Leyton Orient announce death of manager Justin Edinburgh

Leyton Orient have released the news that manager Justin Edinburgh has passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest on Monday.

In a club statement, Orient chairman Nigel Travis said:

“We are completely heartbroken by this tragedy.” “All our thoughts and love are with the Edinburgh family and we know from the messages that have flooded into the Club over the last week that the wider football world will share our sentiments.

“The success that Justin brought to Leyton Orient was incredible, but more importantly the impact he had on us all as a winner and a wonderful, inspirational human being will be his legacy and will stay with us forever.”

Edinburgh, 49, joined Orient in November 2017 following the dismissal of Steve Davis and helped steer the Brisbane Road side to a respectable 13th place in the clubs debut season as a National League side. This season saw him leading the club back into the Football League as National League champions with a day trip to Wembley for the FA Trophy Final also added in for good flavour.

Edinburgh started his playing career at Southend United in 1998 where during his time at Roots Hall, he made 37 appearances whilst helping the club win promotion from Division Four. In 1990, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur where he made 215 appearances with one goal scored. He was also part of both the FA Cup and League Cup winning sides during ten years spent at White Hart Lane.

Justin left Tottenham for Portsmouth in March 2000 for a fee of £175,000 before returning back to his home county of Essex to finish his playing career as player-manager of Billericay Town between 2003 and 2006.

In January 2006, Edinburgh left New Lodge for Fisher Athletic where he took them from the Isthmian Premier to the Conference South during his 11 month stay before departing in November 2006. He subsequently joined Grays Athletic as Andy King’s assistant manager in December 2006 before eventually taking on the reigns as manager in January 2007 following King’s resignation. He lasted at The Gravelmen until February 2008 with the club lying in 14th place in the Conference Premier. A short spell as assistant manager at Woking under Colin Lippiatt followed from April 2008 to October 2008.

February 2009 saw Justin arrive at Rushden & Diamonds originally joining the club as assistant before becoming manager in April 2009. He left in October 2011 for Newport County after the Diamonds went into administration.

As County boss, he led Newport to promotion from the Conference Premier via the play-offs and also to the final of the FA Trophy under his successful three year stay before departing for Gillingham in February 2015 which lasted just under two years before he was sacked in January 2017. Edinburgh’s final spell as a Football League manager was at Northampton Town where he lasted from January 2017 to August 2017.

Leyton Orient came calling in November 2017 in what unfortunately has become his final managerial job in the game. Orient were undergoing massive changes during the second half of 2017 with the period being rather prosperous for the fans given former-owner Francesco Becchetti had left with Nigel Travis having recently been installed in as chairman. Justin was tasked with making the most out of the remainder of the season that he had as manager and he did just that by securing the club a second season in non-leagues top tier.

Justin managed a record of winning 45 and drawing 21 of his 82 matches in charge of the club and securing the National League title and a return to Wembley for the FA Trophy Final. The FA Trophy final was very much felt as an added bonus to what had been a great season in the eyes of the Orient fans who were grateful for the time, effort and determination that Edinburgh, his staff and players had all put in to return to the promised land of the Football League after two years away.

Justin leaves behind his wife Kerri and their children Charlie and Cydnie at this very sad time.

To conclude this piece, Justin has touched the hearts of so many people in the football community. From his early days at Southend United’s Roots Hall to being known for his ten years of service to Tottenham Hotspur and now being forever loved at Leyton Orient for his 18 month stay as manager where he did what was simply asked of him to achieve in his first full and unfortunately only season at Brisbane Road. He simply was a great human being who worked his way up the football ladder in more ways than one, both as a player and as manager and the football community mourns his death for that very reason.

Leyton Orient will be mourning for some time even beyond the start of the new season in August when they embark on their new journey back in League Two as a Football League side but the saddest part of this story is that they now do it without the man who guided them back to the promised land of the Football League that they once used to know all too well prior to 2017.

Many of those who were close to Justin whether it be they knew him, played with or against him or even worked with him at any point during his 31 years of football will be forever missing a dear friend, colleague, mentor and even in many cases, a teammate who always took one for the team when required.

May Justin forever rest in peace.