It’s quite difficult to find a striker with 20 goals in a season. Finding two in consecutive seasons is about the soccer equivalent of conquering Mount Everest with a slider. Unless you’re Leyton Orient.
The O’s came very close to the Championship last year thanks to shrewd loan market strategy, with Josh Kiely, Jamie Donley and Charlie Kellman all excelling during their spells at Brisbane Road. But it was Kerman who calmly led from the front, scoring 21 goals en route to Ligue 1’s Golden Boot award and a place in the play-off final.
Orient’s loss was Charlton’s gain in the summer. The Londoners signed Kellman on a permanent contract to rub salt in the wounds of Orient’s victory at Wembley. Disadvantages of the loan market.
Twelve months on, Orient are arguably one better team with the signing of Dom Ballard. The 21-year-old striker has been in a class of his own when it comes to scoring domestically this term, and it’s his goals that are crucial.
read more: Luton manager Jack Wilshere wins EFL Trophy final to claim first trophy as managerread more: How Millwall became dark horses for promotion to the Championship under Alex Neil
Ballard has found the back of the net 22 times in the league during the break, more than the other striker in England’s top four division, Erling Haaland (also 22 goals). Some are eyeing a player who arrived at Brisbane Road with just six goals in the senior league.
He equaled that record in just six games, scoring a stunning hat-trick in his final game. In terms of impact, Ballard’s case was immediate.
“Being calm and having the support of the people around me (was huge),” Ballard told Mirror Football after winning the EFL Young Player of the Month award for March.
“When I first came to Orient, everyone at the club was very supportive and believed in me even after a year (last season). That belief in what I could do was still there.”
Ballard rose through the academy ranks at Southampton and enjoyed varying levels of success during spells at Reading, Blackpool and Cambridge. The latter two were Ballard’s temporary home last season, scoring just one and two goals respectively in league play.
Ballard became Orient’s most recent 20-goal player of the season (Image: Matt Impey/Shutterstock)
There were mitigating circumstances that may go some way to explaining why Ballard only exploded this year.
At Blackpool he signed Neil Critchley, but for the majority of the season he played under Steve Bruce, who played a completely different style. Cambridge averaged less than one goal per game and were relegated long before it was officially decided. Both spells brought confusion, but also valuable teachings.
“I’ll never take back[last year]because I learned a lot about myself at Blackpool,” Ballard explains. “Steve Bruce probably doesn’t have the type of playing style that suits me, but he taught me a lot of things that I wouldn’t have learned in my 21s.
“When you’re out on loan and you’ve only been at a club for a few months, you don’t feel as much of a connection as you do with your parent club. I found that tough. I’m a big football fan and a big supporter of my team. When you have that kind of pride, you get a little bit of adrenaline when you win a game.
“I wish I had scored 25 goals last year, but it was a big learning experience for me and I would never take it back.”
Orient, and primarily head coach Richie Wellens, have spent the past nine months first rebuilding Ballard’s confidence and then giving him the tools to take his game to another level.
Ballard has developed after enjoying varying levels of success during different loan spells (Image: Stephen White/CameraSport)
An injury to loanee Alfie Lloyd prompted Orient to accelerate their move to sign Ballard from Southampton on a permanent deal. The young striker had developed a formidable reputation due to his great achievements in the academy.
Ballard was set to spend more than a decade at Southampton before heading to the capital. But Ballard, who grew up on Corfu until the age of six, is no stranger to big moves.
“I try to go back every year,” he says, recalling experiences from his childhood on the popular Greek island.
“This is a special place for me. It was my mother and father’s dream to live abroad and they had the opportunity to make it come true. I think my father saw that I was capable of playing football and wanted to see me return to England.”
Chigwell, home to Orient’s modest training base, cannot rival Corfu in climate or otherwise. But for those of the Eastern persuasion who had to endure a punitive campaign, there is still much to look forward to.
The East Londoners have been able to recreate their blueprint of finding a 20-goal-a-season striker, but this time there will be no play-offs. Instead, Wellens’ side will be looking over their shoulder with just a four-point buffer over the relegation spot.
Leyton Orient and O’s head coach Richie Wellens helped take Ballard’s game to another level (Image: Pete Norton)
Another aggressive change of players in the summer effectively prevented Orient from pursuing further promotion, with varying degrees of success in terms of reinforcements.
The terrible luck of goalkeepers, with five signings in the past 12 months, hasn’t helped either. Daniel Bachmann was signed on loan in January to replace the recalled Tommy Simkin, but further deals were agreed with Will Dennis and Tobi Oluwayemi after the Austrian was injured in the warm-up minutes before his debut. As this situation continues, Orient has the worst defensive record in the league with 66 points.
Safety is close, but not completely guaranteed. Still, there is more than a glimmer of hope on the horizon, with ambitious plans for a new training ground and stadium afoot. There’s room for more celebration than praise if they can avoid relegation in the near future, especially with a player of Ballard’s ilk leading the line.
“Statistically we probably need three more points (to be safe),” Ballard said before this week’s games against Huddersfield and Mansfield, which secured the only points.
“Ultimately, the governor is focused on trying to build things and make connections for next year.
“We made some changes in January and we have a new captain in Will (Forrest). He, James Morris and Caelan Casey have made a big change. The team looks much better.”
“We have a good team now and I don’t think much will change by the summer.”
Ballard won the Young Player of the Month award for March with five goals and one assist in six games and could immediately win League One’s Golden Boot award and the sectional Player of the Season award for which he was nominated earlier this month.
March’s performance included his third hat trick of the season, a feat not accomplished by any Oriental player since the legendary Tommy Johnson in 1957-58.
Ballard has already surpassed the record set by Charlie Kellman on loan at Orient last year.
There were also some rough runs. However, he explains: “The thing I’m most proud of is that I can score a couple of points on the bounce and then not score for the next few games. But I know the number of goals will go down because I have the ability to score at this level.”
Last year, Kellman’s goal nearly sent Orient out of the division, but Ballard’s contributions served a different purpose. Such facts should not tarnish his arrogant record.
Ballard accepts the personal accolades that come with such prolific territory almost reluctantly, but he is quick to divert much of it to his coach and teammates. He believes that not only the players but the whole club has regained confidence.
“From the first day I came to the game and decided to sign, the staff were amazing. The fans were always supporting me and they had my little song, which was also really nice.
“It was a very easy group to get into, including the players. It was a big thing after being in a different place for so long. I think I needed that and it helped build my confidence.”
“(Wellens) is emotional, but that’s because he cares. As a group of players, we understand that. Personally, I’d rather play for a really important manager than one that doesn’t matter.”
“Small tweaks (that Wellens made), little things that I hadn’t thought of, little movements and out of possession (actions) that took my game to the next level (which was huge). As a striker you’re judged by your goals, but it’s not all about the goals. He’s developed my game across the board.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
World Cup Legends – Special Edition now on sale
Nothing creates legends like the World Cup. This new special edition publication celebrates the heroes of Earth’s greatest sporting event.
Buy now here or from participating supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents from Wednesday 25 March 2026. Online orders will be shipped starting Wednesday, March 25th, with shipping and packaging charges applicable.
