Why Leyton Orient's Relationship with Tottenham Deserves More Recognition

When Leyton Orient signed Dane Scarlett on deadline day, it was, to many, just another League One transfer. In reality, it became the latest chapter in a relationship that has developed over almost two decades and become one of the most interesting between two clubs in English football.

For Tottenham Hotspur, Leyton Orient has repeatedly provided a home for promising young players, giving them the chance to experience senior football at a good level. For Orient, the relationship has given them players capable of making a genuine difference on the pitch, while also providing various commercial and community benefits away from the pitch.

While the 2026 summer transfer window saw this relationship continue to thrive, the connection between the two clubs goes back well beyond the recent generation of Spurs youngsters.

From Daniels to Kane

The modern relationship between the clubs dates back to 2007, when Tottenham’s reserve side began using Brisbane Road as its home, with Orient’s ground also hosting a number of Academy fixtures.

Charlie Daniels was the first modern example to benefit from the connection, joining the O’s on loan from Spurs during the 2007/08 season. He returned to Orient permanently in 2009, going on to make 175 appearances for the club before moving to AFC Bournemouth, where he became a stalwart for years to come.

Simon Dawkins followed, spending time on loan at Brisbane Road in 2008 and making 13 senior appearances. Andros Townsend arrived a year later, with the midfielder later crediting his loan experiences, including his time at Orient, with helping build a career that included nearly 300 Premier League appearances and 13 senior England caps.

The 2010/11 season saw Harry Kane, Tom Carroll and Paul-Jose M’Poku all spend time at Orient on loan from Spurs. This was Kane’s first taste of senior football, with the striker scoring five times in 18 appearances before going on to become Tottenham and England’s record goalscorer, and one of the greatest strikers of his generation.

Carroll went on to play 56 times for Spurs and make more than 250 appearances in English professional football, while M’Poku enjoyed a successful career playing in Europe and Asia, with both kick-starting their senior careers with the O’s.

The pipeline continued in the following seasons, as David Button, Ben Alnwick and Shaquile Coulthirst all had spells on loan at Brisbane Road. Orient were providing Tottenham youngsters with competitive senior football that could help prepare them for careers higher up the ladder, and the relationship was becoming a recurring pathway rather than an occasional arrangement.

More Than Just a Loan Link

Off-field troubles for the O’s meant a few years without Spurs loanees, but the relationship resurfaced in 2019/20 when George Marsh and Kazaiah Sterling joined Orient, with the former making 29 appearances during his loan spell.

While not every player has gone on to have a career as decorated as Kane or as experienced as Townsend and Carroll, a relationship like this does not require every player to become a Premier League star. It needs to give young players an opportunity to play senior football while giving the receiving club access to players with potential.

That was demonstrated particularly clearly in 2024/25. Orient signed midfielder Jamie Donley and goalkeeper Josh Keeley on season-long loans, with both becoming important players rather than simply young loanees being given minutes for the sake of their development.

Donley made 52 appearances, contributing eight goals and 11 assists, and became a crucial player in a side that reached the League One play-off final. Keeley made 45 appearances between the sticks, keeping 16 clean sheets and even scoring in Orient’s FA Cup victory over Oldham Athletic.

Keeley has since joined Luton Town permanently, while Donley has reunited with him at Luton on loan from Spurs for 2026/27.

The relationship has continued into the current season, with Spurs loanee Yusuf Akhamrich enjoying a fruitful start to life at Brisbane Road. The 20-year-old has scored three times and provided three assists in League One so far.

Then there is Dane Scarlett, whose permanent move on deadline day represented a slightly different development. The 22-year-old has spent much of his senior career trying to prove himself through a series of loan moves, but is now doing so as an Orient player rather than someone temporarily sent to east London by Tottenham.

His senior record means there is certainly a gamble involved. Scarlett has not yet become the prolific striker that Tottenham once hoped he might be, and there is no guarantee he will suddenly produce huge numbers in League One.

But Orient do not need every Spurs player to become Harry Kane.

The value of the relationship is that it gives them access to players with potential, and Scarlett is now a player they can potentially develop for themselves. Rather than simply returning to Tottenham at the end of a successful loan spell, Orient will benefit directly if he fulfils his potential at Brisbane Road.

It is still early in his Orient career, so it is far too soon to judge the success of the move. But the relationship is no longer simply about Tottenham loaning players to Orient. There is now an opportunity for the O’s to take ownership of a player’s next stage of development.

That is what makes the relationship so valuable from Orient’s perspective. The O’s have been able to access players with Premier League academy backgrounds who might otherwise have been difficult to attract, while Tottenham have had the opportunity to place their youngsters in an environment where they can play regularly and learn the demands of senior football.

More Than Football

The connection extends beyond the men’s first team, with Tottenham’s women’s team playing the majority of their home matches at Brisbane Road since 2022. Orient chief executive Mark Devlin has previously explained that the arrangement is beneficial to the club financially, including through revenue generated from Tottenham supporters attending matches at Brisbane Road.

Spurs Women continue to use Brisbane Road for the 2026/27 season, providing another link between the two clubs away from the men’s first team.

There are also connections off the pitch. In 2019, Kane sponsored Orient’s match shirts for the 2019/20 season, with three charities displayed across the home, away and third shirts.

Then there is the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation Trophy. The annual pre-season fixture exists in memory of Edinburgh, who played for Tottenham before later managing Orient and leading them back into the Football League.

The match has become a way for the two clubs to celebrate a shared part of their history while also raising money for the foundation established in his memory. It is another poignant reminder that the relationship is about far more than transfers.

A Relationship Built to Last

It is difficult to think of many relationships between clubs at such different levels that have developed across so many areas.

The Orient-Tottenham connection has involved academy players, first-team football, the women’s game, commercial opportunities, shared history and charitable work. Harry Kane began his senior career at Brisbane Road, while generations of Spurs youngsters have experienced senior football there. Now, Dane Scarlett and Yusuf Akhamrich represent the latest stage in a relationship that has continued to evolve.

For Spurs, Orient can provide a valuable environment for young players to develop. For Orient, the relationship has strengthened squads, created memorable moments, opened commercial opportunities and maintained a unique connection between two London clubs.

And that is why the relationship between Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur deserves far more recognition.