Both player and club would benefit from a reunion this summer.
After romping to the League Two title last term, Leyton Orient will be probing to implement some additional firepower into their side ahead of a return to the third tier for the first time in eight years.
Their backline proved a real driving force behind the feat as kept 24 clean sheets and leaked only 34 goals, which was the best defensive record throughout the EFL.
As stern as Richie Wellens’ side were to break down, they were not too much of a goalscoring outfit- and while that did not prevent them from achieving an impressive promotion, it may prove a hindrance in League One if not rectified.
Who scored the goals to send them up?
In contrast to many teams who are, and have previously pursued promotion from League Two, Orient did not have a particular talisman, with their goals coming from all over the pitch instead.
Tricky winger Paul Smyth was their leading goalscorer with ten strikes, although only one came after Christmas.
Meanwhile, Ruel Sotiriou and George Moncur notched nine apiece, loanee Charlie Kelman weighed in with seven to his name, Theo Archibald scored five from the flanks and after that, you have numerous players on four goals or less.
Who could be the answer?
Their answer may well be a former face, following Macauley Bonne’s release from Charlton Athletic
Bonne spent two years at Brisbane Road between 2017 and 2019 when the club were in the National League, and scored 22 goals in his debut campaign before finding the back of the net 23 times the following year to fire the O’s back to the Football League, where Charlton swooped in for his services.
The striker maintained his form by reaching double digits in the Championship, a more-than-respectable return given the leap in divisions, and while his goals were not enough to keep the Addicks in the league, they were enough to convince QPR to take a punt in October 2020.
He promptly struggled for form and sufficient game time in west London, however, and just a year later, he was sent on loan to Ipswich Town, where the goals flowed in the first half of the season before dramatically drying up afterwards
In the season just gone, Bonne only lasted a matter of months at Charlton before his recent departure, as he scored just twice in 16 matches.
Recency may well deter potential suitors-and there is good reason for that-although the 27-year-old still has credit in the bank for his previous exploits, not least down at Orient.
Of course, the present is hard to ignore, but the past should not be forgotten quickly either, and on his day, Bonne has proved capable of scoring on a fair basis in not only this division, but in the Championship too.
And, importantly, being a free agent carries a risk-free element; if he was to sign for Orient and did not recapture his old form, they would not lose money as they would if they forked out a transfer fee, but in the event that he did, it would prove a real coup and could keep them in League One at least.
If they were to sign Bonne, it would perhaps be somewhat unwise to put all their chips on him finding his best form once again, for that is still a real gamble-make no mistake about it, Wellens would need to call upon true competition in the centre-forward berth over the summer.
But, given the career crossroads that Bonne finds himself situated at following the dissipation of early promise and hope, this homecoming could be just what he needs. It may well be what Orient need, too.
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