Leyton Orient have been linked with a move for former Southampton and Sport Republic recruitment figure Ben Chorley.
The 43-year-old is reportedly in the frame for a Director of Football role at Brisbane Road, with Norwich City also said to be interested in appointing him to head up their scouting department.
According to Pete O’Rourke, Chorley is under consideration by Orient following his departure from Southampton, where he had been working as UK head of scouting.
Ben Chorley is in the frame for Director of Football role at Leyton Orient following his departure from Southampton. Norwich are also interested in Chorley to head up their scouting. #LOFC #Orient #SaintsFC #NCFC pic.twitter.com/ZtZXaj6yMb
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) May 27, 2026
Chorley Linked With Orient Return
Chorley would be a familiar name to Leyton Orient supporters, having spent more than three years with the club as a player between 2009 and 2013. A former central defender, he made more than 150 appearances for the O’s before later going on to represent Stevenage, Portsmouth and Bromley.
Since retiring, he has built a reputation in recruitment and football operations. He was director of football at Swindon Town, where he worked during a period in which the club reached the League Two play-offs, before moving into the Sport Republic group. He later held a sporting director role at Valenciennes and then moved into the Southampton structure.
His exit from Southampton was confirmed this week, with reports stating that he had stepped down from his role as UK head of scouting. Chorley had only taken on that position in August 2025, after previously working as Sport Republic’s sporting director from July 2023.
Norwich Also Credited With Interest
Orient are not the only club said to be considering Chorley. Norwich have also been credited with an interest, although O’Rourke’s report suggests their potential move would be for a scouting leadership position rather than a Director of Football role.
That difference could be important. At Orient, Chorley would appear to be linked with a broader football operations position, potentially shaping recruitment, strategy and football structure. At Norwich, the role described would seemingly be more focused on leading scouting.
Any move for Chorley would represent a clear decision to return to a defined football leadership model at Brisbane Road. After Ling’s departure, there had been questions over whether the club would immediately seek a like-for-like replacement, adjust the responsibilities internally, or take time to reassess the structure.
Chorley’s availability may have shifted that conversation. He has a connection with the club, experience in recruitment, and direct knowledge of the Director of Football role. He has also worked within a multi-club environment, something that has become increasingly common across the modern game and brings exposure to a wider range of recruitment processes.
The appeal is fairly obvious. Chorley knows the club, understands the division, and has taken on roles that require more than simply identifying players. The question is whether the O’s see this as the right moment to put another senior football figure in place, especially so soon after changing the previous structure. If they do, Chorley looks a credible option rather than a left-field name, and his availability may have come at exactly the right time.
