Former Leyton Orient youngster Michael Clark will remain with East Thurrock United until the end of the season.

Clark had spent time on loan with the National League South side earlier this campaign and will now link up with the club permanently until the end of the season, after he was released by Orient last week alongside midfielder Henry Ochieng.

The young defender captained the O’s youth team and went on to make 11 appearances in all competitions for the National League side, three of which coming earlier this campaign.

Ochieng, meanwhile, signed his first professional deal with the club in December 2016 and went on to make 13 appearances for Orient, the last of which coming against Solihull Moors last year.

The news comes just weeks after Aron Pollock and Freddy Moncur were allowed to leave Brisbane Road and O’s head coach Justin Edinburgh explained the reasoning behind the moves after Saturday’s game against Woking.

He said: “It’s my decision along with Martin (Ling) and Ross (Embleton) and I always say, please prove me wrong. It’s nothing personal and I’m not getting rid of every youth player that comes through here. But they’ve got to be good enough. In my view, the ones that I’ve let go weren’t.”

The O’s head coach also confirmed that Charley Barker will not be handed a professional contract, with the young midfielder currently on trial at League 2 side Cheltenham Town.

He said: “Charley’s been made aware he won’t be getting a new contract here so what we’re trying to do is let them boys have an opportunity to get ahead of the game and try and secure themselves a contract elsewhere.

“The way we are looking to do things next year, what we need is young players who are ready for the first team. The one’s I’ve spoken about (Myles) Judd, (Dan) Happe and (Josh) Koroma, they’re ready and I’ve got to be the here and now and that’s what we’re about.

“We’re not a Football League team anymore and we’ll lose a lot more of our funding next year. We’ve got to concentrate on the first team to let us have an under 23s where we can develop young players in the right environment and that will be my decision behind these young boys. Nothing would please me more if they went and proved me wrong.”