BARRY HEARN believes this season represents Orient's best chance of promotion in the 11 years he has owned the club.

The O's Chairman has twice seen the club lose in the play-off final as they bid to end their stay in the Football League's bottom division.

But he believes that now, under Martin Ling, there is a real chance that League One status can finally be achieved.

"It's true to say this is our best chance in 11 years and it's very exciting, he said. "I wish there were only two games left because it will feel like a long season but although we have a great chance there's still a lot of work to be done.

"We need all the troops we can muster both on and off the pitch. The advantage we had on Sunday from our crowd won us the game and if we can generate those numbers and that atmosphere at Brisbane Road that might get us promotion.

"All those people out there who for one reason or another have drifted away, if there's ever a time to come back it's now because there's a job to be done."

And Hearn looked back on the win at Fulham, revealing that it was one of his greatest days in football.

"It was a sensational day - the team played great and the fans were magnificent.

"It's the first time we've beaten a Premiership club and it's a day to treasure, we got the rub of the green a little bit but the most pleasing thing is that we played proper football.

"We should have been bombarded late on but we were in control and it's a huge compliment to Martin Ling and the squad that you couldn't tell who were the Premiership club and who played in League Two.

"It wasn't a massive financial boost, it probably earned us £70,000 which is not to be sniffed at but in real terms that's only one player in market terms.

"It brings pride to the club though and that sort of shot in the arm takes you out of the doldrums of Premiership football.

"Commercially, 2000 people went to that game who don't come to our home games so hopefully, after seeing that, they're more likely to come here and we can start the building process of attracting new fans which brings in revenue we can re-invest in the squad.

"Matches like that spread the word better than anything else we can do."

With the transfer window half way through, Hearn added that he was confident Ling would make the right moves to strengthen the O's squad.

"Martin won't just bring two people in because he can, he'll make sure they're the right people.

"I don't agree with the transfer window, it inflates the market. Who's going to let anyone good go unless it's for an exorbitant amount of money?

"We'd love to wait until the end of the season and then really splash the cash but the risk of that is too much for us because we know we need cover in the centre-half and centre-forward positions - he has my backing and I'll leave it to him.

"A lot of people think we're flush with cash which is wrong but there are only a few quality players around who clubs are willing to release and that's a real problem to us."

Orient World subscribers can hear the full, audio version of this interview by clicking here.