Unchartered Streets

For hopefully obvious reasons, I’m now posting only at uncharteredstreets.bsky.social and facebook.com/profile.php?id…

Over 30,000 in the O’s end. Bloody glory hunters. Where are they when we’re two down to Burton on a wet Tuesday night in November, eh? Not at Brisbane Road. I bet most of them wouldn’t recognise Dan Happe even if he had a reversible octopus on his head. #LOFC #leytonorient

Blimey, it’s a long way down. I feel like I’m about to play Subbuteo, not watch a League One Play-Off Final. #LOFC #leytonorient

Wembley presumably think a lunchtime kick-off is OK because we can just grab one of their unpleasant overpriced burgers at the stadium. Well, we could. Or… we could get up at six-thirty, skip breakfast, and have a fry-up at Marina’s in Willesden Green. Ha! 1-0 to us, I think.

Just getting everything ready for tomorrow’s ascent of Wembley’s fifth tier. Cap in case it’s sunny up there. Scarf in case it’s chilly up there. Opera glasses. #LOFC #leytonorient

Just hours to go, and so many questions about this O’s squad still unanswered. Is Ethan Galbraith wasted at right back? Does Darren Pratley still have 90 minutes in him? Should Ollie O’Neill cut inside so much? Why does Dan Happe keep trying to sell us a reversible octopus? #LOFC

So, 4-1 on penalties in Stockport last night means I *am* going to have to go through all that again... sigh. Oh well. What can you do? [cough] "Ollie's going to Wembley, his knees have gone all trembly, come on you O's, come on you..." What? #lofc #leytonorient

Last time I sat in the East Stand we were playing Nottingham Forest. I’m not sure I like it. The Away End is very close. If I stretched out my hand, I reckon I could almost touch someone from Stockport. I’m not going to try it. #lofc #leytonorient

lose a play-off final against Rotherham. I’m really not sure I can go through all that again, but… deep breath… this is East London… come on you O’s… [2/2] #lofc #leytonorient

I remember, back in 2014, watching Romain Vincelot punch the turf in despair like he’d just spotted Laurie Cunningham’s statue in Coronation Gardens and realised he’d been in Leyton all along, when what he’d actually done was #lofc #leytonorient [1/2]

With apologies to all those I love, have loved, or fully intend to love should the opportunity arise, I think that might've been the best afternoon of my life. Providing we don’t lose 8-0 to Huddersfield next week. Amble of Honour attached. #LOFC #putdownthechickenandthatabacus

Last time we played Wycombe in a season-end nail-biter it was Ryan Jarvis storming through the rain and the Chairboys’ defence like a wet blond god who sent us on our way to victory. So over to you, Charlie Kelman: word on the terrace is that you’re on fire. #lofc #leytonorient

Veggie Scottish fry-up under an Orient flag - it's the only way to cope with an early kick-off. And if Audrey Hepburn was still with us, I know she'd take breakfast at Deeney's over breakfast at Tiffany's any day. That woman was a devil for a square sausage. #lofc #leytonorient

Please make it stop. #lofc #leytonorient #inourownhandsnow #waaaaah

Now waiting for the driver on the terminated 42 at East Dulwich Sainsbury's to finish doing his press-ups. I can see his lower half through the door, going up and down. At least, I *hope* he's doing press-ups. I have stuff that needs to go in the fridge. #EastDulwich

... and sometimes it's nice not to go gallivanting but just enjoy what's on your doorstep. This morning, coffee and cake at the Brasserie Lumiere on Camberwell Church Street while watching buses go past in the sun. #Camberwell

"So what would you like to do for your birthday?" she said. "Well," I said, "I know it'll sound daft, but what I'd really like to do is go to a funeral in Stockport for someone I've never met. Would that be OK? Earlier in the day the better." (Stockport bus station, 7.42am)

This feels like a good place to stop: a Roman burial mound in Morden Park. In the late afternoon, it's very atmospheric... if I close my eyes, I can see togas, and sandals, and... yes, listen, Roman cavalry choirs are singing! And we all know what that sounds like. #morden

Waffles with goat's cheese, rocket and jam in Balham. Balham! Oh Balham... what happened to you?... #Balham #GatewayToTheSouth

What better thing to do on a nice sunny day than walk like a Roman? So here we are outside Clapham North station following the route of Stane Street from Londinium to Chichester. We might not get all the way. #Clapham