Orient Receive Cash Windfall From Shorey Move

Former Orient defender Nicky Shorey completed his move to Aston Villa today for a reported £3.5 million.

The England left-back had been at the lips of Orient fans and manager alike, with the O’s netting an 15 per cent of any deal as part of a sell-on agreement, rendering the money crucial for Ling to make a move for his final squad member for the 2008-09 campaign.

And he will now look to recruit a winger of quality after Reading agreed the move with Villa for 27-year-old Shorey this afternoon.

He said: “It is one of the best bits of news I’ve heard all summer.

“At the moment the fee that is being quoted is £3.5million, which would bring in £510,000 into this football club.

“I have been promised some of that money to fetch in a left winger now, and some to maybe top things up in January if we need it.

“The rest will go to balance the books, and this will certainly be a massive boost for this football club.

“For me the main thing now is that I have 23 days to nail down a quality winger to complete the squad for this season.”

Ling also took time to highlight the importance of the East Londoners’ youth set-up, after Shorey moved back into the Premier League.

He continued: “What you have to remember is that while Nicky Shorey has been gone nine years, he came through our youth system.

“Since then he has gone onto play in the Premier League and for England, so I think we should take some of credit for that.

“I don’t think people realise and appreciate the success we have at producing our own lads, because I certainly don’t think there will be too many clubs that have eight home grown players in their squads this season.”