Leyton Orient: Another January panic could bring on relegation fear | OneFootball

Orient will want to avoid a repeat of a poor window from their past.

The January transfer can be key for clubs looking to make improvements to their squad.

Whether a side is looking to escape a relegation dogfight, solidify themselves in mid-table or make a push towards the top of the table, those 31 days in January can be incredibly useful to clubs up and down the country.

However, this period is frequently viewed as a time when clubs may resort to "panic buys," neglecting the necessary improvements to the squad and choosing quantity over quality.

This can definitely be seen in Leyton Orient's 2022 January window, regarded by many in the fanbase as the worst since Nigel Travis and Kent Teague took over the reins in east London back in 2017.

As the O's approach the new year, here's a look back at the infamous transfer window and identify the mistakes from which Orient can hopefully learn from.

Orient were in indifferent form heading into January

In the weeks leading up to January, Orient's form was conflicting. They had been eliminated from the EFL Trophy following a penalty shootout defeat to Milton Keynes Dons, followed by a 4-0 rout of Tranmere Rovers which saw the O's reach the FA Cup third round for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Following this, the O's defeated Swindon before a pair of defeats against Crawley and Tranmere - the latter being severely affected by a Covid-19 outbreak within the Orient camp which only saw them able to name four substitutes.

This, followed by some harsh winter conditions and other illness outbreaks both in E10 and elsewhere, saw drastic postponements which led to Orient not playing, missing over a month of league fixtures.

Despite this, the O's still had cup action which saw them defeated 2-0 by Stoke City. This defeat clearly triggered the need for change at E10, and four days later their first January arrival was announced.

Orient's first incoming was uninspiring

On January 13th, young defender Dan Moss was announced as having joined the O's from Championship side Millwall on a loan deal for the rest of the season. Moss had spent time on the books of Burnley's academy and had a brief loan spell with Lancaster City in March 2019 before making the switch to South London the following summer.

Prior to making the move across the Thames to E10, Moss had spent the first half of the season on loan at National League side Yeovil Town, where he made 26 appearances in all competitions.

However, Moss would not be able to reach that same level with the O's, making just four League Two appearances and failing to make any significant impact in the side. This view was clearly shared by his parent club, who subsequently let the full back go upon the completion of his loan deal. The now-24 year old went on to join National League side Woking, where he still remains to this day, making over 100 league appearances for the Cardinals.

Six days after the arrival of Moss, Orient went on to make their second January acquisition - with Otis Khan joining the club on a short-term contract following his departure from fellow League Two side Walsall earlier that day.

Khan had built himself a reputation as a bit of a "journeyman", having come through the ranks with Sheffield United before being released in January 2016 after a spell at then-non-league side Barrow, going on to join fellow Yorkshire side Barnsley on an 18-month deal. However, he failed to really get a place in the side and eventually left for Yeovil the following summer, where he ended up making more of an impact, making 87 appearances in two years before joining Mansfield Town.

Khan spent another two years with the Stags, of which he spent some time on loan at Newport County, before being released again - spending a season at Tranmere before ending up at Walsall in October 2021.

Khan, like Moss, unfortunately struggled to make much of an impact in East London, although he is fondly remembered by some for his man-of-the-match performance away at his former side Walsall, where he scored and assisted in a 2-0 win.

By the end of the season, Khan departed the O's, joining Grimsby Town, where he made 52 appearances across two seasons before joining Oldham this summer, where he recently featured against Orient in an FA Cup second round tie which the O's won 2-1 after extra time.

Orient's next arrivals came with fanfare

On January 22nd, the O's finally returned to league action with a 0-0 draw at home to Port Vale. Two days later Orient made their next move - bringing in highly touted prospect Jordan Brown from Derby County.

Brown had garnered attention for his impressive appearances in Derby's UEFA Youth League against the likes of German giants Borussia Dortmund, before the Covid-19 pandemic cut his youth team season short, and he was instead called up to the senior team where he made his professional debut in July 2020.

Brown has undoubtedly been the pick of the bunch when it comes to the signings Orient made in this window, as he has made over 100 league appearances for the O's and was a key player in the League Two title winning season in 2022/23.

On the same day, another young midfielder joined the O's ranks. Ethan Coleman was brought in from non-league Kings Lynn for an undisclosed fee.

Coleman spent time on the books of Reading's academy before joining Brackley Town in 2020, where he gained regular first-team game time before going on loan to Kings Lynn in March 2021 - with the move being made permanent two months later.

Coleman was seen as a crucial member of the side under Kenny Jackett, but, following his departure and the appointment of Richie Wellens, Coleman's minutes were cut drastically and his role in the squad seemed nowhere near as important.

The following season, Coleman was loaned out to Bromley on what was meant to be a season-long loan, but that was cut short in January as Coleman was eventually sold to Gillingham for an undisclosed fee. The 24-year-old still resides in Kent today, having made over 75 appearances for the Gills.

Deadline Day was a mess for Orient

Following another pair of defeats in late January, Orient went to deadline day with some glaring holes in the squad. Defender Alex Mitchell had suffered injury and required surgery, therefore leaving the O's needing a short-term replacement.

Veteran defender George Ray was announced as having joined the O's on loan for the rest of the season from Exeter City.

Having spent the early years of his career at Crewe, where he played over 150 games, Ray spent two years as a rotational player at Tranmere before joining Exeter in the summer of 2021.

Ray, like many of the others from this window, made little-to-none impact during the few months he spent in East London, making only nine appearances and finding himself surplus to requirements following Mitchell's early return from injury.

Later that day, Frank Nouble was announced as Orient's sixth and final January signing, joining on loan for the rest of the season from Colchester United. The Lewisham-born striker had a career spanning 19 clubs in 11 years prior to making the move to E10, playing everywhere from West Ham and Ipswich to Tianjin Songjiang.

Unfortunately, Nouble couldn't find that goal-scoring touch that the O's needed at the time, as he went goalless in the eight games he featured in. Following the conclusion of his loan, he returned to Essex, where he spent another season before slipping out of the Football League and joining Torquay for a year before settling at Yeovil Town, where he still is today.

As these names did little to drum up hope for O's fans towards the latter months of the season, there was hope there would be one more important incoming that would be the bright spark for Orient. Instead, O's fans were met with a sale - with midfielder Dan Kemp joining MK Dons on a permanent deal. Kemp hadn't found much gametime under Jackett, but was still seen as a very talented and creative player that could have been utilised better in a poor Orient squad.

That was the final act of a transfer window that left many Orient fans not just let down, but fearing the worst as the poor form continued into February, leading to the inevitable dismissal of Kenny Jackett as manager. Thankfully for the O's, Richie Wellens went on to take charge shortly after and stabilised the team, putting space between themselves and the relegation battle before winning the league the following season.

With Orient looking to stabilise in League One and not get dragged into a relegation dogfight, they should learn from this window; sometimes less is more and always aim for quality over quantity. Five of the six players brought in during this aforementioned transfer window departed the O's within 18 months, and with the club looking for consistency and stability, that will be the last thing anyone wants.