Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Paul Mullin has gone to Wrexham.
Last year's top scorer in League 2, and player of the season has dropped 2 divisions to play in the NL.

This is the proven goalscorer we should have bought, instead of Drinan.

I wonder what the incentive was to go there

That is staggering. But as a Merseyside born person maybe Wrexham offers him what he wants geographically. Perhaps that’s his incentive. Same reasons we got Woods and Beckles.

I’m sure he is on good wages there too.

Ornchurch wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:01 pm I wonder what the incentive was to go there

A shed load of money perhaps.

ComeOnYouOs wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:00 pm Paul Mullin has gone to Wrexham.
Last year's top scorer in League 2, and player of the season has dropped 2 divisions to play in the NL.

This is the proven goalscorer we should have bought, instead of Drinan.

Proves it can be done

Wrexham have Netflix money pouring in via their actor owners. You'd have to be a dolt to whine about not nabbing Mullins, he was a target for a load of league 1 teams.

Who’s whining about not getting Mullins ? All I’m saying is money talks

When was the last time we made a marque signing rather than someone we all have to google? I can’t remember. Not talking about a manager.

Beradogs wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:07 pm When was the last time we made a marque signing rather than someone we all have to google? I can’t remember. Not talking about a manager.

Stan Bowles 1980.

Mistadobalina wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:58 pm Wrexham have Netflix money pouring in via their actor owners. You'd have to be a dolt to whine about not nabbing Mullins, he was a target for a load of league 1 teams.

You'd also have to be a dolt if you can't see past your own nose and realise that 23 other League Two sides couldn't sign him either...but still, ffs Orient, shouldn't have signed someone we've never seen play as if it was a choice between the two.

Also Mullin signed on 23 July. Various fans finger point and whine about the best players only being available at the start of the close season and would have been up in arms had we not signed any forwards up til now.

Shades of Adam Rooney going to Salford.

Still wrong wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:41 pm

Beradogs wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:07 pm When was the last time we made a marque signing rather than someone we all have to google? I can’t remember. Not talking about a manager.

Stan Bowles 1980.

Stan Bowles was indeed a marque signing, but a gamble for a club of Orients stature. Whilst he was a great player, not sure he could be afforded. He only stayed one season during which we struggled. The next season we finished bottom and were relegated, so far never to return. In my opinion this so called marquee signing triggered the start of the decline. Be careful what you wish for.

If a 'proven' 25 year old striker at our level - and the target of L1 clubs like Charlton - has still dropped two divisions there can only be two reasons:
a) Money
b) location / family reasons

Personally, I'd think a) is the more likely reason of the two and either way, we shouldn't be chasing a player who doesn't really want to be here.

As for 'Marquee' signings, Bowles was ok but was more interested in betting shops than playing for Orient, and indeed, most other clubs.
I'd argue that the most recent 'Marquee' signings were under the Italian mob (Andrea Dossena anyone?) - certainly in terms of lobbing stupid money at them - and we all know how that ended.

Who knows whether we will have a 'proven' goalscorer by the end of the season?
By definition, every proven goalscorer has to be unproven at some point.
I don't remember too many saying that Danny Johnson was the answer before he banged all those goals in last season - well, the first half of the season anyway. Even he couldn't score goals when he was getting no supply.

Apparently Wrexham are paying him £6,000 a week

Lifelongfan wrote: ↑Sat Jul 24, 2021 12:03 am Apparently Wrexham are paying him £6,000 a week

Is that good money?

Mullin's record is quite interesting. Prior to joining Cambridge he had scored 39 league goals in 204 games so about 1 in 5. Then, for Cambridge he scored 34 from 52 games so 1 in 1.5. Cambridge's style obviously suited his game so will be interesting to see how he does at Wrexham.