Nathan Clarke has been given the captain's armband at Orient Pic: Martin Rickett/PA

Clarke given the armband at Orient

By Trevor Davies, Leyton Orient correspondent Sunday, August 5, 2012
12:59 PM

But O’s suffer another pre-season defeat

New Orient signing Nathan Clarke has been given the captain’s armband by boss Russell Slade.

The ex-Huddersfield man takes on the role following the departure of Matt Spring in the summer.

The Orient boss said: “Nathan is a natural leader and a natural pick for the role of captain.

“He is an experienced player and a great influence around the changing room. I’m delighted to have him as my captain - he has done the job before and I’m sure he will do it very well here too.”

Clarke is one of eight new players at Brisbane Road and is an experienced campaigner having played over 300 times for the Terriers.

The 29-year-old had been a one-club man and spent his entire career at the Galpharm Stadium until his release in the summer, but already has a family connection at the O’s, as his brother Tom enjoyed a loan spell at The Matchroom last season.

Clarke captained the O’s side during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Blue Square Premier side Luton Town - the third lone goal reverse the O’s have suffered against non-league opposition in pre-season friendlies and the defender will be hoping for a change of fortune when O’s start their League One campaign.

Jon Shaw’s second half header was enough to settle the game at Kenilworth Road and the concern for boss Slade is a lack of goals, as well as the niggling injuries that sidelined Jamie Jones, Kevin Lisbie and Mathieu Baudry.

There were first pre-season starts for keeper Ryan Allsop and striker David Mooney, while trialists Johnny Ertl and Ahmed Kashi came on at the break, but Luton grabbed the lead thanks to Shaw’s header early in the second half.

New striker Michael Symes and Ertl went close to a leveller, but the O’s drew another blank and suffered their third pre-season defeat, following previous reverses at Ebbsfleet and Dartford.

Orient: Jones; James (McSweeney 79), Cuthbert (Chorley 61), Clarke, Sawyer; Odubajo, Griffith (Kashi 46), Smith (Ertl 46), Cox (Laird 87); Symes, Mooney (Brunt 61)

Attendance: 1,607