Clayton Fortune Profile

Date of Birth: 10th November 1982

Position: Defender

Former Clubs: Tottenham, Bristol City, Port Vale, Leyton Orient

Defender Clayton Fortune joined Darlington following his release from Leyton Orient at the end of the 2007/08 campaign.

Fortune joined Leyton Orient in August 2006 however struggled to make an impact on the team during the previous campaign which saw the O's finish 14th in League One. Fortune was expected to be a replacement for the departed Gaby Zakuani at Brisbane Road but he found form hard to come by and at the end of his first season he was on loan, for the second time in his career, at Port Vale.

More frustration followed during the 2007/08 season as Fortune completed just one game for Leyton Orient thanks for a dislocated shoulder. Having already suffered a problem with the joint he fell heavily on his shoulder again during a comeback game against Brentford reserves last September 2007 and needed an operation.

The tall defender originally started his career at Tottenham Hotspur. He failed to make the breakthrough at White Hart Lane and moved to Bristol City in August 2000 where he spent six years.

He started 29 league games and made a further 24 appearances as sub, before joining Port Vale during the 2005/06 season. A number of impressive performances there had Championship clubs QPR and Derby County reportedly interested in his services, but instead he chose to sign a two-year contract with the O's. His spell ended in the summer of 2008 when Orient decided not to offer him a new deal.

An injury early during his Darlington debut has made appearances limited and in November 2008, despite being a summer signing, he was shipped out Rushden & Diamonds on loan.