Doyle Hooper
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doylehooper.bsky.social
Doyle Hooper
@doylehooper.bsky.social
Writer. Director.
My thoughts exactly. People exclaiming our two proven L1 centre backs are now not good enough, don’t seem to appreciate the change in personnel in those crucial positions around them.
October 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Get out. It’s become worse & worse as you say. I dip back in from time to time purely to connect with other Orient fans but recently deleted the app from my phone and don’t miss it. The fact the platform promotes racism for engagement is hard to deny at this stage. Look forward to seeing you here.
August 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I wonder how much our approach has changed with new ownership. Previously the Brentford model was quoted but that hasn’t happened thus far. The focus on a new stadium feels important to multi sport use and overall business value. Understandable, but our transfer model is a long way from Brentford.
August 9, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Agreed. Devlin gives a good insight. I do think there’s too much emphasis on a new stadium for sustainability. Brisbane Road has been busier due to success on the pitch. If we’re mid table L1 or fighting relegation in the champ, attendances will dwindle. Many new fans have only known the good times.
August 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM
It’s the capitulation that’s gutting. If we’d lost four games over the next ten games you’d understand it but we’ve just fallen apart. Said it before but we lack leaders and when we’re without Pratley and Beckles it shows.
March 4, 2025 at 10:20 PM
We badly missed Beckles’ organisation and presence at the back today. Needed a bit of calm at times, which came in the second half with TJ on the pitch and County sitting in to protect their lead. When we go behind we do look short on ideas, something we’ll need to address against top teams.
February 1, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Big misstep from Streeting. The government need to stand up to people like Musk. Placating or pandering never works. I think they’ve misjudged his influence in the UK. We’re not America. I’d be surprised if more than 5% think favourably of him. Time to regulate social media.
January 3, 2025 at 11:08 PM
My thoughts exactly. Lots of close rounds so it depends what you like. The only way to beat Usyk is to push him back and Fury couldn’t do that for 12 rounds. Usyk always grows into the fight. There’s no doubt he’s a generational great.
December 21, 2024 at 11:58 PM
Yep, agreed. I see already on the other place people have already confused Amed’s wealth with Blackstone’s $950bn assets. If he has a net wealth equivalent to 0.1% of their assets I’d be very surprised.
December 12, 2024 at 10:39 PM
Absolutely. Nowadays selling the majority of your healthcare business to Blackstone is something to celebrate. What it says about the world we live in is another question. If the club continues to be run properly by people who care, I’ll try not to think about that.
December 12, 2024 at 10:34 PM
Also, let’s see if the club reveals what level of investment he’s bringing. Minority / majority shareholder? Something for the window is probably wishful thinking, but is the aim to stay up and then sell or keep looking for additional investors? Interested to understand Travis’ strategy now.
December 12, 2024 at 10:28 PM
On the face of it, this feels like the type of investor Nigel Travis wanted as a preference - someone he knows who could bring finance and work with him. Could be wrong but a successful businessman passionate about his trade seems safer than the “move fast and break things” tech types.
December 12, 2024 at 10:23 PM
Very…

“You should know enough about each major part of your company to know where you are and where you want to go. In other words, you need to be able to tell the difference between good and bad performance. Then you can hire a team to get you from where you are to where you want to be.”
December 12, 2024 at 9:24 PM
Well known to Nigel Travis. Little bit of background here…

www.dmagazine.com/publications...
Sulman Ahmed Is Building An Ideal Dental Dynasty
From his home base in Dallas, the Zimbabwean-American entrepreneur aims to create the Starbucks of dentistry.
www.dmagazine.com
December 12, 2024 at 8:36 PM
I thought the same. Looked more like four thousand. Probably a combination of these sky dates and an underwhelming start to the season.
December 4, 2024 at 7:54 AM
True. Remains to be seen. I think the last injury was concussion in the Boreham Wood game. I thought at the time it was a tactical injury but perhaps it was serious. He needs a run in the team now for sure.
November 23, 2024 at 10:22 PM
Agreed. And for me he’s much better when he’s not overthinking the pass, but moves the ball on quickly and resets. Last season and this, Pratley’s return to the side coincided with our upturn in form, but I’m with you. I think Ball will be a great addition in time.
November 23, 2024 at 9:51 PM
Spot on. If Beckles cut out the errors dwelling on the ball - which I actually think he has this season - and had a yard more pace he’d be playing higher up the leagues. I think he and Pratley are vital. When they’re both on form we don’t lose many games.
November 23, 2024 at 8:49 PM
It’s interesting when you put it like this. Some players are criticised quicker than others by certain elements of the fan base.
November 23, 2024 at 8:45 PM
I thought the same. I’ve always felt there’s been a negative bias toward Beckles from some fans. They’d groan and hammer him after every mistake but were silent when Simpson was at fault for two away at Derby in his third game.
November 23, 2024 at 8:44 PM
Seems even the locals who don’t follow Orient are sick of the rearranged Tuesday night games!
November 19, 2024 at 7:16 PM
Couldn’t agree more. We need to change the way we build in England, but aside from the design approach you mention, we have to move away from property as an asset ahead of a home.
November 18, 2024 at 10:47 PM
The first point is central to the decline in long term communities in London. The city has become a place where people spend their 20s and if they’re financially comfortable, their 30s/40s too. But many are forced to move out to afford family sized homes. So the city has a transience in parts.
November 18, 2024 at 10:42 PM
Top work Lewis. This, along with Dan Needle’s explainer on farmer’s IHT shows the importance of facts and figures to understanding the truth of these recent issues. The tricky thing is distilling them down to a sound bite or headline. Facts and numbers don’t lie after all, people do.
November 17, 2024 at 11:44 PM