The 30-year-old talked up the quality of Justin Edinburgh, but admitted the Brisbane Road club will no longer have excuses like in past times

East London Advertiser: Crawley Town midfielder Dean Cox (pic: Simon O'Connor).Crawley Town midfielder Dean Cox (pic: Simon O'Connor). (Image: Simon O'Connor Photography)

Dean Cox is hopeful Leyton Orient can get back to the Football League soon for the sake of the fans, who have been through a lot over the last few disappointing years.

The Crawley Town wide-man was back at Brisbane Road on May 27 for Errol McKellar and Martin Ling’s ‘Big Match, Big Cause’ event in aid of their respective charities Prostate Cancer UK and Hertfordshire Mind Network.

Cox couldn’t play, but enjoyed being back at a club which he knows so well after spending six full seasons in E10 between 2010 and 2016 before his shock departure under the old regime.

Although the winger is now at Crawley, he still looks out for his former team and is hopeful O’s boss Justin Edinburgh can take them up after impressing since he was appointed on November 29.

When reflecting on Orient’s prospects of success in the 2018/19 campaign, the ex-Brighton & Hove Albion admitted there will be no excuses this time around.

Last summer the club were faced with a big rebuilding job which Ling, alongside the help of owners Nigel Travis and Kent Teague, did well, but ahead of the new term O’s will be expected to challenge consistently near the top after a settled pre-season.

Cox said: “The results picked up dramatically when Justin took over from Steve Davis and that is no disrespect to Steve, as it was very difficult for him.

“It was always going to be tough for Steve in a season of consolidation, but I felt he was a solid appointment at the time and he got them so far, but Justin has got that bit extra and that knowhow.

“Next season there will not be many excuses for Leyton Orient, they have to try and get promoted and we all know it is a sleeping giant because they should be in the Football League.

“It will be a tough season and I’m sure all the lads will be up for it and they have to be because the fans can be unforgiving, but they deserve a bit of success with what happened before (under the old ownership of Francesco Becchetti).”