30 May 2026
Changes for 2026/27
Much has already changed within a week of ending the 2025/26 season, here are some texts we've gathered together in our attempt to clarify where we are as far as we can, at least for now...
📷 LOFC Media
Leyton Orient Website
The following was posted to the club's website on 29th May.
Leyton Orient can confirm that Jody Buckley is to take over from Jason Stephens as women's first-team manager. Buckley's coaching career has spanned close to two decades, working in both senior and youth development football, across the male and female games.
The O's recently concluded a record-breaking league campaign, winning every match in the Greater London Women's Football League Premier Division to secure promotion to the sixth tier. They also lifted two cups; the JGMT and Capital Women's Cup (Intermediate).
Although leaving his managerial post, Jason Stephens will continue in his role as CEO of Leyton Orient FC Women, working in close proximity with Buckley to ensure the continued on-field success of the women's team.
Leyton Orient CEO Mark Devlin said: "We have enjoyed working with the McCaffrey Football Investment Group across our men's and women's sides over the last few years and are looking forward to that continuing. We understand their wishes to expand in the women's game but are pleased that they also remain committed to Leyton Orient.
Which league next year?
Usually, clubs located north of the Thames who are promoted from the Greater London Premier Division, move up to tier six in the South-East Regional League Division One (North) as did both Camden Town and Hammersmith last year and Richmond the year before. However, Actonians Reserve team play in that league and for reasons which will become clearer in a moment, that could well be awkward.
Our contact within the FA advises us that Orient have applied to play in the Eastern Regional Football League - Division One (South) instead. This is not as unlikely as it first seems as our home pitch will probably remain at Cheshunt, not far from other ERFL teams at Hertford and (probably) others including Enfield Town. The likes of Colchester Utd and Southend Utd also play in that league.
Meanwhile, at Tier 4 team Actonians
Here's a press release issued on 29th May by Linda Fox of Actonians WFC...
We are pleased to share some exciting news for women’s football in London – Actonians Women Football Club is delighted to announce that the McCaffrey Football Investment Group (MFIG) is making a significant investment in the club’s first team.
Together, the McCaffrey Football Investment Group and Actonians Women Football Club are hugely ambitious for what we can achieve together, with our sights on progressing to Tier 3, and beyond that in the future. Actonians WFC currently compete in the Tier 4 of the Women's National League. As the women's game develops, Actonians and McCaffrey Football Investment Group aim to play a significant role in women’s football. The new investment aims to allow the team to reach Tier 3 in the coming years.
The McCaffrey Football Investment Group is a women’s sports investment firm, founded by Gina McCaffrey.
Gina McCaffrey is a philanthropist and former accountant for PWC and Verizon. Her husband James McCaffrey the President of Eastdil Secured, a global real estate investment bank. He previously played professional basketball for the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns. Their daughter Stephanie is a former professional footballer who founded Racketeer, London’s largest padel club. Stephanie spent her football career playing professionally in the United States’ NWSL before retiring in 2018. She was also capped by the US Women’s National Team on numerous occasions in 2015 and 2016.
Actonians Women Football Club Chair Linda Fox said: “We are incredibly proud of what our club has achieved, on and off the pitch. As an independent, grassroots community club, we have competed strongly in Tier 4. With this significant investment and support from the McCaffrey Football Investment Group, and building on the success of our existing team, I am excited about the future and what we can achieve together.”
Stephanie McCaffrey said: "Our investment in Actonians represents the next step for McCaffrey Football Investment Group. Our mission remains the same: helping the clubs we invest in progress up the football pyramid, while ensuring players have access to the health, wellness, player safety, insurance — and now, in the case of Actonians, financial support for players — that they deserve, but too often have gone without.
We remain involved and excited about the future potential of Leyton Orient Women.
Together with Jason Stephens, and in partnership with Linda and Marian at Actonians, MFIG is beginning its journey into multi-club ownership, allowing us to expand our impact and provide more resources and opportunities for women in football."
The McCaffrey Football Investment Group is investing in the Actonians Women Football Club's first team. The rest of the senior section of the Actonians WFC and the Girls Section remain independent and will continue to provide an environment where women and girls can play and enjoy football
McCaffrey Football Investment Group is focused on bringing increased resources to those who have historically given more to women’s football than it’s been able to give back. The MFIG is founded by Gina McCaffrey and advised by Jim and Stephanie McCaffrey.
So what does all this mean for the O's?
We have to be honest, when we here at LOFCwomen.com got wind of all these machinations, we feared that Orient were about to be sidelined to a junior position, perhaps even as a development/feeder club for Actonians. All those words about being "in it for the long run" started to look decidedly thin. Whilst we were considering our own future activities (if any!) and in view of a near total absence of communication from anyone, we feared for the worst - so we contacted Jody Buckley....
To our surprise... actually shock! Jody responded on his first day in his new job. He said....
"Hi, great to hear from you and thank you for the kind support already being seen. I cannot rightfully comment on the club from anything non-field related but can absolutely assure you I wouldn’t be taking on this role and bringing a very very competitive squad of players to not continue the progression and winning mentality installed here. I haven’t come to the O’s just to sit back. I’d love to meet up with you all for a coffee and a chat and get to know you all. This is your club as much as mine ⚽️"
We will have a really exciting and successful 2026/27 and I’m looking forward to having all of you cheering us on. I want to make it clear I want to have you all as supporters working closely with the squad. ..I had (and still do) a great relationship with the Jammers supporters group at Maldon. I’d like that to continue with yourselves long term"
There you go! What more could we ask? He didn't hang around getting on with things, here's a flyer (below) seeking players for the first team squad so, if you know of someone who can contribute at the required level (not easy!) then get them to make contact with j.stephens@leytonorient.com
📷 LOFC Media
So what do we think?
Trying to stay objective (not usually a strong point for footy fans), it seems to us:-
- The McCaffreys have gone for a shortcut to get a professional women's team in London. Even if we win the league for the next two seasons, we're still 2-3 years away from reaching tier 4. If the FA had made the wise choices about where this team should play next season, maybe none of this would have been necessary. MFIG are clear they will keep backing Orient so we remain hopeful that we'll be able to recruit high ability players to maintain the stunning momentum that's been achieved to date.
- Will we lose our players? Probably only a few. Many of the ladies we've come to admire are not keen to be full-timers, they already have careers and they don't need the extreme commitment that professional status requires. Some of the younger ones will probably be tempted but many of the current squad came to Orient to avoid going full-time.
- Jody Buckley has a long and successful career behind him, he looks like the right fit for where we are - and the fact that he communicates with us has blown us away!
Doubtless there will be twists and turns to come but we remain quietly assured that things are on track for success.