Half a century of Orient supporting should by now have me accustomed to the ups and downs of following east London's premier football team.

When Barry Hearn took over the club some 20 years ago, he famously said that it was going to be a rollercoaster ride at Brisbane Road. Even by our dizzy standards however, the past two years have seen that rollercoaster hit new highs and lows - it's certainly been some journey, with the Italians now having taken their seat on the ride at the Leyton Stadium theme park.

Saturday saw a three hundred mile round trip to witness a 4-0 defeat representing a bit of a dip, though having experienced a relegation, an Italian reality television show and Gianvito Plasmati over the past 12 months the result hardly represents a crisis.

Returning back to London on the coach after the game it was generally agreed that there was no need at this stage to start thinking about 'Hendon Out' chants, and our manager would probably not be getting a dreaded vote of confidence from the Italian guv'ner in the near future at least.

I'm led to believe that talk in the dressing room after the Exeter setback was whether the loss was down to 'the manager of the month curse', Ian Hendon having just won the accolade for August, or 'the Martin Strong fan's view curse', bearing in mind the O's always get beaten when I've been asked to write one of these reports for the Guardian.

I personally would plead my innocence, citing the fact that Dean Smith, winner of the 'manager of the month' award for the division above us also saw his team lose at the weekend, as evidence.

Whatever the reason it has to be said that following the club over the past 24 months has hardly been boring. We had the record start to the season in 2013-2014, a fine campaign just fading at the end with the heartache of Wembley, a disastrous following season with four managers before Christmas and a relegation, and now, despite the weekend's result, once again a side that's looking as good as anything we've seen at Brizzy in recent times.

Indeed its not just on the field where things are so different this time round, but off the park too, everything, led by our Italian owner is so much better. Last season we hardly saw Mr Becchetti all year, yet the waste disposal man has been everywhere this time round, from attending the friendlies to walking in the pouring rain back to Newport railway station a few weeks ago, to appearing in the supporters' club with his Orient shirt on. The man it seems now appears to understand what supporting and owning a League Two football team is all about.

Lets just hope we can cap the season off with a top three finish come May without the need for another Wembley appearance. I think a fourth play-off final defeat would be just too much even for veteran Orient saddos like myself.

Certainly winning a promotion in his first season in charge would surely elevate Hendon, even so early in his managerial career, to legendary status at Brisbane Road alongside such Leyton heroes as Tommy Johnston, Laurie Cunningham and Herb Alpert. Despite the fact that we are Leyton Orient we can but live in hope.

Up the O's.

Martin is author of the book: Leyton Orient 60 greatest matches of the Tijuana Taxi Ear 1968-2012 available on Amazon priced £14.99.