CHERRIES star Charlie Daniels has launched a blistering attack on Leyton Orient owner Francesco Becchetti and backed calls for him to sell up.

Daniels, who described Orient as “my local club”, made 175 appearances for the East London outfit before completing a £175,000 move to Cherries in January 2012.

Orient’s 112-year stay in the Football League came to an end when relegation to the National League was confirmed by Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Crewe.

Supporters have endured a season of turmoil which has seen five different managers, a winding-up petition and owner Becchetti going AWOL as wages went unpaid.

Staff at the club last week issued a statement saying they had had no correspondence with Becchetti, adding they were "hugely concerned" by the "lack of communication" with the Orient hierarchy.

The club was the subject of a recent winding-up petition brought by HM Revenue & Customs over unpaid taxes and, while those debts have been paid, money is still owed to four other creditors.

But while Becchetti has been given until June 12 to pay off debts or sell the club, Daniels said he hoped to see the back of the Italian businessman.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo, Daniels said: “It’s a farce. The state the owner has left it in is disgraceful.

“Not paying the players and staff who have kids and mortgages is terrible. It’s not right. The club is in a bad way and the sooner he goes, the better.”

Daniels joined Orient on a permanent basis from Tottenham in January 2009, having spent the 2007-08 season on loan at Brisbane Road.

He added: “I think it needs fresh impetus and a fresh start.

“They reached the League One play-off final under Barry Hearn and Russell Slade in 2014 and, ever since then, the club has gone downhill.

“When Barry Hearn first took over, a lot of people said was he taking it seriously but, now he’s gone, you can see how much he loved the club and how much he actually put in. To see someone take it over and do what they have to my local club is terrible.

“The young lads who have been playing have had a great opportunity to play league games and have put their names in the shop window because I guess they can go on free transfers now. Hopefully, they can kick on from here.

“But as far as the club is concerned, the summer is going to be big for them. Hopefully, the owner will go and they will get in a new one.

“They need a fresh set of players and also need to try to keep as many of the existing squad because they are the future of the club. Hopefully, we can keep as many as we can and get back into the Football League as quickly as possible.”