Orient captain Nathan Clarke has admitted Kevin Lisbie will be a massive loss for the club after the striker joined Stevenage.

Lisbie has moved to the League Two side on a one-month loan but it is effectively the end of his O’s career with his contract expiring at Brisbane Road this summer.

The 36-year-old has made just eight appearances for Orient in an injury-disrupted campaign. With so many forwards at the club, he has struggled to get a look in recently with his last appearance in the home defeat to Notts County in February.

Clarke understands why Lisbie, who made his debut in Stevenage’s goalless draw at Exeter City on Tuesday night, has decided a move was necessary but is adamant his presence will be missed at the club.

The defender said: “He is a massive loss to be honest. We obviously wish him well but he needs to be playing. He’s 36 now and wants to be playing. He is as desperate as anybody to be playing.

“The amount of strikers we’ve got and with the direction the manager’s going in at the moment he wasn’t really getting a look in. But he was still his confident self around the dressing room and in training. He’ll be delighted to get this loan move now and get some games.

“Of course he’ll be missed. He was one of the bigger characters at the club and with his experience, not just on the pitch but off it when speaking to certain players especially the young strikers, you can only do well by listening to him.”

Clarke added: “I’ve learnt that you can’t go on people’s ages. He was an absolute nightmare in training to play against. You always think he’s 36 and he’s not going to run away from me but he was certainly one of those guys who could spin in behind and hold the ball up for us. He will be a massively missed but we all wish him well.”