MATTHEW LOCKWOOD has ended his nine-year association with the O's by joining Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee.

Lockwood, 30, was just 107 League appearances short of Peter Allen's all-time record for the club, and when he signed a new two-year contract last month, the Rochford-born left back looked set for a tilt at that mark.

But the two-time European Cup winners invoked a release clause in Lockwood's new contract with their bid for his services and he will now be looking to make his mark at the City Ground.

Lockwood has been a fixture in the O's side ever since his August 1998 move from Bristol Rovers, and he became the club's top scoring defender last term when he edged over the 50-goal mark.

He also holds the club record for converting the most penalties, but O's boss Martin Ling will now be on the search for a new left back.

He said: "We're disappointed to lose a player of Matthew's quality, but he has chosen to exercise the clause he had in his contract allowing him to leave for a certain fee.

"He's been very close to moving on in the past and I think that he felt that this was too good an opportunity to turn down.

"It's probably his last chance to move to a big club and I wish him all the best at Forest.

"He has been a great servant to Orient over the last nine years and I'd like to thank him for the impact he had here, but we will now have to move on and look for a quality left back."