Paul Heald

Yorkshire-born Heald had yet to make a Football league appearance when he joined the O’s in early December 1988; he had formerly been on the books of Sheffield United, where he had originally been an apprentice. He had a short wait for a debut, featuring in a League match away to Grimsby Town on 17th December; goals from Ian Juryeff and Alan Comfort earned the O’s a 2-2 draw. Heald would not miss a single first team for the rest of the season as Orient were promoted into from Division Four via the play-offs. In the four play-off matches, Heald kept two clean sheets; one in a 2-0 win at home to Scarborough in the first leg of the semi-finals on 21st May and the other away to Wrexham in the first leg of the final. Heald remained a mainstay of the team until a severe injury saw him sidelined for most of the 1991-92 campaign, before a brief loan spell at Coventry in March. He regained his spot in the side in November 1992, but failed to make a single first team appearance during the following season and headed to Swindon for yet another short lived loan spell. A return to the O’s starting eleven for the 1994-95 campaign ended with relegation back into the fourth tier. Heald left the club that summer, joining Premier League side Wimbledon; he stayed with the Dons for nine years, making thirty-eight appearances, and served as goalkeeping coach at Milton Keynes Dons.