Post by Jon on Nov 24, 2017 23:54:15 GMT
With Leyton Orient at Plainmoor tomorrow and with Spurs currently playing league games at Wembley, it might be a good time to spike an urban myth.
It is true that Clapton Orient had to play two league games at Wembley in 1930.
There is a good link here:
footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/Articles/ClaptonatWembley.htm
Note this part:
A couple of months later when the O's had beaten Torquay United 4-0 the visitors complained that the wooden fencing was too close to the pitch and affected their play. As a result, the Football League closed the ground for alterations to be made.
What does Leyton Orient’s Wikipedia page say?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyton_Orient_F.C.
However, the ground was closed for repairs by order of the Football League after the directors of Torquay United complained that a wooden fence was too close to the touchline. Orient's next two home league fixtures (both victories) were held at Wembley Stadium
You’ll find the same story or a slight variant in thousands of places. It makes sense. Bad losers blaming a heavy defeat on a dodgy pitch. So it must be true mustn’t it?
In a word, no.
Here is the Athletic News from the Monday BEFORE Torquay visited Lea Bridge. It refers to complaints from visiting teams – obviously NOT Torquay.
The Sheffield Daily Telegraph from the Thursday before the game notes that Clapton Orient had been given a seven day ultimatum:
Clapton Orient got into this mess back in 1927 when, having got into debt, they foolishly sold the freehold of their Millfields Road ground to a greyhound company. Not recommended.
Their tenure there was supposed to be protected by a long lease but by 1930 the cost of the lease drove them out and they moved in with a speedway company at Lea Bridge – halving their expenditure on rent.
After the “Wembley wobble” Clapton Orient stayed at Lea Bridge until 1937. There was talk of a move to Mitcham (isn’t that the other side of London?), but they ended up moving in to Leyton FC’s stadium. After the war, the club changed its name from Clapton Orient to Leyton Orient.
It is true that Clapton Orient had to play two league games at Wembley in 1930.
There is a good link here:
footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/Articles/ClaptonatWembley.htm
Note this part:
A couple of months later when the O's had beaten Torquay United 4-0 the visitors complained that the wooden fencing was too close to the pitch and affected their play. As a result, the Football League closed the ground for alterations to be made.
What does Leyton Orient’s Wikipedia page say?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyton_Orient_F.C.
However, the ground was closed for repairs by order of the Football League after the directors of Torquay United complained that a wooden fence was too close to the touchline. Orient's next two home league fixtures (both victories) were held at Wembley Stadium
You’ll find the same story or a slight variant in thousands of places. It makes sense. Bad losers blaming a heavy defeat on a dodgy pitch. So it must be true mustn’t it?
In a word, no.
Here is the Athletic News from the Monday BEFORE Torquay visited Lea Bridge. It refers to complaints from visiting teams – obviously NOT Torquay.
The Sheffield Daily Telegraph from the Thursday before the game notes that Clapton Orient had been given a seven day ultimatum:
Clapton Orient got into this mess back in 1927 when, having got into debt, they foolishly sold the freehold of their Millfields Road ground to a greyhound company. Not recommended.
Their tenure there was supposed to be protected by a long lease but by 1930 the cost of the lease drove them out and they moved in with a speedway company at Lea Bridge – halving their expenditure on rent.
After the “Wembley wobble” Clapton Orient stayed at Lea Bridge until 1937. There was talk of a move to Mitcham (isn’t that the other side of London?), but they ended up moving in to Leyton FC’s stadium. After the war, the club changed its name from Clapton Orient to Leyton Orient.