Another August, another Leyton Orient season ticket in hand. This year I considered throwing the £325 straight down the drain - cut out the middle man. Instead, these are the hopes I hold for 2010/11:
1. Promotion to the Championship
Just kidding. The experience of 2007/08 told us that isn't going to happen (top of the league in November but still only pulling crowds of 5000-odd, no mid-season investment etc). Instead - call me an old romantic - I yearn to be still mathmatically in contention for a play-off position come March.
2. Someone scores more than 20 goals in the season
I was six when Peter Kitchen scored 29 goals in the 1977/78 season. If I'd known that in the subsequent 32 years not one player would even get to 20 league goals in a single campaign, I'd have supported bloody Arsenal.
3. Orient stop conceding goals in added time at the end of the first half
This is really annoying.
4. Orient actually win games by more than one goal
This only happened six times last season - I know, I just checked. Incredibly, it only happened six times in the 2005/06 promotion season too. Seriously, my heart can't take too many of those 'backs to the wall' final 10 minutes.
5. Ryan Jarvis gets a simple chance in front of goal, and puts it away
I am so over 'non-scoring' Orient strikers who retain their place in the team because they 'work hard'. Give me a bone-lazy, skilful finisher - let's call him 'Adam Boyd' for the sake of argument - any day of the week.
6. Scott McGleish protects his head
I can't remember many games in which Scotty didn't go down with a head injury at some point - usually in the first five minutes. Possibly this is some sort of psychological ploy to get the referee on side. Otherwise, seriously, Scotty - you're 48, take it easy.
7. Avoiding relegation
Sometimes as an Orient fan you have to think big - and I'm not talking Peter Shilton in 1996/97. Sadly, for us, thinking big is aspiring to avoid relegation. Still, come on you Os...