retired_blondie_524

Tuesday 29th December - League One
Leyton Orient v Swindon Town

Paul Robinson returned to the side after suspension in place of Low for the visit of 23rd placed Swindon.
The O's took a commanding early lead with a double strike. Calabria's 13th minute pass opened up the defense for Autret to fire home from 10 yards and just three minutes later Di Bonito crashed in a 20-yard free kick. Swindon tried hard to come back from that but Hoogenkamp was equal to everything they threw at him. The more points like this we pick up against bottom sides the better we will be.
Leyton v Swindon
Leyton scorers: Autret 13, Di Bonito 16
Swindon scorers: none
Att: 4,844

Our second successive win lifts us to 13th level with Notts County who won 3-2 at Chester and Tranmere who won 2-1 against Lincoln.

League One Table (As at 31st December 2009)

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Hull | | 27 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 54 | 19 | +35 | 61 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Wolves | | 27 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 42 | 18 | +24 | 55 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Q.P.R. | | 27 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 32 | 13 | +19 | 52 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | MK Dons | | 27 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 42 | 25 | +17 | 50 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Bristol Rovers | | 27 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 49 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Lincoln | | 27 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 42 | 22 | +20 | 48 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Walsall | | 27 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 49 | 34 | +15 | 45 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Bradford City | | 27 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 42 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Rotherham | | 27 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 40 | 37 | +3 | 39 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Peterborough | | 27 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 38 | -4 | 37 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Tranmere | | 27 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 44 | 49 | -5 | 36 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Notts Co | | 27 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 33 | 38 | -5 | 36 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | LEYTON ORIENT | | 27 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 42 | 50 | -8 | 36 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Coventry | | 27 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 34 | 36 | -2 | 33 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Gillingham | | 27 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 32 | 40 | -8 | 33 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Bristol City | | 27 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 43 | 46 | -3 | 32 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Huddersfield | | 27 | 9 | 3 | 15 | 37 | 39 | -2 | 30 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Northampton | | 27 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 31 | 51 | -20 | 29 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Brentford | | 27 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 30 | 34 | -4 | 27 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Oxford | | 27 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 25 | 41 | -16 | 24 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Southend | | 27 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 29 | 40 | -11 | 23 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Rochdale | | 27 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 31 | 47 | -16 | 23 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Swindon | | 27 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 46 | -21 | 22 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Chester | | 27 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 21 | 45 | -24 | 19 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

retired_hvporter

COme on you 'O's! Keep up the good work, Maverick. Hope you can keep this one going, as I've followed it from the start and enjoyed it :thup:

retired_blondie_524

It's just got a life of it's own Gav, I've never kept one going this long before but it just won't stop now

retired_blondie_524

Saturday 2nd January - FA Cup 3rd Round
Lincoln City v Leyton Orient

An unchanged side traveled to Lincolnshire for this FA Cup tie.
The O's held out for 38 minutes but finally cracked when Neil Mellor found Dean Cross in a yard of space and he fired into the top corner.
Lincoln gave Orient a way back into the match after flooring Richardson in the box. Autret stepped up to convert the penalty but almost straight away we went to sleep at a free kick. Calium Bett cleverly found Kean lurking off to one side and he had a clear shot of the unprepared keeper. Lincoln finally wrapped it up with 13 minutes to go when Bett stole in behind the defense to meet a cross with a perfect diving header.
Lincoln 3-1 Leyton
Lincoln scorers: Cross 39, Kean 55, Bett 77
Leyton scorers: Autret 52 pen.
Att: 3,986

Wednesday 6th January - League One
Notts County v Leyton Orient

The O's fielded the same side again as they traveled to the side directly above them.
It a game of few chances both sides were wasteful when they did actually get a sight of goal. The game was finally settled in the 84th minute as Craig Sives deflected Feeney's cross into his own net.
Notts C 1-0 Leyton
Notts C scorers: Sives OG 84
Leyton scorers: none
Att: 7,055

Notts County moved up to 10th but we stayed put in 13th. Tranmere stay level with us after a 3-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers

Thursday 7th January 2010

Southampton's 25 year old Portuguese midfielder Mário Pessoa has turned down offers from Wrexham, Wycombe and Rotherham to join the O's when his current contract expires on June 31st.

Saturday 9th January - League One
Leyton Orient v Southend United

The O's look for much needed points against 20th placed Essex side Southend.
Orient wrapped up an easy win early on. Richardson was floored in the box and Gardner slotted in the penalty on eight minutes. Donati's little flick in the 26th minute found Richardson who turned his man and fired low into the bottom corner.
The only blackspot of the win was Paul Robinson's 90th minute dismissal for hauling down Lloyd Sam when he was last man.
Leyton 2-0 Southend
Leyton scorers: Gardner 8 pen, Richardson 26
Southend scorers: none
Att: 5,701

At least we are picking up the points against the bottom sides, the win lifting us to 11th, a point behind Notts County after their 1-1 draw at Bristol City. Peterborough slip below us as they were hammered 6-0 at Chester.

retired_oyse2

Very good story Mavericktango, read it all over the last two days. Fingers crossed u can go on a bit of a run and maybe snatch a play off place. You've done well with all the teams you've managed so far and improved them. Good luck with the rest of the season and KUTGW on the story.

retired_blondie_524

Wednesday 13th January 2010

My favourite ex-striker Michael Wilde has finally got a transfer away from TNS on a free to Grimsby at the end of the season. He has scored 100 goals for the Welsh outfit in 206 appearances at the moment.

Saturday 16th January - League One
Peterborough United v Leyton Orient

Graham Low replaces the suspended Robinson in the only change to the starting line-up against the side directly below the O's.
This game was over in the first 20 minutes as The Posh couldn't handle the O's crosses. Autret scored his sixth and seventh when he headed home Di Bonito's cross after three minutes and then Calabria's cross after 13 minutes. Richardson added
the third when he fired home Donati's cross on 17 minutes and Brain McLean picked up a red card on 19 minutes. Peterborough were able to control it then but the damage had been done.
Peterborough 0-3 Leyton
Posh scorers: none
Leyton scorers: Autret 3, 13, Richardson 17
Att: 8,515

The win edged us up to 10th after Notts County lose 2-0 at home to Walsall. We're 12 points away from a playoff spot but more realistically we're 17 points from a relegation place.

Saturday 23rd January - League One
Leyton Orient v Bradford City

Richardson returns after another suspension and Walton is fit enough to resume on the bench for the game against the 8th placed Yorkshiremen.
The O's got a good start when Di Bonito and Richardson worked a one-two in the seventh minute to allow Richardson the chance to blast in his 50th career league goal and they looked comfortable after that. Bradford were fortunate to grab a point in the 67th minute when Clinton Morrison caught the home side on the break, leaving all in his wake before slotting home.
Leyton 1-1 Bradford
Leyton scorers: Richardson 7
Bradford scorers: Morrison 61
Att: 6,844

The draw keeps us both where we were as Bristol City's 2-1 win over Peterborough takes them up behind us in 11th. Coventry's 2-0 win at Chester moves them 12th.

Sunday 24th January 2010

St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour phoned me at home today with an offer to manage his Scottish Division One side. He said he was happy with the level of wages at the current time but unfortunately didn't have any transfer funds to offer me. I told I appreciate the offer but I feel St Mirren aren't really the team for me at the moment and I'm not sure that Scotland's the right place to manage in either.

Friday 29th January 2010

Darlington chairman Stewart Davies has been on the phone today asking me to replace their ex-manager Andy Hessenthaler who left to manage Gillingham. He can't offer me any transfer funds and the wages are well over budget at £29,500 a week but they do have a nice 25,000 all-seater stadium. The trouble is that they're currently 18th in League Two, it would be a step down from the O's but given careful management they've probably got more potential then the O's. With the transfer deadline two days away I haven't really got anytime to think about it.
Oh well in for a penny, in for a pound. I seek adventure! I tell Stewart Davies I'll take Darlington to glory!

retired_blondie_524

Cheers Bradley but I'm on my travels again. Somethimes you got to take a step backward to go forward.

retired_blondie_524

League Two Table (as at January 29th 2010)

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Reading | | 31 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 54 | 41 | +13 | 55 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Plymouth | | 31 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 56 | 39 | +17 | 54 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Rushden | | 31 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 48 | 47 | +1 | 50 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Exeter | | 31 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 46 | 39 | +7 | 49 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Scunthorpe | | 31 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 44 | 34 | +10 | 48 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Barnet | | 31 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 48 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Carlisle | | 31 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 54 | 40 | +14 | 47 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Oldham | | 31 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 50 | 38 | +12 | 47 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Woking | | 31 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 50 | 49 | +1 | 46 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Wrexham | | 31 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 44 | 47 | -3 | 44 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Aldershot | | 31 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 47 | 52 | -5 | 44 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Torquay | | 31 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 43 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Cambridge | | 31 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 44 | 49 | -5 | 43 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Barnsley | | 31 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 38 | 40 | -2 | 41 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Grimsby | | 31 | 8 | 16 | 7 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 40 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Wycombe | | 31 | 11 | 7 | 13 | 40 | 42 | -2 | 40 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Bournemouth | | 31 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | DARLINGTON | | 31 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 42 | 44 | -2 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Bury | | 31 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 40 | 43 | -3 | 39 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Macclesfield | | 31 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 39 | 50 | -11 | 34 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 21st | | Accrington | | 31 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 39 | 53 | -14 | 33 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 22nd | | Chesterfield | | 31 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 33 | 44 | -11 | 30 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 23rd | | Stockport | | 31 | 8 | 6 | 17 | 39 | 54 | -15 | 30 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 24th | | Port Vale | | 31 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 41 | 53 | -12 | 29 | | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

retired_aurie

I hope you're getting travelling expenses paid Mav

Good luck with Darlington :thup:

retired_blondie_524

Thanks Axeman

Saturday 30th January 2010

Having spent half of yesterday evening on the phone I have loads of iron in the fire that hopefully will come good today or tomorrow. One player that has signed though is 20 year old Danish right back Heine Lundgaard, he has 21 U21 caps for Denmark.

League Two
Carlisle United v Darlington

Lundgaard goes straight into the starting line-up for the trip to 7th placed Carlisle.
Darlington start well but Carlisle come back at us and it's more wayward finishing by the home side that keeps the score level rather than our defense prowess.
Darlington start to dominate in the second half and take the lead after Tom Brighton had been tripped in the box. Gareth Owen stepped up to lash home the 58th minute penalty. Less than 10 minutes later the Quakers wrapped it up when substitute James Coppinger played in leading scorer Anthony Stokes to power home his 17th of the season.
Carlisle 0-2 Darlington
Carlisle scorers: none
Darlo scorers: Owen 58 pen, Stokes 69
Att: 8,416

The win lifts us four places up to 14th, we're now 11 points above the relegation spots and 7 points away from the final two playoff spots.

Monday 1st February 2010

The only deal I managed to complete on deadline day was to loan 21 year old Adam Lamacraft from Notts County.

Saturday 6th February - League Two
Darlington v Plymouth

Adam Lamacraft slips into the midfield for the visit of 2nd placed Plymouth.
The visitors controlled the match and took the lead on 20 minutes. Adam Boyd latched on to Kazim-Richards cross and although Cole managed to palm the initial shot away Zebroski was there to slid in the rebound.
Plymouth finally managed to wrap it up 13 minutes from time when Logan scored with a 20-yard thunderbolt.
Darlington 0-2 Plymouth
Darlo scorers: none
Plymouth scorers: Zebroski 20, Logan 77
Att: 5,043

Barnsley's 0-0 draw with Accrington and Cambridge's 2-2 draw at Bournemouth takes both sides past us as we slump to 16th.