The 22-year-old has penned a new two-year-deal that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2023.

 

Happe played 40 league games in the 2020/21 campaign, netting on three occasions, including winners against Grimsby Town and Bradford City.

“I’m happy to get it over the line finally, and I’m really excited to get started next week with pre-season,” said Happe.

“There’s a good group of players around me, a lot of experience in this league and the league above, so it’s a great opportunity for me to keep learning.”

“I thought I started off last season well, but probably let myself down towards the end of the season – so I’m excited to get back to it and prove the doubters wrong.”

Happe signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2017.

The towering central defender was handed his debut as a third-year scholar in a 2-1 defeat against Hartlepool United on September 16, 2017.

Happe made 26 appearances for the O’s in the 2017/18 National League season.

The defender had to wait for his opportunity during the first half of the 2018/19 season as Josh Coulson and Marvin Ekpiteta put in imperious performances but his chance came against Salford City on January 5, 2019, and he took his chance.

 

He was named the Club’s Player of the Month for January, February, and March and the O’s changed their shape to 5-3-2 for the final months of the season in order to incorporate the youngster.

 

 

The youngster’s performances soon earned himself an international call-up, as Happe was named in the England C squad to face Wales C in March 2019.

Introduced in the second-half, Orient’s number 15 played 37 minutes of the 2-2 draw.

Dan’s influence in the second-half of the season was invaluable and The National League Champion was awarded the club’s Young Player of the Season.

The centre-back penned a new two-year-deal until the summer of 2021 and has been a first-team regular the last two seasons.

Happe joins the likes of Sam Sargeant, Jayden Sweeney, Shadrach Ogie, Adam Thompson, Omar Beckles, Connor Wood, Hector Kyprianou, Ouss Cisse, Craig Clay, Darren Pratley and Ruel Sotiriou as Kenny Jackett’s new-look squad starts to take shape.