THE LONDON boroughs of Hackney and Waltham Forest were united in their support of the O's recently when, for the first time, official recognition of the O's stadia over the past 126 years was made with the unveiling of commemorative plaques at each of the three locations the Orient have called 'home' - Millfields Road, the Lea Bridge Stadium and Brisbane Road.

Supporters' Club deputy chairman Steve Jenkins has worked closely for over 12 months or so with the authorities to get the plaques made and sited. Both councils were eager to assist with Dave Martin of Hackney homes and Guy Osbourne from the London Borough of Waltham Forest deserving a special mention.

To many people, especially at the sites of the Millfields Road and Lea Bridge Stadiums, it must have come as quite a shock to see people turn up out of the blue for the unveiling ceremonies.

The first plaque was unveiled in Millfields Road near to the junction of Glyn Road. It was here that the club played as Clapton Orient from 1900 to 1930 and it is well documented that at the time the stadium was one of the finest in the country.

It was also during this period that the O's stepped forward to a man to serve king and country when 41 players and staff enlisted into the 17th Middlesex (the Footballers' Battalion) in the Great War of 1914-18.
 
The club lost three of its finest players during the Battle of the Somme in 1916: Richard McFadden, William Jonas and George Scott and many others were wounded - some more than once. Consequently the O's really struggled to move forward after the war and it was this, along with the Arsenal's move to Highbury from Plumstead that made Clapton Orient's future look very bleak.

However, as a mark of respect for the club's major contribution during the war, the Prince of Wales (who was to become King Edward VIII) paid a special visit to Millfields Road on April 30 1921 to see the O's play Notts County. The prince saw the O's win the match 3-0 and the whole area, both inside the stadium and around the immediate area was packed solid with people trying to get a glimpse of the future king.

This was the first time a member of the royal family had attended a Football League match and the erected plaque commemorates this little known fact. Representatives from the branches of the Hackney and Leyton Royal British Legion, along with O's supporters, members of the Supporters' Club, LOFT and a party from Homerton College in Cambridge, were all present to witness the unveiling which started with a wreath laying ceremony at the site.

During the proceedings Steve mentioned that he had visited the location earlier in the week to ensure everything would go to plan, he had noticed the area below where the plaque was to be erected was just an area of grass, however, when everyone arrived for the unveiling it was noticeable that numerous poppies had grown from nowhere, it seemed therefore very apt that this was the spot chosen for the event especially with the wreath laying ceremony also taking place here.

From Millfields Road, everyone made their way to Rigg Approach which is near to the old Lea Bridge Station in Lea Bridge Road and nearly opposite Orient Way. It is down the very bottom of Rigg Approach that the second plaque is sited. The O's played for seven years here, sharing with the Lea Bridge Speedway team from 1930 to 1937.

Following a league match against Torquay (which the O's won), officials from the Devon club complained about the perimeter fence being too close to the pitch. The Football League was duly asked to inspect the ground and agreed that alterations had to be made before any more games could take place, suddenly the Orient found themselves without a stadium to play in. Incredible as it seems Wembley was suggested and the O's actually played two league games in 1930 against Brentford and Southend United, winning 3-0 and 3-1 respectively. To this day the Orient is the only Football League side to have played home games at Wembley Stadium!

Steve informed the gathered party that they were in fact standing where the centre circle used to be, and that if everyone glanced across to their left they would be able to see the skeletal remains of one of the stands that remain on the site. It was advised that photographs should be quickly taken as the stand looked as if it would fall down at any moment! Long serving O's fan Sid Barrett was invited to unveil the plaque.

The last plaque to be unveiled was at the Matchroom Stadium by the ticket office in Oliver Road.

Steve informed everyone about the origins of Leyton Orient Football Club, right back to its earliest days when former students of Homerton College formed a cricket club and then a football section to keep fit during the winter months. Steve invited O's legend Terry McDonald and Dr Peter Warner, senior tutor of Homerton College, to unveil the plaque, which they did with much applause from all those present.