Darren Pratley: Leyton Orient have lost stars but kept the biggest in manager Richie Wellens

For the first time in nine years, Leyton Orient fans are familiarising themselves with the League One fixture list.

A title-winning campaign secured promotion with time to spare last season, their final tally of 91 points more than the club had ever managed in any division.

Top goalscorer Paul Smyth and goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux, player of the season three years in a row, were key figures but have left. Smyth has joined QPR and Vigouroux is now in the Premier League with Burnley.

Orient captain Darren Pratley knows filling those gaps could prove a season-defining challenge.

"Whenever you have success and boys do well, there's going to be other teams coming and looking," Pratley tells Standard Sport.

"Of course they're going to be missed. Smythy was the best player in League Two, Lawrence was the best goalkeeper. It is gutting but we have to find a way to replace them. The boys coming in will bring their own qualities and do just as well."

Pratley points to midfielders Idris El Mizouni, on loan from Ipswich, and Ethan Galbraith, signed after he was released by Manchester United this summer, as examples, but he believes retaining manager Richie Wellens could prove the most significant business.

Pratley says: "Keeping him was the biggest signing of the season. A lot of clubs were looking at him because of what he did last year. The fans have taken to him massively, the boys all love him. We have to try and match his ambition and keep hold of him."

The challenges to come in League One are not feared by Pratley and the squad.

"It's not major," the 38-year-old says of the step up in quality from last season. "We want to compete against these top clubs and show how good we are. The top half of the league, there's a bit more quality with the likes of Bolton and Charlton. Halfway down though, it's very similar to the top half of League Two."

Pratley insists he has a "good feeling" that Orient can carry the title-winning momentum into the new campaign, but how ambitious are they?

"The manager and staff have said themselves we don't know — there's an unknown going into the league," Pratley says. "You want to stay up, you can't look past that as a minimum. Going up for one season and then coming straight back down is no good for anyone.

"Normally around 50 points keeps you in this league. Get to that with games left and you can start looking up."

Orient kick-off tomorrow with a short trip to The Valley to face Charlton.

Pratley spent three seasons with the Addicks before joining Orient in 2021, but a sentimental day is not on the cards.

"I hated going back to Swansea after I left," he says. "You're cuddling everyone, saying hello. When it's match day, I don't want to speak to anyone.

"I'm looking forward to the game, but I want to stay focused on getting a positive result."