Body blow for Orient as Covid outbreak rules out bumper tie with Tottenham

By Yann Tear

Leyton Orient are set to miss out on £150,000 in TV money after their Carabao Cup third round tie with Spurs was called off at the 11th hour.

The club pleaded with the EFL to have the game rescheduled rather than forfeited, but the rules state that a team unable to fulfil a fixture will not get a second chance in cup ties.

The clubs are awaiting confirmation about whether Spurs are being given an automatic bye to the next round.

Nigel Travers, owner of the League Two outfit, insisted the club could still field a side tonight, but with at least 10 players reportedly having tested positive for coronavirus, there was an obvious health risk to Tottenham players, whose own congested fixture list does not easily allow for a rearranged date in any case.

The Premier League side paid for their opponents to have Covid tests and the results have proved disastrous for a club expected to lose £2.5 million this year. They were in talks with Public Health England yesterday.

Income opportunities have been further dashed by today's government announcement that fans will not even be allowed back in small numbers next month because of a significant nationwide rise in cases.

Although a fixture cancellation looked a near certainty on Monday, no official announcement was made until two hours before Tuesday's anticipated 6pm kick-off.