Being in charge for 376 league and play-off matches (and winning more than he lost) put Frank Clark second only to Alec Stock in terms of longevity among post-war Orient managers. And with nearly two years as assistant and then a period as managing director, his service to the club over nearly a dozen years was outstanding.
An accomplished full-back with Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, winning a European trophy with each and a Football League championship with Brian Clough’s Forest, he began coaching under Ken Knighton at Sunderland and then Brisbane Road and was promoted as his successor for the 1983-84 season.
The days of signing former England internationals were over, and even being ‘assistant manager’ had its penny-pinching aspect. In his book ‘Kicking With Both Feet’ Frank described himself as a ‘general dogsbody’ who for away games would hire a minibus in Walthamstow – cash up front because the firm, like all hotel owners, knew how long it would take to get their money otherwise – drive the team and kit to and from the match and then return it.
That first season brought an excellent improvement to 11th place in Division Three with 71 goals scored, for which the manager’s ‘reward’ was to cut the squad further and disband the reserve team. Relegation fears were back and for once could not be avoided in a final-day shoot-out. Neither could financial problems, despite the boost of an FA Cup giant-killing over West Bromwich Albion and a pay-day in the next round at home to Southampton (17,622).
Told that the club needed £10,000 to avoid closure, Clark reluctantly sold Keith Houchen for £15,000. Like everyone else he was astonished in 1985 when a coffee grower and O’s supporter called Tony Wood, based in Rwanda, wrote out a cheque for £10,000 and later agreed to take over as chairman, subsiding the club for up to £200,000 per year.
From considering leaving the club, Clark was persuaded to become managing director, still with responsibility for team affairs under a chairman ‘who seemed to have no ego at all – quite incredible for a club chairman’.
It gave him and the team a new lease of life and for the first time in years promotion instead of relegation seemed possible. Fifth, seventh and eighth places were achieved in Division Four with Paul Shinners, Ian Juryeff and Alan Comfort among the goals; and in exciting cup games Tottenham were beaten 2-0 in the first leg of a Football League Cup tie and West Ham were held 1-1 in the FA Cup.
In 1988-89 the O’s made the top eight for a record fourth time in a row and the longed for promotion was confirmed after an epic second leg at home to Wrexham watched by over 13,000.
Mid-table for two seasons – having stood third at Christmas 1990 – Clark stepped back to allow Peter Eustace to formally become manager. Then, in the summer of 1993 Brian Clough retired at Nottingham Forest and Clark could not resist the offer to take over, leading Forest to promotion back to the Premier League and then third place, earning him an interview as potential England manager.
He retained a place in his heart for Orient, of whom he wrote: ‘I had some wonderful times as well as the bad. There are some advantages to being at a small club. Everyone knows each other well and there can be a wonderful friendliness and camaraderie.’
