Wellens aims to take Orient to Championship

Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens has targeted promotion to the Championship in the next two to three seasons after signing a new three-year deal with the club.

The O's finished the current season 11th in League One but Wellens believes the club could have won the extra 12 points needed to take them to the play-offs.

Orient announced the contract extension on Wednesday but, speaking to BBC Radio London, Wellens revealed the deal had been signed on Monday.

He said he wanted to alter a perception that they are not seen as "little Leyton Orient anymore" - both within and outside the club.

"Next year it's about changing that mindset and trying to establish us as a really good League One club, then in the following season and season after that then it's about trying to get us promoted," he said.

Wellens joined Orient in March 2022 and steered the east Londoners to the League Two title in his first full season in charge.

He said he wants to reduce the turnover of players at the club after losing Sol Brynn and Idris El Mizouni at the end of their loans, with Brynn returning to Middlesbrough and El Mizouni to Ipswich.

"I want to get to a stage where we're making one or two signings a season rather than six or seven, which we're probably going to need this summer," Wellens added.

"But I hope we're very close to Jack Simpson [signing a new contract], very close with Dan Happe and hopefully we can keep Ruel [Sotiriou], and that gives us a strong foundation going into the summer."

Top scorer Sotiriou, 23, is among five players in contract negotiations with the club.