WATCH: Antrim-born star follows up FA Cup magic with another special strike as Tottenham Hotspur loanee continues to shine at Leyton Orient
Antrim-born Jamie Donley continues adding to his highlight reel after scoring yet another special goal in Leyton Orient’s 2-1 League One victory over high-flying Wrexham.
It was only a matter of weeks ago when Donley, who has previously represented Northern Ireland at youth international level, stole the headlines with his audacious strike from distance putting Orient ahead against Manchester City in the FA Cup.
The 20-year-old took social media by storm once again on Tuesday evening when his technically superb effort completed a comeback for Richie Wellens’ side against promotion-chasing Wrexham.
With Wrexham attempting to clear their lines from a corner, the ball lofted high into the sky before falling to Donley on the edge of the box and he rifled an unstoppable shot beyond Mark Howard.
It continues what has been a special season for Donley, who is currently on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, with the attacker named EFL Young Player of the Month for January after scoring three goals and assisting three more in Orient’s five league games.
Donley appears to be destined for the top-tier of English football and Wellens has backed him to thrive on the biggest stages.
“Going forward Championship will be minimum for him,” he said. “Unless we’re in the Championship, there’s no way we get him back next year.
“The plan for Jamie was one of two things. He comes to us, develops, grows into a man and then goes back to Tottenham and maybe gets into their first team.
“If not, then he goes to the Championship, so there is a clear development plan for him going forward.
“Spurs have been great with us, loaned us one of their best young players and we think we’ve developed him really well over the last six months.
“And if he carries on with the same attitude, the same intensity, the same work ethic and mentality, then he might be playing against City week in, week out.”
Donley was born in Antrim to a Northern Irish father and English mother, but has spent the entirety of his football career in England, joining Tottenham’s academy in 2013 and nine years later signed a first professional contract with the Premier League giants.
He was called up by Gerard Lyttle to represent Northern Ireland’s U19s in 2021, scoring twice in as many matches against Faroe Islands at The Oval and Mourneview Park, but has since returned to representing England, netting five times in seven appearances for their U19s.
Another player that continues to impress at Orient is former Linfield and Manchester United youngster Ethan Galbraith, who provided three assists in their weekend win over Lincoln City.
“Ethan Galbraith was outstanding,” said Wellens after Galbraith scored in a triumph over Mansfield Town earlier this month. “He is a Premier League player in the making and younger players who watch him can see how strong he is in his running.
"He’s unbelievable and he’s brilliant. We’ve got loads of young players that should be watching him and going ‘he’s intense there, he’s always running, he’s always at it’.”