Former Shrewsbury Town defender Omar Beckles departs Leyton Orient for Gillingham

Beckles made 126 appearances in all competitions for Salop between 2017 and 2020, scoring eight goals. He left Leyton Orient having made exactly 200 appearances for the club, making a January transfer window deadline day move to League Two side Gillingham.

The defender joined Shrewsbury in the summer of 2017 on a three-year deal and enjoyed a successful spell in blue and amber, twice winning the club's Community Player of the Season award. He was also named in the League One Team of the Year for the 2017/18 campaign.

The London-born defender, who was signed from Accrington Stanley by Paul Hurst, left a lasting legacy in Shropshire thanks to his tireless charity work supporting mental health initiatives.

In a post on social media, Beckles - who has been at Leyton Orient since 2021 - said: "Nothing lasts forever in football! As I approach the latter stages of my career, I knew this moment would inevitably come, but I didn’t expect this chapter to end so soon.

"As an East End boy, playing for my local club has been an honour, and I’m grateful to have put on the shirt 200 times. 

"I’ve had some of my best moments and memories during my time here, but the best is yet to come, as I know I have so much more to offer. No one is to blame and it’s not time to take things personal, this is football, and the club and I have parted on good terms after all we’ve achieved together.

"We’ve created so many special memories on and off the pitch, and Lord knows I’ve made some brothers for life."

Beckles helped Town to the League One play-off final in his first season at the Meadow, and in 2019, he was called up to play for Grenada, alongside Shrewsbury teammate Aaron Pierre.

Beckles made 22 appearances for Leyton Orient in League One this season, last featuring on New Year's Day.