Struggling Leyton Orient survive after winding-up petition is dismissed

LEYTON ORIENT have lived to fight another day after their winding-up petition was dismissed with all of the club’s listed creditors paid in full.

Struggling Orient’s case was heard in a Bankruptcy & Companies Court this morning and it heard how all creditors attached to the petition had been paid off – meaning the club can now start their preparations for the new National League campaign.

Orient, relegated from the Football League last season, were in court back in March but were given a stay of execution after controversial owner Francesco Becchetti paid off the club’s HMRC debt.

Becchetti, though not at the hearing, vowed to pump £1million into the east London outfit with a number of other creditors claiming they were still owed money.

Centre Circle Events Management took over the winding-up petition from HMRC after the last court date with Orient fans becoming increasingly frustrated at their club’s situation.

Omer Riza, who ended last season as Orient’s boss, said recently that he didn’t know whether he would be kept on as manager and had not been told what the playing budget would be.

Riza says he has scheduled friendly matches for pre-season but they have to be officially confirmed by the club and season tickets for the 2017-18 National League season have not been released.

Monday morning’s court decision means Becchetti will remain as owner of Orient but long suffering fans will be hoping the news could lead to a sale of the club.