Bristol Rovers, Northampton Town and Stevenage set to miss out as Leyton Orient take action | OneFootball

The O's are set to retain another one of their players.

Tom James looks set to disappoint potential suitors Bristol Rovers, Stevenage and Northampton as the latest reports suggest that he is going to extend his stay at Leyton Orient.

The three sides that were vying to bring James, 28, into their clubs are all in the no-mans land of football.

They all finished in and around mid-table, with Stevenage maybe being the slight exception to that, and they're trying to use the summer window to elevate themselves up into the play-off battle.

While Boro came close to doing that last season under Steve Evans, he left just before the end of the season to take over at Rotherham United, and now they may find themselves slipping back into that middle pack.

They have been the most active of the three teams that were chasing the Orient defender, having already brought in former Cobbler Louis Appere, Dan Kemp and Lewis Freestone. Rovers and Northampton are yet to add any fresh faces to their squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, and that drought is set to continue.

Tom James set to stay at Leyton Orient

Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider has claimed that the Welshman is set to sign a new deal with the club, turning down reported interest from the trio of other third tier sides.

When the O's announced their retained list last month, following the conclusion of last season, the 28-year-old was one of a number of names that the club were still in talks with over a potential new deal.

James is set to be the latest player to commit their future to Richie Wellens' side, who also signed a new contract this summer, following in the footsteps of teammates Dan Happe, Jack Simpson and Darren Pratley.

He joined the London-based club on a free transfer in the summer of 2021 from Scottish side Hibernian, and was a mainstay in the starting XI for them last season.

Leyton Orient have the potential to push the big teams

The 24/25 edition of League One is stacked. Three big hitters in Rotherham United, Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City all came down, while another strong trio in Stockport County, Wrexham AFC and Mansfield Town joined the division too, plus Crawley Town who could be a surprise package, as they were last season.

Add that to the likes of Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley, Peterborough United, Blackpool and more who will expect to be up near the top of the league, and you have one hell of a competitive third tier.

The strength of the league might not allow any outsiders to slip into the play-offs, but, if any team can do it, a team like the O's could.

Under Wellens, they have shown that they can play multiple different ways, getting promoted by playing flowing, out-from-the-back football, and then switching to being more pragmatic at their new level.

He can get a team to do both. That tactical flexibility can be really important. They were only 11 points off the play-offs in their first season in League One, and they look likely to build on that success.

For those of you that like to pick dark horses at the start of competitions, Orient are definitely ones to watch.