So the 2013/14 League One season is finally over, with Steve Evans’ Rotherham United claiming the Play-Off winners’ route to the Championship after a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Wembley Stadium.
Poor Leyton Orient, who really deserved something from what has been a largely excellent season for the Eastenders, saw a mini version of their whole season replicated on the big stage: having stormed to an impressive lead, they were pegged back, caught up (what a goal!), then overtaken by the stronger side.
Our countless defeats in the play-offs make us all too aware of how gutted they must be feeling right now.
Both Steve Evans and Russell Slade made reference to Brentford’s strength of character this season by gaining automatic promotion after missing out at Wembley last season… Slade telling the TV cameras; “”My players should be proud of this season. We need to look at what Brentford did last year to bounce back. We will regroup”. Time will tell on that front, for as we also know, play-off defeat can go one of two ways the following season…
But watching the drama unfold on the screen yesterday afternoon made us Bees soooo relieved that we didn’t have to experience any of that again this year. They say that going up at Wembley is an amazing feeling, but we’ll save that for the Prem shall we?
So, there you have it, our interest in League One is done and dusted for a long while (hopefully) and there will be a trip to Rotherham to plan when the fixtures are released in a few weeks’ time… Another London fixture would have been great… but if its South Yorkshire instead, then so be it.
You’ve got to feel for Orient, you really have.
Dave Lane
I was there and enjoyed our victory. Four years ago we lost the League 2 final so I think we deserved it. Good luck to Orient but there has to be a winner and yesterday was our time. See you at NYS next season.
Great season to all the O’s players. A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO RUSSELL SLADE and the coaching staff,also unsung hero’s of everybody who worked so hard as they do every season to make the O’s what they are today.The club CAN do what Brentford have done in the last two years ,and with a little injection of cash can only hope O’s can achieve the same result next season.
A message from a 71yr old life long supporter of LEYTON ORIENT. (had a trial for you back in the dark ages under A STOCK, did’nt make it).