Carl Fletcher: Leyton Orient appoint ex-Plymouth boss as head coach

League Two side Leyton Orient have appointed former Plymouth manager Carl Fletcher as their new head coach.

The 39-year-old ex-Wales midfielder has agreed a contract until the end of the end of the 2020-21 season.

He replaces Ross Embleton, who had been interim head coach since June following the death of previous Orient manager Justin Edinburgh.

Fletcher spent 16 months in charge of Argyle, initially as player-manager, before being sacked in January 2013.

He joined the coaching staff of Premier League club Bournemouth following his departure from Home Park, and coached the Cherries' under-18 and under-23 sides before taking on the role of loan player manager in 2018.

Fletcher, who made over 400 league appearances during a playing career that included spells at Bournemouth, West Ham and Crystal Palace, won 17 of his 70 matches in charge of Plymouth.

He also made 36 international appearances for Wales, and scored in a 3-0 win over Norway at Wrexham in 2008.

Embleton will take the team for Saturday's match at Grimsby Town with Fletcher watching from the stands, so Fletcher's first game in charge of the O's will be away at his former club Plymouth on Tuesday, 22 October.

“Carl brings not only plenty of football experience but also the modern skills in managing a football team through the last seven years at Bournemouth,” Orient chairman Nigel Travis told the club website.

“I want to thank Ross for the outstanding job he has done filling the gap during the last several months.

“He has handled the circumstances with a sensitivity and a skill that very few could match.”

Last month Embleton announced he would step down from the role of interim head coach to revert back to his former role of assistant coach.

The 37-year-old had been number two to Edinburgh, who passed away aged 49 in the summer after suffering a cardiac arrest – having led Orient to promotion from the National League last season.

Since Embleton announced his decision, the O's have taken seven points from three games to lift them to 17th in League Two and five points off the play-offs.

Following Fletcher's appointment, Danny Webb will switch from interim assistant coach to his previous role of first team development coach, but Jobi McAnuff will continue as player-coach.