Ian Hendon brings in forward with impressive goalscoring record in non league football

Leyton Orient have completed the signing of former Mansfield Town forward Ollie Palmer for an undisclosed fee.

The youngster has signed a two-year contract with the Brisbane Road club, who have to pay a fee because he is under the age of 24 and was offered a new deal by his former club the Stags.

He moves to E10 following a mixed time at the Nottinghamshire outfit, but with great pedigree and off the back of a successful loan at Grimsby Town last season.

The 23-year-old scored eight goals in 16 appearances with the Conference club and will now be looking to make a name for himself in League Two with the O’s.

Palmer demonstrated his ability during a two-year spell with Havant & Waterlooville in the Conference South where his goalscoring prowess alerted him to Chelsea according to various reports.

Although he failed to hit the heights at Mansfield, Orient head coach Ian Hendon will be confident the forward can find the net with regularity at Brisbane Road.

The way Palmer ended the 2014/15 campaign with Grimsby is a sign that his confidence is back and before his transfer to O’s was revealed, Hendon discussed his interested in the 23-year-old.

“I know Ollie and I know all about him. He did well towards the end of last season,” said Hendon.

“I knew about him where he was at Havant as well and he scored a lot of goals there and put himself on the map. He has had a bit of a barren spell where he went to Mansfield, but he is a striker of interest to us.”

Hendon has now made that interest concrete by signing the forward on a two-year deal and Palmer will join fellow new additions Sammy Moore, Sean Clohessy, Blair Turgott and Paul McCallum at Brisbane Road.

His transfer follows the news that Darius Henderson has left Orient to “pursue other opportunities.”