My final word on Leyton Orient #lofc

For the first time ever, I think I'm done with football. I went to see Orient vs QPR in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday. Some people sang a song (that's been sung for many years admittedly). It goes, "Oh East London, is wonderful, Oh East London is wonderful, full of tits, fanny and Orient, Oh East London is wonderful". There was a little girl sat infront of me who asked her dad what the song meant. I snapped. I left early. I tweeted how embarrassed I was to be a Leyton Orient fan whenever that song was sung. And now for the last two days I've been deluged with abuse on twitter that I "look like a nonce", I'm a "fat cunt", that "it's just banter", that people like me are "ruining football", that it's "political correctness gone mad". They've told me I'm not a proper Orient fan because I'm not from London. They took their abuse to the Leyton Orient messageboard, elaborating on details of my appearance and politics. And today, as if to hit the nail squarely on the head, they've tweeted my girlfriend asking if she "takes it up the arse". Now, I'm quite idealistic about football at the best of times. I had punk polemic burnt upon my fandom by the Ken Richardson era at Doncaster Rovers. I believe in it as a source for good as much as I believe it's the greatest game ever invented. It's why I enjoy going to watch Clapton FC and standing with the Clapton Ultras. They sing the same song, incidentally, only they change the word 'tits' to 'pie' and 'fanny' to 'mash'. The world didn't stop when they first did that. They also sing songs about feminism and socialism. And just because they're inclusive and progressive in their thinking, doesn't mean they all don't have an absolute hoot every week. Basically, I am done with Leyton Orient. Yes, it breaks my heart - as I've said a thousand times, I was lost in London before I found them. They provided me with community when I needed it. Purpose when I needed one. I've loved writing my column in the programme. I've loved the fan forums. Taking Against League 3 banners to games. Traveling to see them in Hartlepool, in Carlisle, in Exeter, in Plymouth and beyond. The day out at Wembley. Against Arsenal. Even that night in Southend. And I've made so many amazing friends in my half-decade of having a season ticke (to whom I say 'thankyou' for making Orient feel like home), Adam Meagher, Laurie Hann, Lee Swallow, Andrew Conquest, James Masters, Freddie Nathan, Bill Badger, Matt Simpson, Lucy who drove me to Chelmsford and back from Dartford who I never learnt the surname of (as well as a bunch of people who aren't on twitter). But I am done now. Friends have said to me, 'don't let some idiots destroy what you love about Orient'. But since my favourite thing about Orient was the sense of community that I got from it. The idea we were a special club, a different one, one that bore Laurie Cunningham, the most groundbreaking black footballer player of his era, who sent (and lost) the most young soldiers to fight fascism in the First World War, well, I can't see that now. I can just see a whole load of cretins in Diesel clothing arguing for their right to be sexist. I am done with Leyton Orient. If anyone wants to buy a season ticket, let me know (although I appreciate this isn't the best advertisement ever heard for buying one). They're a great club, run by good people and they're going to walk League One this season. But I can't cheer for something I don't believe in anymore. That isn't me. It's not you Leyton Orient, it's them.



ps - Thanks to any Orient fan who supported my point that 'the song' was unacceptable in 2014. Funnily enough, 90% were women. It's worth noting that, given a man can get that sort of abuse for pointing out a cultural wrong on social media, god knows what kind of horrors would have awaited a woman

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