NEW Leyton manager John Sitton is looking to bring an air of consistency to the club, something he believes will set them on the right track to promotion again, writes Laura Burkin.

Sitton, former co-boss of Leyton Orient, has just been appointed head coach at the Lea Bridge Road club after an invitation from chairman Costas Sophocleous arrived at his door.

And while it came out of the blue' for the former Chelsea, Millwall and O's man, who has also coached at Chester and Enfield Town as well as the Lilywhites a few seasons ago, he did not have to think long about accepting the offer.

Speaking this week, Sitton said: "I love a challenge and I was very happy to accept.

"It was a surprise, I wasn't really expecting it but having been here before and after speaking to Costas, I knew that it was something I couldn't turn down.

"The chairman said that many people had enjoyed working under me before and I loved it as well. He wanted me to come here and do this job again. I was flattered and can't wait to get started now."

Sitton is a qualified black cab driver, but is constantly involved in football from a number of different directions. He has been working for the FA Coaching Education Scheme as well as doing work for the OPTA index statistics company, which saw him cover most of Arsenal's matches last season.

But in returning to Leyton, Sitton is also returning to roots and an area he knows well.

He spent time as co-manager with Chris Turner at Brisbane Road in the mid 1990s and although it was a mixed time for him especially after he left, he feels he can put his League coaching experience to good use in guiding Leyton back to the top of their game.

He said: "I've spent around 20 years now in football and I know that time is not something that can be given freely when you are asked to make a success of something or turn things round.

"But Leyton have been there or thereabouts, especially in the last few seasons and I really believe that it's consistency that will be a huge key this season.

"What I think is needed is to raise the bar in the standards all over the club.

"We will be preparing now with the aim of hitting the ground running at the start of the season.

"Looking at Leyton's form last year, it was mainly a case of not scoring enough and becoming too comfortable in mid-table.

"There was never a real danger of them going down, but the mindset was that they wouldn't reach the play-offs and they just seemed to settle for what they had.

"We'll be looking at trying to get the hunger back to aim for the top and if we can get off to a good start, we have a great platform on which to build."