Leyton Orient is an English professional football club in East London. The club was originally formed by members of the Glyn Cricket Club in 1881, many of whom were former students of Homerton College. The team has had a bewildering number of  name changes since, first as Eagle Cricket Club in 1886, then as Orient Football Club in 1888, to Clapton Orient in 1898, Leyton Orient after the club moved  to Leyton in 1937 a further rename back to simply Orient took place in 1966 after the Borough of Leyton (in Essex) was absorbed into the London Borough of Waltham Forest and finally  reverted to Leyton Orient in 1987 .The choice of the name Orient is believed to have come about at the behest of a player (Jack R Dearing) who was an employee of the Orient Shipping Company.  As Clapton Orient they played in the Second Division of the Southern League until elected to the Football League Second Division in 1905. Orient made little impact after surviving re-election in their first season but by the time League football was suspended in 1915, they were finishing consistently in the top half of Division Two. During the inter-war period, Orient struggled and in 1929, the club was relegated to Division Three (South). In 1956 Orient won the Division Three (South) championship and in 1962 was promoted to the First Division, their highest achievement to date.  They were relegated after only one season and four years later, the club was back in Division Three.  Orient spent the whole of the 1970s in Division Two and in 1972 achieved one of the most famous results in their history – coming back from 2–0 down to beat Chelsea 3–2 in the FA Cup 5th round. In 1978 Orient were defeated in the semi final of the FA Cup, the furthest they have progressed in that competition. By 1985 the club had descended to the Fourth Division.  Four years later, they were promoted back to Division Three via the play-offs but in 1995, on the verge of bankruptcy once again, Orient were relegated back to the lowest Division (now Division Three). They survived yet again and in 2006 won promotion back to the third tier (League One). In the 2013–14 season, Orient lost the League One Play-Off final at Wembley to Rotherham United and in 2015 were relegated to League Two. On 22 April 2017, Orient were relegated to the National League, ending their 112-year stay in the Football League. They returned to the League in 2019 as champions. Further success followed in 2023-23 when Leyton Orient made sure of promotion on 18 April 2023 despite losing 2-0 at Gillingham, and clinched the title four days later by beating Crewe 2-0.

Orient spent the whole of the 1970s in Division Two and in 1972 achieved one of the most famous results in their history – coming back from 2–0 down to beat Chelsea 3–2 in the FA Cup 5th round. In 1978 Orient were defeated in the semi final of the FA Cup, the furthest they have progressed in that competition. By 1985 the club had descended to the Fourth Division.  Four years later, they were promoted back to Division Three via the play-offs but in 1995, on the verge of bankruptcy once again, Orient were relegated back to the lowest Division (now Division Three). They survived yet again and in 2006 won promotion back to the third tier (League One). In the 2013–14 season, Orient lost the League One Play-Off final at Wembley to Rotherham United and in 2015 were relegated to League Two. On 22 April 2017, Orient were relegated to the National League, ending their 112-year stay in the Football League. They returned to the League in 2019 as champions. Further success followed in 2023-23 when Leyton Orient made sure of promotion on 18 April 2023 despite losing 2-0 at Gillingham, and clinched the title four days later by beating Crewe 2-0.