MONDAY 30TH JULY 2001

BROWN IS SIGNED UP
Leyton Orient have signed former Reading youth team player Craig Brown after he impressed during the preseason games, scoring 4 goals in the process. An 18 year old who is accustomed to the right wing, he is seen as an ideal replacement for Wim Walschaerts who left the club in the summer.

ORIENT TO PLAY LEEDS YOUNGSTER
Taylor has also confirmed that Leeds United's 17 year old Ravinder Matharu will play for the Orient against India on Tuesday night. He is currently in Leed's youth academy.

SATURDAY 28TH JULY 2001

KINGS LYNN 2-1 LEYTON ORIENT
Leyton Orient were beaten by lower league opposition for the first time this afternoon during their preseason warm up when they were defeated 2-1 at Dr Marten's side Kings Lynn. The hosts went a goal up after 10 minutes with a header and then doubled the lead during the firt half when a goalkeeping error allowed the ball to be slotted away.
Orient made the usual 16 substitutions and fought back in the second half with a goal from Craig Brown, his 4th goal in the friendly series while he is on trial from Reading. But it was nt enough and Orient went down 2-1.

FRIDAY 27TH JULY 2001

ORIENT TURN DOWN BID FOR LOCKWOOD
Orient turned down an undisclosed bid for Matt Lockwood today from Millwall, with chairman Barry Hearn describing the bid as "totally unacceptable".
He also added that Lockwood is due for talks next week to try and thrash out a new deal to keep him at the club past the end of his existing contract that ends next summer.

THURSDAY 26TH JULY 2001

CRAWLEY 0-3 LEYTON ORIENT
Rob Carter, Craig Brown and Chris Tate getting the goals as Orient win 3-0 at non-league opposition again. A good work out and Craig Brown especially having a good game and looking as if he'll be taken on permenantly by Tommy Taylor. More soon...

WEDNESDAY 25TH JULY 2001

LEYTON ORIENT 0-2 CHELSEA
Orient lost against premiership opposition by two goals to nil for the second time in a week after the Blues won unconvincingly at Brisbane Road. More details later this morning when I get them.

MONDAY 23RD JULY 2001

SAFFRON WALDEN 0-9 LEYTON ORIENT
Blimy. Friendly against a lower team or not. 9-0 is still a silly score. The scorers you already know, apart from Craig Brown who is on trial from division two Reading. Scott Oakes scored the pick of the bunch with a dipping volley into the roof of the net to make it 3-0 and underline a quality performance from the whole team. More to follow on this when I get it.
Meanwhile, Roger Joseph who scored the 5th, is on trial with Orient while he regains his fitness.

SUNDAY 22ND JULY 2001

LOCKY SIGNS FOR MILLWALL FOR £350,000?
Reports in many of the Sunday papers today claim that Matthew Lockwood has already signed for Millwall for a fee of £350,000. Confirmation when I get it.

SATURDAY 21ST JULY 2001

FISHER ATHLETIC 1-1 LEYTON ORIENT
Having gone a goal down after 17 minutes Orient fought back with a second half equaliser from the head of Ronnie Gould. Playing without most of the first team, it was a chance for trialists and youth team players to stake their claims for a first team place for the coming season. Report will be up soon.

WATTS SIGNS THREE YEAR DEAL
Having been the target of lots of attention from Millwall, Steve Watts has put pen to paper today on a three year deal to keep him at Brisbane Road until the end of the 2004/05 season.

FRIDAY 20TH JULY 2001

LOCKWOOD ON TRIAL AT MILLWALL?
Following up on the rumours below, Matthew Lockwood is reported to be in Germany with Millwall's pre season tour there. He has been rumoured to be on having trials with them having been looked at by the club several times last season. Millwall have yet to play a serious game there so far due to the police calling the last one off.

THURSDAY 19TH JULY 2001

LEYTON ORIENT 0-2 TOTTENHAM
Orient suffered their first defeat in their build up to the new season with a home reverse against a strong Spurs side that took over an hour to break the deadlock.
Spurs opened the scoring after 62 minutes when Simon Davies was provided with a chance by Iverson and the lead was doubled with a speculative lobbed goal on 73 minutes from new boy Gustavo Poyet.

BARNET TO GROUNDSHARE?
Barnet have agreed to groundshare at Brisbane Road if they get promoted back from the Conference this season as their ground is not up the FA's regulations.
If they don't get promoted it won't mean any difference, but Barnet were anxious to make sure that they don't start the season knowing that the rules mean they can't get promoted.

WEDNESDAY 18TH JULY 2001

LOCKWOOD OFF TO MILLWALL?
Latest rumours on Matthew Lockwood are that he is set to sign for Millwall. The clubs played last week in a behind closed doors game in what some people saw as a chance for Lockwood and Steve Watts to be assessed by Millwall as possible signings. Lockwood, rated as a million pound player has refused a new contract at Brisbane Road and will become a free agent next summer.
Whether or not Orient receive a fee in this region remains to be seen after similar situations with other players in the past where highly rated talent has been let go for much less than expected.

TUESDAY 17TH JULY 2001

MALDON 0-3 LEYTON ORIENT
Orient cruised to victory in a game which only lasted 75 minutes before being abandoned due to the pitch becoming increasingly waterlogged. Steve Watts scored first with a well placed shot after 9 minutes and Jabo Ibehre kept up the good pre-seson form he's been in with a header from a corner on 36 minutes.
2 minutes before the end, Danny Hatcher latched onto a through ball before beating the keeper to make it 3-0. The other friendly against Grays was called off due to the weather.