{"id":557214,"date":"2020-07-08T07:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-07-08T11:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonfootball.com\/?p=557214"},"modified":"2020-12-28T11:27:25","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T16:27:25","slug":"marvin-ekpiteta-leaves-leyton-orient-to-join-blackpool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2020\/07\/08\/marvin-ekpiteta-leaves-leyton-orient-to-join-blackpool\/","title":{"rendered":"Marvin Ekpiteta Leaves Leyton Orient to Join Blackpool"},"content":{"rendered":"

Defender Marvin Ekpiteta has left Leyton Orient<\/a> to sign for League One side Blackpool<\/a>. The 24-year-old has signed a two-year deal with Neil Critchley’s Seasiders, with the option to extend it by a further year.<\/p>\n

Marvin Ekpiteta Joins Blackpool From Leyton Orient<\/h2>\n

Time at The O’s<\/h3>\n

Ekpiteta joined Orient in 2018 from non-league side East Thurrock United. Aside from coming through the academy at Oxford United, Ekpiteta spent all of his career prior to Orient in non-league, also turning out for Chelmsford City, Witham Town and Concord Rangers.<\/p>\n

In the 2018\/19 season, he was a regular in the Orient side that went on to secure the National League title, and subsequently a return to the Football League. He was also a key figure in the club’s run to the FA Trophy final in 2019, where they eventually lost 1-0 at AFC Fylde at Wembley.<\/p>\n

Ekpiteta continued to appear regularly as the O’s settled for a lower mid-table finish in their first season back in League Two. He put in consistent performances at centre-back and was deemed to be one of the club’s top performers in a campaign of consolidation.<\/p>\n

This step up will be a chance for Ekpiteta to test himself at a new level, and he will be well guided by Critchley, who has experience of working with youngster players at Liverpool<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What Was Said?<\/h3>\n

Speaking to the club website<\/a>, Blackpool boss Critchley was delighted to land his target, saying: “Marvin is an excellent young defender with bags of potential, and we’re thrilled to have him here.<\/p>\n

“He’s a player who has progressed from non-league and has impressed everywhere he has been, and this is the next step in his career.”<\/p>\n

Leyton Orient head coach Ross Embleton was rightly disappointed to lose a key player, especially as Ekpiteta had rejected numerous good offers to stay at the club.<\/p>\n

He said<\/a>: \u201cWe\u2019re very disappointed to lose any player, but someone like Marv who has been on a successful journey with us in recent times is hard to take.<\/p>\n

“The club did everything in their power to retain Marvin at the club, but ultimately his interests lay elsewhere, and we wish him well in his challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a>