Leyton Orient

Purches quits Cherries for Orient
Leyton Orient have signed utility man Stephen Purches on a free transfer from League One rivals Bournemouth. Purches, 27, who can play in either full-back position or in midfield, rejected the offer of a new deal after spending seven years with the Cherries. Born in Gants Hill, Essex, the ex-West Ham trainee has now returned to his roots to sign a two-year deal - with an option for a third - with Orient. Purches scored 12 goals in 278 first-team appearances for Bournemouth. He will be best remembered by the Cherries for scoring the crucial third goal in their 5-2 play-off final success against Lincoln City in May 2003.

Swindon sign Easton from Orient
Swindon have signed former Scotland Under-21 midfielder Craig Easton on a free transfer from Leyton Orient. The 28-year-old has signed a two-year deal at the County Ground after rejecting the offer of a new contract at Brisbane Road. Easton made 81 league and cup appearances for Orient after joining them from Livingston in July 2005. Before that, he made over 200 league appearances for Dundee United after coming up through their youth ranks.

Orient sign Birmingham defender
Leyton Orient have signed Birmingham defender Sam Oji on a month's loan. The 21-year-old has made just one substitute appearance for City, in the FA Cup, but has experience from loan spells at Doncaster and Bristol Rovers. "I'm looking forward to the prospect of a month of senior football," centre-back Oji told Orient's website. "It was great to be part of a winning team at Bristol last year who went on to get promoted. If I do well, maybe I can stay here for a little longer." Oji also had a trial at Orient's League One rivals Southend during the summer.

Orient release defender Simpson
Leyton Orient have released midfielder Michael Simpson after his monthly contract came to an end. The 33-year-old joined the O's in the summer of 2004 and made 118 appearances for the Brisbane Road club. Simpson had a cruciate knee ligament injury and failed to regain full fitness in time to earn a deal and will now look for a new club. Boss Martin Ling told the club website: "We will continue to help him back to fitness and he'll train with us."

Ling hails Orient's away display
Leyton Orient boss Martin Ling praised his side for their professionalism in securing a 1-0 away win against Notts County in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. "We knew we'd be coming to Nottingham with less than 1,000 people in the ground and very little atmosphere," said Ling. "But we kept in our mind that we could end with a Wembley final against a team like Leeds United. "We shuffled the pack a little bit and the players who came in did well."

Ex-Orient winger Deeley has died
Wolves are mourning their former winger Norman Deeley, who was found dead at his home on Friday at the age of 73. Deeley scored 75 goals in 237 league appearances during his time at Molineux, winning back-to-back League titles in 1957/58 and 1958/59. He also scored twice in the 3-0 FA Cup final victory over Blackburn in 1960. Capped twice by England, he joined Leyton Orient in 1962, making 73 appearances, and also played for Worcester, Bromsgrove and Darlaston. "The club is very sad to hear this news," said Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey. "We send our deepest condolences to his friends and family."

Orient sign Spur striker on loan
Tottenham striker Andy Barcham has joined League One high fliers Leyton Orient on loan until 5 January. "I've watched him on a number of occasions for Spurs' reserve side and his pace will be an asset for us," boss Martin Ling told his club's website. "He's a versatile player who can play as a striker or on either wing so he'll be a good addition to our squad." The 20-year-old has only played one senior game for Spurs when he featured in a league cup tie last season.

Orient confident of Olympic move
Leyton Orient owner Barry Hearn says he is confident they can agree a deal to move into the Olympic Stadium in Stratford after the 2012 Games. The venue's future after the Games is unclear but the track must be retained. "I wouldn't say a deal's imminent but I believe we're front-runners for eventual occupation," Hearn told SSB. "There's a problem with the stadium's future and we're saying, subject to terms, we could be interested." A statement issued by the London Olympic Delivery Authority did not address Hearn's claims directly, but said talks over the legacy of the Games were "progressing". "Our discussions are continuing with rugby and lower league football clubs and we are happy with how these legacy discussions are progressing," it said. "It is important to remember that we are still six years away from the legacy phase of the stadium but the fact we are talking about these issues today demonstrates the thorough planning going on now." Hearn admits that the League One leaders have the advantage of not facing much competition for the venue. "Frankly, who else is there?" he said. "We've got to look at design issues as we've got to look at an athletics track which is definitely going to be there - that's a non-negotiable part of the International Olympic Committee pledge. "So we've got to live with it or have a design like the Stade de France perhaps, where it's covered with replaceable seats. "I'm not a technical expert, but as a football fan, I don't like stadiums with a track. "But people cleverer than me have enough input to make the problem disappear - if both parties want it to disappear, I imagine it can be removed." Hearn said it was important that the stadium was used to maximum effect for the local community, and his club was in pole position. "The Olympics is the best thing ever to happen to the East End of London, a huge amount of money being spent, but what is the legacy? "The stadium is not going away so it will have to be used for sport and particularly the local community, of which Leyton Orient has been a part for my lifetime. "We have the ambition to move and our negotiations over the next few weeks and months, I am sure, will bring a deal to fruition. "We're an ambitious little club who, because we have the best squad we've had in light years, suddenly find ourselves on top of League One and the ambition burns a little brighter. "To be based at the Olympic Stadium is a great postal address, and if we were there with the finance from developing our existing ground, then perhaps we can look at that little light at the end of the tunnel and say 'maybe, just maybe, we can go somewhere'."

'Charge clubs' for match policing
Football clubs could be forced to pay for policing outside London grounds. The move would save the Metropolitan Police about £4.5m a year - which could be ploughed back into community patrols and other activities. Police chiefs in London are calling on the government to allow them to levy the charge - which clubs are currently not obliged to meet. Instead, London's 13 league clubs only have to pay for officers who patrol inside the ground. Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair told a Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) meeting that patrolling commercial events, such as football matches and other sporting fixtures, should not be at taxpayers' expense. Current policy He said: "We are very clear that we are only interested in charging around commercial and large commercial events. "Who is paying for the journey from the Emirates Stadium to the Tube station? The answer is the people of London are, whether they are there or not." The report looked at one year, from 1 October 2005 to 30 September 2006, during which time more than 1,300 commercial events were policed by Met officers. The report found that the cost of policing such events was £9.2m - the Met recouped only £3.9m. The cost of policing inside a football ground is paid for by the club - a national policy laid down by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo). But policing the 345 football games involving the 13 London teams during the 12 month period costs the force £6.6m - though some of this was recouped from the clubs. "Police sought payment for 257 of these matches, but, because the policy is only to charge for those officers deployed inside the grounds, it only recouped £2.1m. As such, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) subsidised football to the tune of £4.5m," the report said. Other sporting events across London - such as rugby, cricket or tennis - accounted for a fraction of the cost. 'No firm agreement' An MPA report said: "Charging for the policing of football matches has been the subject of much discussion over the years and, in developing their (existing) policy, the MPA met with representatives from the clubs, the Premiership and the League. "No firm agreement on payment for policing outside football grounds could be reached and the MPA decided that, without the legal framework, they were not in a position to force payment. "As such, the current policy states that the MPS will only charge for officers deployed inside grounds."

Barcham's O's loan spell extended
Leyton Orient have extended Tottenham striker Andy Barcham's loan spell until the end of the season. Barcham, 21, has impressed in his five appearances for the O's since joining them at the end of November. Orient manager Martin Ling told his club's website: "I'm delighted we've been able to take Andy until the end of the season. "We have 22 games left and I am confident Andy will play a big role for us over that time."

Leyton Orient are handed FA fine
Leyton Orient have been fined £1,500 and warned as to their future conduct by the Football Association following an FA Cup replay at Bristol Rovers. The O's had been charged with a breach of FA rule E20(a) - failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion. They denied the charge, but were found guilty by a disciplinary commission. The game, at the Memorial Stadium in November, saw nine-man Orient lose on penalties following a 3-3 draw. Wayne Corden and Jabo Ibhere were sent off, while four other Orient players were booked.

Mkandawire ruled out for Orient
Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling has said defender Tamika Mkandawire will be out of action for a month. The 24-year-old underwent surgery on Monday for a hernia which he had been suffering from for six weeks. Ling told SSB: "We came to the conclusion that he couldn't play to the levels that he expected or we expected so he had the operation on Monday." Mkandawire is the only player unavailable for Saturday's home League One match against Nottingham Forest.

Ling says play-off dream is lost
Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling believes his side's play-off hopes are over after back-to-back defeats. The O's lost 1-0 at Cheltenham on Monday and are only three points behind the top six in League One. But Ling told SSB: "Deep down the loss has probably put paid to the play-offs. We've got 18 points available, that would take us to 74. "Mathematically it's still possible but realistically its getting out of the realms of our reach at the moment." He added: "We got back into it with the Swindon and Millwall wins and now we are starting to suffer again with two quick defeats."

Ling dismisses link to Colchester
Leyton Orient boss Martin Ling says he has had no contact with Colchester, despite speculation linking him with the club's vacant manager's position. Ling told London 94.9: "If you're doing well as a manager, to be linked with jobs is always pleasing. "But, as I said before, I've had no contact from Colchester. It's just paper talk at the moment." Leyton Orient are currently in 19th place in League One and are without a win in their last four games. Ling said improving the O's form and league position was his main focus. "What's the point in me saying whether I'm interested in Colchester United at the moment," he said. "I've got a big job to do at Leyton Orient and that's in the forefront of my mind. "But it's nice to be linked with any job. It means you're doing well." Other names to have been linked with the vacancy are Brentford manager Andy Scott, former Colchester boss Phil Parkinson and one-time Charlton coach Mark Robson.

Thornton loan spell not renewed
Shrewsbury Town's loan midfielder Sean Thornton has returned to Leyton Orient after Shrews decided he was out of their price range. "He's done well for us for a month, but we can only bring in players we can afford," boss Paul Simpson told Radio Shropshire. The ex-Sunderland man had wanted to stay but his wage demands were the stumbling block. Shrewsbury must now restart paying Marc Pugh who is back from loan at Luton. Town will keep tabs on Thornton in case things change, but the injured Paul Murray could be returning soon. Murray ruptured an Achilles tendon early in the season but rejoined training late last week. "He's doing really well, and we now need to build up his fitness levels," Simpson said.

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