Mark Devlin, Leyton Orient CEO: ‘Striking the Balance Between Ambition and Financial Sustainability: The Leyton Orient Story' (Ep80)

Mark Devlin is the CEO of Leyton Orient, a team that’s been riding the rollercoaster of English football right on the edge in recent years. From nearly going out of business and dropping into non-league football to bouncing back into League One playoff finals, the fans have been on a ride the few would choose. However, new ownership and big plans to build both on and off the pitch make this London club a hugely exciting football proposition for the next decades. 

What has this journey looked like from the inside and how is success being built into the fabric of the future? Having been so close to joining the list that no one wants to be near, alongside Bury, now Morecombe and even Sheffield Wednesday, Orient’s struggles are another glaring reminder of the house of cards an owner financing model presents to the Football League. 

Mark is an experienced CEO, leading Brentford through the early years of their ride to Premier League consistency. His take on what is required to build a club for the community and fan while keeping the finance team happy is what sets the O’s apart, and promises big things for a fanbase juggling the mixed emotions of just being happy to still have a football team alongside a want and expectation to win.

On today’s show we discuss:

Recovering from Financial Disaster:

• They story of Leyton Orient's near terminal financial crisis; what happens when a club runs out of money and the owner will no longer cover the losses?
• Relegation to non-league football and the impact falling through the decisions has on a club.
• How do you claw yourself out of a situation like this. The stories are often of disaster, but Leyton Orient have more than recovered in the past few years.
• Are they in a better place now than they were before?

The Value of New Ownership:

• What are the ambitions of new owner David Gandler and why did he decide to buy the club earlier this year?
• Where does the value lie in modern day football?
• What areas of the club need to be developed to both elevate the fan experience and make more money to fund the desired growth?
• What does it take to build a new stadium: from finding a site to financing a project in the hundreds of millions.
• Why this is an opportunity to build something that stretches beyond football; the value of a multi-sport model.

Matching Ambition with Longevity: 

• Finding the balance between financial sustainbility and ambition is the hardest part of modern football ownership/management; what is Orient's plan to chase promotion while ensuring the business is safe?
• How much does it cost to get promoted? The crazy finances of the Championship laid bare...
• What did Mark learn from his time in charge of Brentford and applying some of the model they have so successfully been able to implement to reach and thrive and in the Premier League.
• The ambition is to be a sustainable Championship club, but do they dare to look beyond this?

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