Ian Hendon has set Leyton Orient the target of winning promotion from League Two in his first season in charge.

The new O’s head coach has had to rebuild the squad after a wave of departures this summer following the club’s relegation last season.

Orient are the fourth favourites for promotion with the bookmakers and Hendon believes he has the resources to guide them back to League One at the first attempt.

Hendon, whose side start the season at home to newly-promoted Barnet on Saturday, said: “Promotion is the target, simple as that. That’s the target and it should be everybody’s target.

“How we do it, whether we got straight up or through the play-offs (doesn’t matter) but the target is promotion. As I’ve said before, there are another 23 clubs in that league who also want to do that as well so it’s going to be tough, but we have an aim and a goal and that’s ours.”

The O’s have lost experienced professionals such as Scott Cuthbert, Romain Vincelot and Darius Henderson after a miserable year which featured four managers and demotion despite the most expensive squad in the club’s history.

In their place, former West Ham United first-team coach Hendon has brought in young, hungry players including impressive striker Paul McCallum and defenders Connor Essam and Frazer Shaw.

Goalkeeper Alex Cisak has returned after a successful loan spell at the club last season and former Millwall defender Alan Dunne has also joined the O’s.

Orient have been chasing Peterborough midfielder Jack Payne over the last month and have not given up on signing him despite still being some way apart over a transfer fee.

Hendon has a relatively small squad but is happy with the blend of youth and experience heading into the season.

When asked if the O’s will make more signings before the end of the transfer window, Hendon said: “I can’t see why not. It’s pretty obvious the one (Payne) we’ve been looking at and we’re still trying to do a deal.

“There could be one or two but we’ll just have to see how it goes but at the moment I’m very happy with the squad. They’re all pulling in the right direction and all together and we have a good dressing room here at the moment.”

Hendon spent time as a player at Orient in the 1990s and is relishing the chance to manage the club where he launched his career.

The head coach, who signed a two-year contract this summer, said: “It doesn’t matter what team I manage really but I have an affiliation to the club obviously. I’ve already said it was pretty much my first club after leaving Spurs and playing a big part there. I came here and it was my first team really and I was the captain so obviously I’m going to have more of an affiliation here than anywhere else.

“But it’s a different job now because I’m a manager and not a player and I’m aware of that. I’m really looking forward to the challenge and I’m glad pre-season is over with now. It’s now the business time and I can’t wait to get started.”

He added: “It’s going to be different on Saturday with the pressure of the crowd and everyone willing us to do well. It’s how the players handle that now but we’ve prepared them how we wanted and come through pretty much with no injuries, which has been a massive help trying to get people fit.”