Following last Sunday's opening game, an impressive 2:1 away win at Tier Four club Norwich City, Leyton Orient's ladies will continue their pre-season preparations by taking on Fulham this coming Sunday 20th July. This match will be equally difficulrt, on paper at least, as the Cottagers will also play Tier Four football this season which they earned by winning their Tier Five league just a few short weeks ago.
Fulham have made quite a few changes to their squad during this closed season so we assume they have recruited with a view to being immediately competitive at the higher level. For them, recruitment would be a less problematic prospect than it is for us, you only have to look at the facilties they have at their Motspur Park training ground to see why ambitious players would be attracted. Clearly, David Gandler's statements about getting O's training facilties and academy up to par are brought into clear focus when you compare what Fulham have, doubtless neighbours Tottenham and West Ham have something similar.
As for Sunday's game, we still have scant information about Orient's players apart from the eight which have been declared publicly by the club - but only to 'X' subscribers. We have updated our players gallery with the names and photos we have but it will have to remain thin on the ground until the club declares names or the Football Association publish the teams and registered players - which they have not yet done. So, whoever they are, the game on Sunday Kicks off at 15:30 and will be played in the Motspur Park training complex. Here's a map:-

If you have an interest in sports photography, preferably in women's football and ideally in the Leyton Orient women's team... here's an idea for you.
Here at lofcwomen.com we have a player gallery in which we aim to have a good action photo of all the ladies in the women's first team squad. So far this season, we have only the first few players who have been confirmed as registered as Orient players and those photos are either of them in a previous team's kit, not an action shot at all or in them wearing last seasons' Orient kit. Here's the plan...
If you attend women's team matches and take the opportunity to get some good shots of individual players, we will use the best photos for the gallery and your name will be credited for any picture we use. You don't have to be a top notch photographer, just get the focus and the exposure right and if the player is recogniseable - you'll be in the ball park. Here are a few examples from last season:-

The format required is in portrait orientation, we will crop to web-friendly dimensions of width=400px, height=467px.
We also intend to publish slide shows if you wish to send us ten or more images. Slide shows will be in landscape orientation, your work will accredited to you and will appear via links on our menu page . Just send us a message, email on lofcwomen@yahoo.com, whatsapp on +385913080531 or via our X, Bluesky or Facebook accounts and we'll talk and make it happen.

Something seems to have triggered a significant upsurge in the numbers of people who are engaging with us via our website and social media accounts. Last week saw over 5,000 "hits" on our 'X' channel account @lofcwomen_com and most of these clicked on the link and visited our website at lofcwomen.com . It's a similar story with our other social media accounts on Facebook, Bluesky and the 'Mungo' and 'Independent' Leyton Orient forums.
This is most encouraging and we really owe a debt to our followers who re-post much of our stuff (a special mention to the Orient Outlook Podcast chaps), it makes the effort and expense worthwhile. We are proud to boast that our website has no adverts, there are no cookies or trackers, you don't have to sign up to anything and we leave nothing on your device. If you follow us in the way of your choosing, please accept our thanks and appreciation.

Scouring social media, as we do, we came across this message from somebody within Hashtag Utd. It is recent in that it was posted on July 11th. We've asked ourselves about how it is that so many Hashtag players have moved down a few steps to play for Leyton Orient. It's not clear if this sheds any light on the issue but it does give one person's insight inside the Essex club. Without comment, here is the text, un-editied....

Jason Stephens' Hashtag United 2020-2025 Thank You, Goodbye & Good Luck!
This was hard for everyone to accept what happened in Apr 2025 when Jason Stephens was leaving at the end of the season and we all have gut feelings that majority of the players will follow him or find opportunities elsewhere to have a great season ahead of them outside Hashtag United.
Hashtag United merged with AFC Basildon Women to save them from going folded on April 2020. This was my first women's club, everyone else first women's club to watch regularly in person and I learnt so much more about women's football than I thought. All thanks to Jason Stephens and his incredible players.
The difference in style, pace and physical attributes was noticeable however the biggest challenge was the media attention and commercial support. I am glad to echo my supports to raise awareness for equal opportunities and better coverage in the women's industry. We are getting better today than five years ago but there is still work to be done.
The players we followed has been announced as NEW SIGNING by other clubs when our club socials said nothing at all made us wonder where the goodbye, thank you or good luck post for all of them...
The players below who been at the club more than four years absolutely deserves exceptional thanks from everyone within the club for their unbelievable contributions to the game; Grace Gillard, Malika Apindia Gille, Hayley West, Gemma Baker. The players below who had been sensational in the past seasons to help the club ensuring we are in the mix of clubs who are expected to be promoted; Courtney Lumley, Sophie Baigent, Macey Nicholls, Georgia Griffin, Wiki Fronc, Frankie Finlayson, Sammy Rowland.
I will also mention all players who played for us in past seasons have come to make an impact and left on good note, we salute you all. Thank you so much for everything you all done for this club. It has been a pleasure watching you all along with my supportive and loving ultra family. I am sad for this era ended but I am rooting for all your new chapter ahead. I wish you all the absolute best and good luck in your new adventures. Hope our paths cross again!
I am disappointed that you all did not have a public acknowledgement for all your services on the club socials, you are all deservedly it. (Hashtag United, please take this lightly as this is 100% agreement of all the fans expressing their disappointment at lack of appreciations to the amazing women's players, I wasn't alone).
Matthew Napier

If you have an interest in and views about the women's team then please let us hear your thoughts and suggestions. You can contact us (anonymously if you prefer) via our contact form on our home page or just simply email us at lofcwomen@yahoo.com
We look forward to hearing from you.

---