Orient plan permanent memorial for Justin Edinburgh

Leyton Orient have announced plans to create a permanent memorial for Justin Edinburgh at Brisbane Road.

Edinburgh, who had just guided the O's back in to the English Football League, passed away in 2019, aged 49, five days after suffering a cardiac arrest.

The club have kept the tributes laid in Edinburgh's memory and will create a 'collage-like memorial' from those that are still in good condition.

“As a club, we will always be indebted to the work that Justin did here," Leyton Orient director of football Martin Ling told the club website on the fifth anniversary of Edinburgh's death.

"He took us on the first step from the National League back to League One and we will never forget that.

“When he passed away it was an awful time for everyone here, but the unity of all of our supporters showed what a special club we are.

"It’s fantastic that the club will be turning the tributes into a permanent memorial to honour Justin and I am looking forward to seeing it.”

As a player Edinburgh won the 1991 FA Cup and 1999 League Cup with Tottenham Hotspur and as a manager had spells at Northampton Town, Gillingham and Newport County before moving to Orient in November 2017.

He led Newport and Orient to promotion from the National League and also guided both sides to FA Trophy finals.

In his memory the JE3 Foundation was set up which campaigns on legislative change on the installation of automated external defibrillators within health and sports facilities.

The foundations also raises awareness of cardiac arrest and delivering CPR training.

“This is an incredible and moving gesture by the club for our family," said Justin’s son Charlie Edinburgh, who is the founder and chief executive of the JE3 Foundation.

"Back in 2019, the thousands of tributes that were laid and sent our way in memory of dad were so heartfelt and moving.

“The fact that the club are going to produce a wall of remembrance with those tributes, we feel it is a fantastic way to mark, not just the five-year anniversary, but also the man himself."