Douglas native Jaze Kabia joins Leyton Orient for club record fee 

Douglas native Jaze Kabia has joined Leyton Orient from Grimsby Town for a club record fee believed to be one million pounds.

The forward, who celebrated his 26th birthday this week moves to the EFL League One side after scoring 41 goals in his last two seasons, on a three year deal with the option of one more.

Kabia was part of a Grimsby Town team that finished seventh in League Two and was beaten in the promotion play-offs by Salford City on penalties.

The story of their season was the EFL Cup as the club famously defeated Manchester United on penalties on their way to reaching the fourth round where they lost to Brentford.

Kabia is now stepping up to League One, with a club aiming to improve after narrowly escaping relegation last year. The forward is excited to get to work at Leyton Orient, the club that launched the career of another Cork native, Aaron Drinan.

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” he told the club’s media team.

“I have had an amazing last two years where I have grown a lot and I’m hoping to bring all of that here to show the best version of me.

“I have a habit for being in the right place at the right time and I feel like finishing is the strongest part of my game. I’m really excited and am itching to get started here.

“It’s a statement having the number nine on your back, it carries weight and I like that kind of pressure. 

"It gives me that extra motivation and I want to continue this club’s streak of having good goalscorers.” 

Kabia played locally for College Corinthians and Douglas Hall before moving to Cobh Ramblers, where he broke into the first team under Stephen Henderson.

The forward made history on the Great Island as he helped the club reach their first senior national cup final, in the League of Ireland Cup. 

The Ramblers even defeated a seemingly invincible Dundalk side at St. Colman’s Park on their way to the decider, where they lost to Derry City at the Brandywell.

Kabia went from there to Shelbourne, where he won promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division.

The forward journeyed Tolka Park to Scotland for spells at Livingston, Greenock Morton, and Queen of the South.

Kabia returned home in 2023 for an ill-fated spell at Cork City that ended in relegation from the Premier Division through the play-offs.

The forward went back to the United Kingdom, where he climbed through the ranks of Clyde in Scotland and Truro City in the National League South, where he won a league title during the 2024-25 season.

That earned Kabia a move to Grimsby Town, and that was the platform to secure a move to Leyton Orient.