him to win a foul. Like a slightly better JJ Melligan, or a not-as-good Dean Cox.
Where is now? Tudor moved to fellow League One side Port Vale in May 2007 but made only 19 appearances before a knee injury forced him to retire from the game in January 2009.

17. Daryl McMahon

Who? Underrated Irish midfielder who, surprisingly, clocked up 33 league appearances in the promotion season.
Where is he now? Sent out on loan to Notts County in 2006, McMahon then signed for Conference side Stevenage Borough, where he stayed for two seasons. After a short spell at Cambridge United, he turned out for Farnborough, Boreham Wood and Eastleigh before signing for Dover Athletic in September 2012 and taking on a coaching role at Dagenham & Redbridge.
Follow him on Twitter: @DarylMcMahon1

18. Paul Connor

Who? Striker, a mid-season signing from Swansea who helped Orient's promotion push with five goals, then nearly blew the whole thing for everyone by getting sent off in the penultimate game.
Where is he now? Released by Orient in January 2007, Connor spent a couple of seasons at Cheltenham Town, one at Lincoln City and one at Mansfield Town in the Conference. He signed for Conference North side Gainsborough Trinity in December 2011 and is still playing - and scoring - for them today.

19. Jabo Ibehre

Who? Fans' favourite and Brisbane Road hero. A striker who could confound defenders with breathtaking trickery, pace and strength. 
Where is he now? After spending the 2008/09 season at Walsall, Jabo moved to MK Dons. Despite a couple of loan spells at Southend and Stockport County, Jabo's become something of fans' favourite at Stadium MK and helped the team reach the play-offs in 2011/12. He was sent out on a three-month loan to Colchester United in September 2012 and scored a brace on his debut.
Follow him on Twitter: @ibehre

20. Derek Duncan

Who? Fringe player who contributed a total of 13 minutes to the promotion campaign, coming on as a substitute in the 5-1 demolition of Rushden & Diamonds.
Where is he now? After a month at Grays Athletic, Duncan spent two years at Wycombe Wanderers without making a single appearance. Played for AFC Wimbledon and Ebbsfleet United, before joining Woking in July 2011, helping them to promotion to the Conference that season. Recently signed for Maidenhead United for the 2012/13 season in the Conference South.
Follow him on Twitter: @dunky_duncs

21. Brian Saah

Who? Saah was the midfielder-turned-defender who filled in for the injured John Mackie on a couple of occasions during the promotion season and has followed Martin Ling around ever since.
Where is now? Released by Orient in May 2007 Saah had unsuccessful trials at Southend and Tranmere before being signed by Ling at Cambridge United in August 2009. The ex-Orient manager then took him to Torquay United in July 2011, where he remains today.
Follow him on Twitter: Not yet, but you could sign this petition to get Brian tweeting.

22. Efe Echanomi

Who? The lightening-paced striker whose promising career was interrupted by the freak broken leg he suffered while warming up with his fellow substitutes before a game against Chester City in the promotion season.
Where is he now? Efe made a handful of appearances for Orient after recovering from his injury, but subsequent spells at Tiptree United and Grays Athletic, plus a trial at Ebbsfleet United all led to nothing. Efe disappeared off the face of the footballing planet until signing for Waltham Forest in December 2011 in the Ryman League Division One North. Tragically he broke his leg again in a game against Sudbury in January 2012. In September 2012 he joined Wembley-based Tokyngton FC as head coach of the Under 18 team.

24. Jason Demetriou

Who? Midfielder Demetriou made his debut in the promotion season as a fresh-faced 19-year-old. He contributed two substitute appearances, one start and, no doubt, a couple of timely dives.
Where is he now? Jason went on to have two outstanding seasons for Orient - 2007/08 and 2008/09 - and one not so good one (2009/10). He then went to Cyprus to play for AEK Larnaca, where he remains to this day. During his time there he's played in both the UEFA Europa League and represented Cyprus at international level. Here's Jason vying for the ball with Cristiano Ronaldo.

25. Christian Hanson

Who? Non-contracted defender whose two substitute appearances constituted approximately 10 minutes of football, during which time Orient didn't concede a single goal. By which token Hanson can be deemed a success and a critical component of the promotion campaign.

Where is he now? Plummeting towards Sunday League football after spells at Grays Athletic, Gateshead, Spennymoor United, Billingham Synthonia and, in 2009/10, Whitby Town in the Northern League, the ninth tier of English football. Off the radar since then. Google is good, but it's not that good.


(5). Adam Tann

Who? Defender who signed midway through the promotion season and whose solid performances in the centre and at right back towards the end of the campaign helped the backline hold firm. Ryan Jarvis's cousin.
Where is now? After suffering and then recovering from testicular cancer in 2006, Tann rejected a new Orient contract to sign for Notts County. He then spent the 2009/10 season at Histon in the Conference, before dropping to the Conference South with Chelmsford City, where he continues to play alongside former Os Justin Miller and Aiden Palmer. This season he combines his duties with a coaching role at Cambridge United.
Follow him on Twitter: @AdamTann

(7). Wayne Corden

Who? Decent two-footed winger who played the last eight games of the campaign on loan. Boasted a valuable ability to actually get the ball in the box, usually after executing a sort of slow-motion version of the Cryuff turn.
Where is he now? After brief spells at Grimbsy and Colwyn Bay, Corden spent four seasons playing for his home club, Leek Town, in the Northern Premier League Division One South. He retired in January 2012.