Leyton Orient have Charlton Athletic to thank for start of fruitful player, club relationship: View | OneFootball

Scott McGleish was a star at Leyton Orient.

Scott McGleish seemed to have a special connection with Leyton Orient, as he was deeply cherished during three separate stints at the club.

A player that improved with age, his first spell in 1996 with Leyton Orient showed little of what a pivotal player he would become for them some fifteen years later.

Goals were at a premium early on in his career, but it was during the mid-2000s that he really made a name for himself for several different sides.

Even now, at 50 years of age, McGleish continues to play for his local side Leverstock Green, where he is also the assistant manager.

However, it was at Orient where he was most beloved, and he will continue to remind people of the role he played in the early stages of Harry Kane's career.

Scott McGleish's first two Orient spells

McGleish began his career at Edgware Town, where he was soon scouted by Charlton after impressing the Addicks with his tally of 32 goals in 36 games for the Wares.

Immediately, he was sent out on loan to Orient, where he impressed, scoring his first professional goal. Having made six decent appearances for the O's, he returned to Charlton expecting game time, but unfortunately, it was limited.

This was a pattern that continued during his second permanent move a year later to Peterborough United, with the temporary spells he had at Cambridge United and Colchester United being particular standouts.

Finally, in 1997, he made a permanent move to Brisbane Road, aiming to settle down with his former club. However, his stint was short-lived, with only seven goals in 34 appearances, which wasn’t enough to secure an extended stay.

He then moved to his hometown club, Barnet, where, over the next couple of years, he made a significant mark and firmly established himself in the Football League.

A stellar return to Orient for McGleish

After leaving Orient for the second time, McGleish went on to have a very successful 12 years away from the club as he notched contributions for various sides in the EFL.

But, in 2009, it was time for his third spell. After impressing on a short loan from Wycombe Wanderers, he was offered a contract following his release from the Buckinghamshire side.

Determined to make the most of his opportunity, he played a pivotal role in Orient's survival in the third tier at the age of 35. 12 goals and four assists were particularly impressive for a struggling side, but his most pivotal moment came against his former employers, Wycombe, as he notched a 94th-minute goal to retain their League One status.

A new one-year contract was signed for the 2010-11 season as McGleish showed no signs of slowing down, despite him being past the usual retirement age for a footballer.

This time, the O's pushed themselves right up the league table, but just missed out on a play-off spot, finishing in seventh place. The striker, once again playing a prominent role in the side, managed to score 11 goals in the League, combining that with six goals in the FA Cup to take his season tally to seventeen.

Surprisingly, they didn't opt to extend his contract again, and he would leave the club having scored in his final fixture; a 4-1 win against Plymouth Argyle.

This somewhat shocked the fans and McGleish, with the striker stating this in an interview with Give Me Football: "It was the club's decision. Obviously, I was gutted and a little bit shocked, but I’d had a feeling for the previous few weeks that I wasn't going to be offered a new contract."

Having improved with age, it is no surprise to see that McGleish is still lacing his boots up for games some ten years later.

His time at Orient will always be cherished, and the club’s fans will be grateful for the opportunity to see him play on three separate occasions.