Since Barry Hearn took over at Leyton Orient in 1995, Brisbane Road has been transformed beyond recognition. It is now one of the best grounds outside the top two divisions. However, attendances have not really responded. Only 3,705 were there for a crucial relegation match. This is not so surprising when one considers the Premiership alternatives available nearby: Arsenal, Spurs, West Ham. In fact the club’s database shows that the majority of fans no longer live nearby which would be typical for most London clubs.
Since Barry Hearn took over at Leyton Orient in 1995, Brisbane Road has been transformed beyond recognition. It is now one of the best grounds outside the top two divisions. However, attendances have not really responded. Only 3,705 were there for a crucial relegation match. This is not so surprising when one considers the Premiership alternatives available nearby: Arsenal, Spurs, West Ham. In fact the club’s database shows that the majority of fans no longer live nearby which would be typical for most London clubs. Indeed, Charlton comes close to marketing itself as the ‘Kent club that plays in London.’ Hearn now thinks that he has taken the club as far as he can, but a buyer is not in sight at the moment. The club is debt free which many are not. One suggestion that has been mooted is a move to the nearby Olympic Stadium once the Olympics are over. However, Orient do not need more capacity and playing in a stadium with a running track round it kills the atmosphere. A move to the new town of Harlow was also suggested, but has been ruled out.
There are no easy solutions for smaller London clubs. Non-league clubs find it particularly difficult in the capital because of a lack of clear identities in amorphous suburbs, as well as the variety of leisure alternatives. In their Clapton Orient days before the Second World War, there was a proposal to have a nursery club set up at Brisbane Road, but the league authorities put a stop to that. Some clubs such as Crewe (with Liverpool) have had informal links, but perhaps the rules that prohibit this kind of deal need a second look as lower league clubs face a battle to survive.