Orient set for emotional return to Brisbane Road
Leyton Orient's Brisbane Road pitch (pic: Mathew Parri Thomas/Play With A Legend). - Credit: Archant
This will be the first matchday in E10 since Justin Edinburgh passed away in June
A flag tribute to legendary Leyton Orient boss Justin Edinburgh at Harlow Town (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo). - Credit: David Simpson/TGS Photo
Leyton Orient will host an XI from Norwich City on Saturday in the first match at Brisbane Road since the death of Justin Edinburgh.
Some players have been back to the ground to pay tribute to the legendary O's manager with the captain Jobi McAnuff and Dean Brill present the day after he passed away at the age of 49.
Fans from various clubs also made the trip to Brisbane Road to put down flowers and shirts, but this will be the first matchday in E10 since Edinburgh died.
It will be an emotional day for everyone associated with the club, but also forms the last leg of Orient's pre-season schedule.
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The O's will be sending XIs to Canvey Island on Monday (July 29) and Potters Bar Town next month (August 6), but Saturday represents the last major test before the League Two campaign begins.
For interim head coach Ross Embleton, this tough pre-season has again allowed the coaching staff to try new things and see how certain formations work with a view to the 2019/20 term.
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He explained: "Last pre-season gave us a system (3-4-1-2) to use to get out of a tricky period in the season and I think it is important we don't become a one-trick pony or too predictable.
"We have players who are flexible and who can play in different positions and although the priority is to get minutes, at the same time being creative and looking at players in different systems is something we continue to do."
Given the young Canaries are Orient's last first-team friendly before Cheltenham Town visit E10 on August 3, Embleton may play his best XI on Saturday.
He did admit, however, that picking a side to start on the first day of the campaign will be very hard.
Embleton added: "I'm looking forward to the first game, but not to that selection headache.
"It sums up and epitomises the quality and fitness and levels of the squad in terms of the way they have come back and gone about their business.
"It is always a difficult situation, but I would much rather be in this situation compared to scratching my head. It will obviously be tough (to pick an XI), but it's something I'm looking forward to."
Orient have confirmed all profits made on Saturday for the game with a Norwich XI will go to the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation.
Additional reporting by Jacob Ranson.
