ORIENT colossus Ben Chorley wants his old club Tranmere Rovers to get over their woes, but not just yet.

The centre-back will be back at Prenton Park on Saturday, when the O’s go there for round one of the FA Cup.

Chorley exited Merseyside for east London last summer.

Now he has stuck the boot into Rovers for how they dealt with just missing last season’s play-offs.

He said: “At the end of the season, eight players from the starting line-up left and went to other places. That was disappointing.

"I think a lot of people read that it was going to be a bit of a free-for-all at the end of the season, as they couldn’t keep us.“ Tranmere Rovers have gone from play-off candidates last season, to second bottom of League One today.

Liverpool and England legend John Barnes proved a disastrous choice as boss.

The scale of the downfall has taken Chorley aback.

“I think the biggest thing they have done wrong was sacking Ronnie Moore,” he said.

“He’s a very good manager and knows the leagues inside out. But that’s life and that’s where they are at the moment.

“I’m surprised at the way it’s gone. They still have some good players there.

“I hope they do well, but not this week.”

Tranmere's loss was Orient’s gain, as boss Geraint Williams swooped for Chorley, in July.

Now the 27-year-old is a first-team regular at Brisbane Road and his vocal performances mark him out as a future club captain.

A cup run can galvanise Orient’s league campaign, he reckons.

“It’s important. You want to win games. As long as you don't lose, it breeds confidence. It’s the same in the Johnstone Paint Trophy. You can go on runs and it can kick-start you.“ Meanwhile, boss Williams will not be distracted by the lure of silverware.

On the FA Cup, he said: “It’s a chance to relax really, because the points in the league are our bread and butter, and that’s the most important thing to this club.”