Former O’s favourite Gary Alexander returns to Brisbane Road on Saturday – and he’s not surprised to see his former club flying high at the top of League One.

The Crawley striker, who scored a last-gasp equaliser for his current club against Preston last weekend, will hope to get the better of his former employers as he looks to claim a regular starting spot under new boss John Gregory.

Flying

“I keep an eye out for all my old clubs and obviously it’s difficult not to see that Orient are absolutely flying,” said Alexander.

“It’s been a fantastic campaign so far for them, and with the start they’ve had and the front two scoring plenty of goals, I believe they can get promoted.

“It would be great for (chairman) Barry Hearn, who’s stuck by the club for years and years, as well for the fans and the club if they did manage to go up this season.”

Alexander made 199 appearances in four and a half years at Orient, scoring 55 goals in a productive spell between 2003 and 2007.

A win for Orient against the Sussex outfit will ensure they are top at Christmas and Alexander for one is hoping his former club get promoted – as long as it’s not at the expense of his current team.

The striker helped Orient get promoted from League Two in the 2005/06 season.

He said: “I had a good time whilst I was there and I made a few friends amongst the players and the staff whom I still keep in touch with.

Fantastic

“It would be fantastic for the club to get promoted just as long as it’s second behind Crawley.”

Alexander also praised manager Russell Slade for the confidence he’s fostered in the team.

“Credit to Russell Slade, they’ve obviously got a good team spirit, and a good bunch of lads that believe in themselves,” he said.

“If you’re winning games it brings confidence.”