Leyton Orient player-manager Kevin Nolan insists it is vital to the club's promotion hopes they hold on to top scorer Jay Simpson this season.

Simpson scored his 22nd goal of the season in the midweek win over Newport County and Nolan knows the significance of keeping the striker at the club beyond Monday’s transfer deadline day.

Nolan said: “It’s majorly important but I think the one thing we’ve got with Jay Simpson is he loves playing here.

"He enjoys it and lives locally so I think with me and the president, if it is needed to discuss, if we need to sit down with Jay I don’t think it will be a very long conversation unless it’s a dramatic deal or something which is too good to turn down."

The Orient manager continued: “Hopefully that’s not going to come because if we’ve got ambitions and aspirations about getting out of this league he’s a major part of trying to do that and I think the president knows that and the support staff certainly know that.

“It’s about managing him and hoping we can keep him fit from now until the end of the season. As you can see he’s going to score you goals.”