Richie Wellens: ‘Weak’ Leyton Orient players have wasted a career year

Wellens criticized his players for playing for a draw against Burton in the closing stages, knowing that relegation rivals Exeter had lost to Bradford, and then celebrating off the pitch after being confirmed.

“Applause to the fans because they earned it,” he added. “They’ve paid their dues to watch us home and away all season and they deserve a round of applause.

“But don’t celebrate with the family. Get on the field, it’s an embarrassing season.”

The Orient boss, who guided the club to promotion in 2022-23 and to the play-off final last season, promised wholesale changes at the club in the summer.

“Those who have got contracts are going to struggle to get a new contract and then there will be players who are out of contract that we want to move on,” he said.

“We need more athleticism and more character.

“We have to be better at recruiting. Last year, we went to Spain in our pre-season. I took eight youth team players and about three trialists.

“Every season, we’re behind the eight ball and after five or six games we’re always at the bottom. And that’s one of the reasons.”

But he could not guarantee that the leading scorer and League One Player of the Year, Dom Ballard, whom he excluded from his criticism, would not be sold.

“Do we want to keep him? Absolutely,” Wellens said.

“But if someone comes up with a figure that’s acceptable to David (Gandler, majority shareholder) and Nigel (Travis, chairman), then we’ll have to see.”