ORIENT NOT HAPPY WITH THE BLUES
Sat. 8th September 1945
3rd Div South (Northern Region)
CLAPTON ORIENT 2-2 SOUTHEND UNITED
Southend gained their first point of the season but in reality it should have been both points, because they held a two goal lead and missed two penalties against Clapton Orient at Leyton. It was all the more pleasing as the United had only two guest players in the side. Jackson from Burnley and Marshall from Wolverhampton.
The first thirty minutes saw the Blues sweeping all before them and it was during this period that they secured both their goals. The first six minutes after the start was registered by Smirk after a move started by Walton and Humphries.
The second after twenty two minutes was scored by Singleton after being set up by H. Jackson. Orient in scoring their first home goal of the season reduced the arrears but then the first penalty was awarded however H. Jacksons shot was well saved by the goalkeeper. A minute before half time Clapton scored for a second time to bring the scores level.
The second half was "hammer and tongs" at both ends but it wasn't until ten minutes from time that the second penalty was awarded. It was some time before the kick could be taken because of the gesticulating home side but H. Jackson was unnerved and shot well wide.
The attendance was 3,500.
Team: Joslin; Calder & R.G. Jackson; Leighton, Jones & Walton; Smirk, Marshall, Singleton, H. Jackson & Hemming.
London Combination: Southend United 5-0 Clapton Orient (3.30 kick off)
In a sparking display in front of nearly 2,000 spectators a very young Southend side defeated Clapton Orient by five goals. Jenkins and Thomas Peters stole the applause the accurate passing of the winger provided Jenkins with three of the goals two of them before the interval. Thompson who played for Leigh Ramblers before the war scored the third, Gardiner scored the fourth and Jenkins finished the scoring with the fifth.
Team: Riches; Savage & Harvey; Dewar, Woodward & Ferrier; Thompson, Gibson, Gardiner, Jenkins & Peters
From the Southend Standard 13th September 1945
SUPPORTERS COMPLAINTS
There is widespread dissatisfaction amongst the Supporters of Southend United that in addition to the increased charge of 1s 6d a further charge of 9d is being made for covered accommodation in the eastern stand. There is an impression amongst the Supporters of the club that it is poor repayment for their loyalty over a number of years and many protests have been received.
We understand that the matter has been considered by the directorate who have decided to adhere to their decision but in view of the fact that a seat can be obtained on most London grounds for half a crown and it must be remembered as pointed out frequently that Southend's adjacent position to London and the fact that so many people work there that they have to compete with the London clubs.
Considerable complaint about the arrangements which prevailed on Saturday for the reserve match on the Sutton Road side of the ground for leaving at the end of the game people found the gates locked and the only means of reaching the roadway was by climbing over the turnstiles a really awkward feat for many men over forty.
Extracts from "Southend United Under the Shadow of War" by Peter William Baker
And while we're on the subject of Borient in all their various forms........
Clapton Orient (now Leyton Orient) temporarily moved to a new home - Wembley Stadium!
When thinking of the matches Wembley Stadium has staged thoughts immediately go to the Cup Finals and internationals rather than Clapton Orient in the Third Division (South)! But it happened.
Clapton Orient - now Leyton Orient - moved to their Millfields Road ground in 1900.All was well at the ground - which had a record attendance of 31,400 against Newcastle in 1926 - until 1927 when a greyhound racing syndicate bought the ground from the local council. R
Relations between the greyhound and football fraternities were soon strained with the O's being banned from using the ground for training or the boardroom on match days. A new ground was needed and this they found just half a mile away at Lea Bridge Road.
The oval-shaped ground had been used for speedway and had a wooden fence around the perimeter. The first League match at the ground was on the afternoon of Thursday September 4th 1930 (no floodlights in those days) with 5,505 specators witnessing them defeat Newport County in Division 3 (South).
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.
While those alterations were being made Clapton Orient played their two home League matches at Wembley Stadium. On Saturday November 22nd 1930 the Third Division South match against Brentford was staged at the famous Stadium and 8,319 fans witnessed a 3-0 'home' win.
Two weeks later on Saturday December 6th the O's defeated Southend United 3-1 at their temporary home although terrible weather cut the attendance to 1,916.
Between those two matches - on Saturday November 29th - a 'home' FA Cup First Round replay against Luton Town was staged at Arsenal's Highbury stadium. An attendance of 8,021 witnessed a 4-2 victory for Luton.
With the works at Lea Bridge Road completed Clapton Orient played at that ground until their move to their present Brisbane Road ground. Their last match at Lea Bridge Road was in April 1937 with the O's taking over Brisbane Road from Leyton Amateurs at the start of the following season.
(The 'Clapton Orient at Wembley' article supplied by: http://footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/Articles/ClaptonatWembley.htm)