ORIENT striker Jabo Ibehre says he is prepared to stay and fight for his place at Brisbane Road, despite growing speculation about his future.

The 23-year-old frontman, who scored only his second goal of the season at Brentford on Saturday, has found himself down the pecking order this season.

And manager Martin Ling has already stated that he would be prepared to let Ibehre leave the club if a suitable offer came in for him during the January transfer window. The size of that offer is thought to be in the region of £100,000, which is believed to be the amount Brighton were willing to pay in the summer before the striker pulled out of a move to the Withdean Stadium at the last minute preferring to stay with the O's instead.

And it seems that with a contract that has still got another season to run on it, Ibehre is keen to prove Ling wrong for wanting to let him go. He said: "It was great to start at Brentford on Saturday and get a goal, which will certainly do my confidence no harm.

"Of course all this speculation about my future is unsettling, but my contract is still at Orient and in every chance I get to wear the shirt I will do the best that I can.

"As everyone knows I've always been happy at this football club, because I've grown up here since I was a kid.

"I have also got a good relationship with the fans and it was great to get a goal for them on Saturday. I don't want to just sit there on my contract though because I have my own ambitions and that is to play football regularly to the best of my ability.

"At the minute though it is unclear whether that will be at Orient, because I know the manager is looking to change things around.

"But in football things can change very quickly, so all I can do is put my head down, work hard and just see what happens now."