LEYTON ORIENT will not top many people’s lists for ‘Team of the Year’ — but they should.
The O’s have managed to consolidate their place back in the Football League after one of the most tragic and traumatic seasons in their history.
Justin Edinburgh was just 49 when he passed away after suffering cardiac arrest in June 2019Credit: PA:Empics Sport
Today is the first anniversary of the death of their manager Justin Edinburgh.
And midfielder Josh Wright said: “We’ve been through more in 12 months than most players would go through in 12 years.
“This season has been the most emotionally draining of my career. At times it felt as though we were living a nightmare.”
Edinburgh’s shock passing at the age of just 49 rocked football and beyond.
The ex-Southend, Spurs and Portsmouth defender died in hospital having suffered a cardiac arrest just days after returning from Madrid to watch his beloved Spurs in their Champions League final defeat by Liverpool.
You’d turn around in training and see one of your teammates in tears
Leyton Orient midfielder Josh Wright
It was supposed to be a glorious end to a triumphant season for Edinburgh having led Orient to the National League title and promotion back to League Two after a two-year absence.
His death brought O’s stars still celebrating their successful campaign back down to earth with a sickening thump.
Though Wright was not part of that squad, he shared their pain, if not more, as he grieved for the man who was not only his mentor and mate, but set to become his manager again.
Leyton Orient midfielder Josh Wright says Edinburgh’s death left players “drained” and “emotional”Credit: Leyton Orient
The ex-Charlton, Scunthorpe, and Millwall ace, 30, who played under Edinburgh at Gillingham, had just agreed to join his local club Orient to become the tragic gaffer’s last ever signing.
Edinburgh’s No 2 Ross Embleton was placed in charge of first-team affairs.
And Wright — brother of TV presenter and former TOWIE star Mark — added: “There was so much going on in that first six weeks of pre-season, football became secondary.
You’d turn around in training and see one of your teammates in tears for no reason. “I was trying to lift other people and other people were trying to lift me. So preseason was very difficult.
“You’d be working and suddenly stop because you heard or thought you heard a voice similar to Justin’s.”
With the Premier League starting a week later, more eyes were on the O’s when they kicked off the season at home to Cheltenham on a boiling hot August afternoon.
Wright said: “It should have been exciting especially with Orient back in the League.
But it was just so emotional.
Edinburgh, who was adored by Leyton Orient fans, players and staff, died just weeks after leading the club back to the Football LeagueCredit: Getty – Contributor
“We’d done so many minute’s tributes in pre-season and we started the season with another one, which was only right.
“But as you stood there you could see it in the boys’ drained eyes and ashen faces, as we all thought ‘The time has to come when we can’t keep doing this.
“We had so much adrenaline walking out for that first game and yet we all felt so weak because Justin wasn’t there.”
It was only right that Wright should score the only goal of the game to give Orient a tearstained three points.
He added: “I’ve watched it on DVD so many times since and I still can’t remember running off, pointing up to the sky and then to Justin’s family in the stand.
“I was so proud to have scored but the enormity of it didn’t really hit me until after I was sat at home later that night and started welling up again.”
As Orient’s season continued, Edinburgh was with them in more than just spirit.
“We wanted to make sure he was always with us. I used to touch his pic as I went out and a lot of the other lads did, too.
Josh Wright
Wright revealed: “Photos of him are all over the training ground and we have one of him on our dressing-room wall.
“We even have a laminated one of him which we took to every away game. And before every game we played ‘his song’ — Drake’s Started From The Bottom — before we went out on to the pitch.
“We wanted to make sure he was always with us. I used to touch his pic as I went out and a lot of the other lads did, too.
“Hopefully that will continue next season.”
With Edinburgh’s presence still gracing the club, it was always going to be difficult for another manager coming in — and so it proved when Carl Fletcher was sacked as his permanent successor in November after just 29 days in charge.
Embleton was once again placed back in charge.
And Wright admitted: “Ross deserves more credit than he’s got. But the first manager to come in after Justin was always going to find it difficult.
“For Carl to come into the unknown having not really known Justin, the players and what we were going through, was always going to be a tough ask.”
Despite everything, Orient are 17th in the table, 20 points above bottom club Stevenage.
Wright said: “After all we have been through, that in itself is a fantastic achievement and testament to the boys, Ross and the legacy of Justin.”
Tearful fans leave flowers and scarves for manager Justin Edinburgh at Leyton Orient
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
