New signing believes he has joined a team who are going places

Striker David Mooney believes his move to Leyton Orient can kick-start his football career.

The 26-year-old former Reading hitman became Russell Slade’s fifth summer signing on Saturday morning, when he signed a two-year deal and the Dublin-born front-man is relishing his new challenge.

Mooney signed in time to play the final 26 minutes of Orient’s goalless draw at Dagenham & Redbridge at the weekend and then opened his goal account when he scored the only goal of the game in Tuesday night’s friendly win at Gillingham.

The striker pounced to see off the Gills at the Priestfield Stadium when he crashed the ball home via the underside of the bar after Alex Revell had headed down a Charlie Daniels corner.

Mooney started in tandem with Revell, before the strike duo were replaced on 67 minutes by Jonathan Tehoue and George Porter.

“I have come to try and kick my career on and the only way I am going to do that is in a good team who’s going places,” said Mooney.

O’s just missed out on the play-offs last season, and Mooney believes the team can go one better this time around: “I see us as a top six side,” he said.

“We just have to keep working hard and stick to our game plan. I think the way we play we will tire a lot of teams out and probably score a lot of late goals, so it’s all about patience.”

Mooney spent last season on loan at Orient’s League One rivals Colchester United, where he netted 14 goals in 44 appearances.

But the striker revealed: “I’ve not set a target yet for this season. I’ll have a bit of time to myself now in the hotel over the next week and plan all the stuff out I want to try and achieve over the next year.

“But, at the moment, I’m just looking forward to it being a really good season with lots of goals and games.”

Orient boss Slade moved quickly on his return from the club’s tour of Finland to secure the services of Mooney, who has also played for Charlton Athletic and Norwich City.

“I met with a few clubs, but when I spoke to the manager here and he laid the plans across and the style of football that we play, I felt this was going to be the right move for me and hopefully I can help the club push on,” said Mooney.

It was a whirlwind 24 hours for the striker as he flew over on Friday night, signed on Saturday morning after a medical and then came on for half-an-hour against Dagenham.

“I’m was just happy to get through the game really,” said Mooney, who is relishing the prospect of playing his football in the capital.

“I’m happy to come to Leyton Orient, it’s an area that we know and being down here in London, it’s an area which suits us perfectly.”

Mooney, who spent his early career playing for Shamrock Rovers, Longford Town and Cork City before moving to Reading in 2008, enjoyed his spell at Colchester last season.

“It was a good time for me and I enjoyed the club and the people were really friendly,” he said.

“The manager was a nice man, but it was time for me and my family to have a fresh challenge.”

With Alex Revell, Jamie Cureton, Jonathan Tehoue and the emergence of George Porter, Mooney knows that competition for a first-team shirt will be tough, but he is looking forward to the

challenge.

“There are a lot of games in League One, whether it be the cup or the league and you need a good squad,” he said.

“Hopefully we can all spur each other on to get the best out of each other.”