Jobi Just Maturing And Won't Slow Down For Anyone!

“We got back to London at 4.30am on Wednesday morning from Barrow,” explained the veteran winger.

“Thankfully I don’t live too far away - a few of the lads aren’t as lucky and of course some of the supporters who went up would have had to go to work a few hours later!

“It was a long way but as everyone knows the journey goes that bit quicker when you win.

“I can’t sleep on coaches. I’ve never been able to. There’s too much going on, you’re still alive from the game and if you think I can trust 16 of them on a coach then you’ve got to be kidding!”

For someone who has played in each of English football’s top five divisions during a 20 year career - including at the tail end of Wimbledon’s infamous Crazy Gang era - he is well used to picking his battles.

There wouldn’t be many romantics who would deny McAnuff the chance to enjoy one last glory moment.

Even aged 37, he is as far from a bit-part player as you could possibly find.

Not only is the former Reading man the captain, he has played over 30 games this season already.

Hard enough for a goalkeeper in the twilight of his career, let along a winger in a demanding National League division where you are attempting to return a club the size of Leyton Orient back into the EFL.

Wrexham see the O’s two years outside the 92 and raise them a decade.

The two are equally desperate to earn promotion and with both back in form, BT Sport couldn’t have picked a better game to show on Saturday lunchtime.

“I’m just focused on this season and the next game, I really haven’t thought any further ahead,” McAnuff said. “I’m feeling good, you never know what’s in front of you.

“That’s why I say it to all the players I work with. If you’re 27 or 37, you don’t know if next week will be your last game. You have to go into every match thinking it might be.

“You have to grasp every opportunity and you have to appreciate every moment. You can’t let any opportunity pass you by.

“Enjoy it but make the most out of it. We have a chance to do something special this season and we’ve got to grab it with both hands.”

If Orient can grasp a third win in a row against a side who themselves have won four back-to-back, then they will jump ahead of the Red Dragons and back into first place.

First vs second with the two-month countdown already is sure of a big audience.

McAnuff added: “We had a sticky period, I think we can honestly all say it was that. But the last two games, two difficult away trips inside a few days, have shown the character is really there.

“The manager has kept total faith in the team, backed us all the way and we didn’t think because of a few tough matches we weren’t going to suddenly go on and achieve something.

“You have to embrace these big games. I would tell anyone nervous about it that there’s no better place to be playing your football at this level or the level above.

“We know it’s a big one and we’re going into it on the back of a couple of really encouraging results. We’re getting back to what we were and that’s a great sign.”