Saturday’s victory over Rochdale saw Russell Slade include Moses Odubajo, Billy Lobjoit and Afolabi Obafemi in the matchday squad, with all three impressing.

The immergence of the trio into first-team action provided a welcome aside to an end of season victory for the O’s.

Excluding those who turned professional this season, only Mike Cestor remains with the club of those offered their first contracts in the previous three campaigns, but Slade stressed he is happy to give youngsters their chance if they are ready.

He explained: “It gets harder I think geographically for Leyton Orient to get quite the quality of player we need with so much competition around and about. We constantly lose players, 12-year-olds and 14-year-olds, to the bigger clubs. It is not easy to keep them here.

“But I think it is a really good choice when you come to Leyton Orient because there are simply not the blocks on. There is the possibility of somebody like Moses, who is still only 18, playing for the first team.

“The opportunity is there. It doesn’t matter to me. I have given umpteen debuts to young players and if they are good enough then they will get the opportunity at Leyton Orient, that’s for sure.”