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The Rise And Fall Of Leyton Orient


Bruno Di Gradi

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Now when i say Rise... not like they won anything big....but they was on the verge of promotion to championship and since losing that final and Barry Hearn selling the club things have just gone from bad to worse.

This is my local team so evidently I will hold a soft spot for them. Grew up a 5 min walk from the stadium. Had good memories going there with friends and family, playing football directly opposite the stadium.

I've posted a lot in the english league thread but felt I had to start a new topic after reading the news this morning.

 

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O'S CASH WOE 

Leyton Orient slapped with winding up order to add to on-field woes for crisis-hit club

Danny Webb's side are in danger of falling out of the Football League after a torrid season

BREAKING
BY JAMIE GORDON
 
1st March 2017, 10:34 am

CRISIS-HIT Leyton Orient have been slapped with a winding up order to add to the League Two club’s on-field woes.

The petition – which will be heard on March 20 – was filed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs last month.

Boardroom issues have overshadowed Leyton Orient's on-field performances
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Boardroom issues have overshadowed Leyton Orient’s on-field performances

Supporters  were already worried controversial owner Francesco Becchetti would either sell the club or force it into administration.


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And last month  the Leyton Orient Fans’ Trust set about trying to collect a £100,000 fighting fund to protect the O’s or set up an AFC Wimbledon-style phoenix club if disaster cannot be averted.

Danny Webb’s side were hammered 4-1 by Stevenage last night with on-field performances echoing the issues off it.

Goals from Ben Kennedy, Matt Godden, Luke Wilkinson and Tom Pett consigned the strugglers to a ninth defeat in 12.

Controversial owner Francesco Becchetti is trying to sell Orient
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Controversial owner Francesco Becchetti is trying to sell Orient
Danny Webb is the latest in a long line of bosses to try and save Orient
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Danny Webb is the latest in a long line of bosses to try and save Orient

The O’s are just three points clear of League Two bottom club Hartlepoool, who have a game in hand.

SunSport’s Tom Barclay wrote an extensive account of Orient’s slide in January, charting all the failings since Barry Hearn sold up.

In less than three years in charge Bechetti has overseen the destruction of one of England’s oldest clubs.

 
 

He has been through nine managers

managers, and even kicked assistant Andy Hessenthaler up the backside at a match.

The team and staff were forced to stay in a hotel for a week after losing to Hartlepool, while top stars and club legends were turfed out with no replacements signed.

Orient released a bizarrely-worded statement in January which hinted the owner was set to sell up.

What happens next for Orient?

THE club will have the chance to pay off their creditors before the hearing.

As is the case with all clubs, football debts must be cleared before HMRC takes any money.

If Orient are unable to produce the funds, however, they will likely slip into amdinistration.

This would see them hit with an automatic 12-point deduction which would make relgeation a near certainty.

The club’s assests would then be sold off to try and clear debts – a process which saw former Champions League semi-finalists Leeds fall to League One.

Orient are one of English football's oldest clubs after being founded in 1881
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Orient are one of English football’s oldest clubs after being founded in 1881
 
h

Video of moment Leyton Orient star Liam Kelly shoves Plymouth ballboy to the ground

But it is unlikely anybody will be willing to take on such a risky proposition unless the fans can raise the funds required.

The winding up order is another issue on top of a growing pile in one of English football's biggest concerns.

Several other clubs have recently faced winding up petitions, with Notts County and Nottingham Forest the most prominent, this is despite efforts from the Football League to combat irresponsible spending.

This club.....could be done for. 

The chairman doesnt care...the team evidently dont care anymore.  They got slumepd 4-1 last night..sitting 23rd in league 2.

Everything has gone wrong. Always a new headline every week regarding some kinda problems. like the article said...its one of the oldest english clubs still around and I don't know if theyre gonna go through the same thing as wimbledon.


 

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1 hour ago, Zizouz said:

What's the new owner gained in all of this?

tried to wash dirty money by the looks of it

Albanians was onto man

Article from 2015

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Leyton Orient owner Francesco Becchetti arrested in London over fraud and money laundering allegations

  • Francesco Becchetti has been arrested on behalf of authorities in Albania
  • Metropolitan Police’s extradition unit in London arrested the 49-year-old 
  • The Italian was wanted in connection with fraud and money laundering 
  • Appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, October 26
  • Leyton Orient owner released on bail after a security of £50,000 was paid
  • Has had assets seized in Albania, including shares in his television station Agon Channel

By JAMES RESTALL FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 15:58, 4 November 2015 | UPDATED: 18:36, 4 November 2015

 

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49shares

 

Leyton Orient chairman Francesco Becchetti has been arrested on behalf of authorities in Albania, where he is wanted in connection with fraud and money laundering.

The Italian businessman, who took over the League Two club in July last year, was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s extradition unit in London on Monday, October 26.

He appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court the same day and was released on bail after a security of £50,000 was paid. Becchetti is under curfew between 11pm and 5am, has given his passport to the police and is not allowed to leave the country.

Leyton Orient chairman Francesco Becchetti has been arrested on behalf of authorities in Albania
 
 
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Leyton Orient chairman Francesco Becchetti has been arrested on behalf of authorities in Albania

The Italian was arrested by officers from Metropolitan Police’s extradition unit in London on October 26
 
 
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The Italian was arrested by officers from Metropolitan Police’s extradition unit in London on October 26

A warrant for the 49-year-old’s arrest was issued by Albanian authorities in June over alleged money laundering and fraud between January 2012 and October 2013. He has had assets seized in Albania, including shares in his television station Agon Channel.

The investigation involves a failed hydroelectric scheme that allegedly cost the Albanian government tens of millions of euros in grants and unpaid taxes. The charges carry a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

Becchetti denies the allegations and insisted they will not impact on his ownership of Leyton Orient. In a statement, he said: ‘After learning of the existence of an arrest warrant in Albania in mid June this year, Mr Becchetti, a respected and well-regarded European businessman, notified the British authorities of his presence in London.

‘A request was later received by the British authorities from Albania for Mr Becchetti, to be extradited. Thereafter, following a request by the Metropolitan Police, Mr Becchetti made himself available, by appointment, on 26 October and has handed over his travel documents.

‘Mr Becchetti strongly denies all the charges against him, which have been brought by the Albanian Government and are demonstrably groundless, improperly motivated and unsupported by any evidence.

‘Certainly no decision has been made regarding extradition. Mr Becchetti and his lawyers believe his case is extremely robust.

The 49-year-old has had assets seized in Albania, including shares in his television station Agon Channel
 
 
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The 49-year-old has had assets seized in Albania, including shares in his television station Agon Channel

‘Accordingly, Mr Becchetti sees that the Albanian requests should have no impact on his duties and responsibilities as Chairman of Leyton Orient. On the contrary, Mr Becchetti continues to work very hard to reinvigorate the club, which is one of the oldest football clubs in London.’

Doug Harper, chair of the Leyton Orient Fans' Trust (LOFT), told Sportsmail: 'LOFT are following these new events closely and we remain concerned about how this might impact on the club’s ownership and finances. The committee are in constant discussion as to how we proceed depending on how this pans out.' 

Warrants were also issued for Becchetti’s mother Liliana Condomitti and two associates. Condomitti, 74, has a 60 per cent stake in Leyton Orient Holdings, the company which owns the east London club, while her son owns the remaining 40 per cent.

Becchetti bought Leyton Orient for £4million from Barry Hearn ahead of the 2014-15 season but used four different managers in a tumultuous campaign which ended in relegation from League One.

Orient were also the subject of a reality TV show last season on Becchetti’s Agon channel in Italy which involved young Italian footballers competing for a professional contract with the club.

Now managed by former West Ham coach Ian Hendon, Orient are seventh in League Two and play non-league Staines in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday. Boxing promoter Hearn, who had been chairman since 1995, still owns the club’s Matchroom Stadium.

Becchetti bought Leyton Orient, who play at Brisbane Road, for £4million ahead of the 2014-15 season
 
 
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Becchetti bought Leyton Orient, who play at Brisbane Road, for £4million ahead of the 2014-15 season

Becchetti believes stories broadcast on the Agon channel which criticised the Albanian government have led to the allegations.

The statement added: ‘Because of Mr Becchetti’s ownership of Agonset Shpk, an Albanian company operating the Agon Channel TV station, which advocates freedom of speech and which has broadcast stories that are critical of the Albanian Government, Agonset and the TV station have been attacked by the Government.

‘Mr Becchetti’s companies’ assets have been seized and their bank accounts frozen. These actions forced the TV station to stop broadcasting; and furthermore and for this reason alone, journalists working for Agon TV have been prevented from being paid.

Becchetti poses with Italian television host Simona Ventura (right) at an Agon Channel presentation last year
 
 
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Becchetti believes stories broadcast on the Agon channel which criticised the Albanian government have led to the allegations
 
 
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Becchetti poses with Italian television host Simona Ventura (left) at an Agon Channel presentation last year

‘Indeed, broadcasts by Agon TV in late May 2015, in advance of local elections in Albania, exposed the scandal of the fake Identity Cards and as a consequence, the manipulation of the electoral lists compiled by the Albanian Government, which resulted in a single person being able to vote up to twenty times in the elections. The exposure of this scandal appears to have triggered the Government’s baseless charges, dated 5th June, against Mr Becchetti.

‘The Albanian Government’s claims are also a reaction to two significant arbitrations commenced by companies associated with Mr Becchetti against the Government for large amounts of money, and are made to pressurise Mr Becchetti to settle these arbitrations.’

Becchetti’s next hearing is at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on December 7 with a substantive hearing not expected to take place until next year. 

 

 

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Hearns didnsay orient will go bust if west hame moved to stratford 

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Missed a trick

Pretty sure he'd get viewing number with that reality show if he broadcasted it in English

Def took your club for a breaking bad laundrette though :lol: 

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1 hour ago, Bruno Di Gradi said:

meeting happened last night.

 

inside source saying theyre going into admin march 20th

getting deducted 12 points

 

they might start over and be called AFC Orient and play in some essex league with harlow and shit.

 

looking super peak

Forgot to say. For them to stay up after that deduction they would need to win 95% of their games even if the club gets bought.

Also the owner has had offers for the club and he hasn't even responded to any.

Waltham forest council has also said they wouldn't build over the stadium 

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  • 4 weeks later...

imagine being one of them guys who come from a long line of Orient fans - whose granddad took their dad to games and so on

real life pain

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