Jamie Scowcroft, the former Coventry, Ipswich and Leicester target man, has left Crystal Palace to join George Williams’ Leyton Orient revolution (codename: Let’s try and avoid relegation on a shoestring. Again).
The 6’1′ forward has scored 99 domestic goals in a career spanning 15 years, and has never before left the top two divisions to ply his trade. Despite commanding fees in the region of £3,500,000 over the years, he joins Orient on a free transfer and made a brief debut in the defeat at Blue Square Premier side Ebbsfleet.
‘The fact that I knew the manager from my time at Ipswich was one of the reasons behind my decision to come here’ he told the Official Leyton Orient website. ‘He’s done very well here since he came to the club and it’s a good set up so I had no hesitation in agreeing to sign’.
The Vital View
Geraint Williams’ successful Colchester side was built on the not inconsiderable efforts of ‘little and large’ pairing, Jamie Cureton and Chris Iwelumo. Both were picked up off the footballing scrapheap, and it appears that he is trying to do much the same with the prospective forward line of Scowcroft and Scott McGleish.
Whilst some might argue that Scowcroft has never been a great goalscorer, there is clearly more to his game than just goals and the physical presence he provides will be vital to Orient’s play. We have suffered since losing Gary Alexander and (the maginally more erratic) Jabo Ibehre, as the ball tends to come straight back at the defence far too often. Scowcroft may lack pace, but he is immensely good in the air, and should have the touch to allow the likes of Jason Demetriou and Sean Thornton join in with attacks.
It may well take some time for ‘Slowie’ to get up to speed, having missed a large chunk of pre-season training, but it’s an impressive and (dare I say it) ambitious signing, the likes of which we almost certainly would not have seen under previous managerial incumbent, Martin Ling.
One thing’s for sure: he certainly can’t be as bad as Sam Parkin!
To visit the Palace boards to find out their views on Jamie Scowcroft, please click here
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I think it’s absolutely rediculous to use the signing of Jamie Scowcroft to have a dig at Martin Ling. There are many players Martin Ling signed that we probably wouldn’t have otherwised expected or ought to have seen at Brisbane Road.
It is clear that Scowcroft signed largely due to his association with Williams, and it is yet to be proven that this will be a good sigining, there is a reason he was surplus to requirements at Crystal Palace.
Vegy, whilst I have been very supportive of Lingy throughout and since his tenure (you may or may not have read my interview with him in the Orientear – check out the website if you haven’t), it’s an undeniable fact that for the last 18 months of his tenure, Ling tried – and failed – to bring in a suitable targetman. It’s also undeniable that he struggled to attract high-calibre players with proven track records to the club (the likes of Thornton and Boyd came to us with a whole world of baggege). If the failure to adequately replace Alexander wasn’t Ling’s biggest managerial failing, then I don’t know what is.