NEW Orient signing Matthew Spring will get an early chance to put one over former club Charlton Athletic.

The midfielder’s first home game for the O’s is against the Addicks, where he spent a troubled 18 months.

That clash will take place on Friday, August 13 and will be screened live on TV by Sky Sports.

Spring was a forgotten man at Charlton and hardly ever played.

But last week he joined Orient on a two-year deal.

Boss Russell Slade hailed Spring as ‘a really, really important signing for us’.

What a contrast from his experience across the water in south London.

Spring told Guardian Series Sport: “The Charlton boss didn’t give me the chance to prove myself. I trained every day, I was not injured, so there was no problem there.

“I just did not play.

“The manager had his favourites and played them week in, week out, no matter what.

“I was training just to keep myself fit and got nowhere near the first team.

“I want to be the first on the teamsheet because that’s where I need to be. If you don’t feel like that, then you shouldn’t be a professional footballer.

“I had to leave. That happens in football.”

Now the 30-year-old is set for the chance to show his old employer what he can do when the Addicks come to Brisbane Road next month.

But midfielder Spring insists that for him, racking up game-time is the most important thing.

Spring said: “I’ve not come to Orient to sit on the bench. Now I’ve got to get myself in the first team where I want to be.

“I just need to be playing, and as long as we get the win (against Charlton) then I don’t care who scores the goal.”

But he admitted he would love for it to be him.

“That would be nice, but that kind of thing only happens inside a ‘Roy of the Rovers’ book.

“Charlton are one of the biggest teams in the division, so everyone will see it as a big game.

“For me it will be just another game. It’s a big one, as it’s the first home game, but we have two matches before that, including a cup match.”

So what is Spring’s formula for making an impact at Orient?

“I will probably stand on the line, goal hanging,” he said.

“No, the manager will give me licence to express myself in the way he sets up the system.

“The boss has told me what he wants, and when training gets more intense we will see more.”