Successful former O’s boss discusses Prostate Cancer UK match, John Mackie and playing with his son Sam Ling
Former Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling hailed Errol McKellar as a legend after taking charge of an O’s team for one last time during Sunday’s charity match for Prostate Cancer UK.
McKellar arranged the match which saw the promotion winning team of the 2005/06 season brought back together to face a Men United side containing current sports stars, former sports stars and celebrities.
Orient’s legends team included the likes of Kevin Lisbie, Peter Kitchen, Alan Comfort, Carl Waldmann and Ling’s son Sam – who is contracted to O’s.
The 48-year-old relished the chance to be back at Brisbane Road and was delighted with the attendance and to help raise the awareness of prostate cancer.
“Errol is a legend, we all know that and we all know what he does for prostate cancer and we all know what he does for the club,” said Ling.
“It is outstanding for him to get this turnout and that shows the level of the man – the amount of people that are here. It has been a pleasure to put the 2005/06 team together for this match.
“2,900 turned out to see the people that brought success to the club in 2005/06 and it was a pleasure coming back.
“Errol muted this to me a year ago so it has been a long time in the making, but to see how it turned out makes it well worthwhile.”
The O’s legends team ran out winners in the end but nearly threw away a four-goal advantage after Gary Alexander hit a double and Lee Steele and Lisbie added further strikes.
Former Orient forward Jamie Cureton netted a brace and Chris Clayton-Smith pulled another back for Men United but the legends held on for the win and even allowed the likes of McKellar, former chief executive Matt Porter and Ling to get on the pitch.
Ling thoroughly enjoyed playing alongside his son Sam and also admitted they knew they couldn’t let their lead slip.
He added: “It was nice to win a trophy and with John Mackie as captain again we wouldn’t have been able to go back into that dressing room if we had lost!
“It was important we won the game and it was a good match – finishing 4-3. We were a little bit younger in stages and they were a little younger in stages but overall it was a good spectacle for everyone to see and the right team won.
“For me it is the only chance I will get to be on the Orient pitch with my son and Errol wanted somebody from the 70s which was Peter Kitchen, someone from the 80s and that was Alan Comfort, someone from the 90s Carl Waldmann.
“We had the team from 05/06 and my boy and Kevin Lisbie out of the present squad so it was all good.”
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