By Chris Bevan

Easton won 22 Scottish Under-21 caps

Leyton Orient midfielder Craig Easton has had the time of his life since swapping the Scottish Premier League for League Two.

The 26-year-old former Scotland Under-21 international decided to move south in the summer after being released by Livingston.

On the pitch everything is rosy - he has helped the O's up to fourth place in the table and scored as they knocked Premiership side Fulham out of the FA Cup on Sunday.

And off the pitch he is enjoying himself too - quickly making himself at home in London.

He told BBC Sport: "I am having as good a time as I have had at any point in my career.

I would put that down as my greatest achievement and also my most enjoyable moment in football so far Craig Easton on beating Fulham in the FA Cup

"I thought football-wise it was a good move for me - and just coming down and living here has been great too. My wife and I are really enjoying it.

"It was something I needed, something totally different. It was a new challenge and it has worked out."

Easton spent nine years with Dundee United after progressing through the youth ranks before moving to Livingston for a season in 2004.

He had the chance to stay in Scotland, with Motherwell, St Johnstone and Morton all interested in him, but he was lured to Brisbane Road by the persuasive powers of O's manager Martin Ling - and with the chance to sample a different way of life.

"The football comes first," Easton added. "That was my priority and the reason for coming to Orient.

"Martin Ling was really ambitious and was talking about getting promotion and I just thought it looked a good set-up to be joining.

"But then after that you get the added bonus of living in a capital city.

"My wife and I had visited before anyway. I felt it would be good on the park and that off the park it was a place that we like and it would be nice to spend some time down here.

"There are so many places to see. We get a couple of days off during the week and the Sunday after the game and it is only a tube ride down into the centre - we have been to a few museums and there are so many other things you can do.

"Living in Scotland it is great with the scenery but coming down to the city is definitely different and it is something we are going to make the most of while we are down here.

"So I cannot complain. Everything is going wel and, touch wood, it will keep going."

Easton came up against the likes of Chris Sutton regularly in Scotland

Easton's time in Scotland included plenty of memorable moments.

He collected 22 under-21 caps, helped United reach the final of the Scottish League Cup in 1998 and scored the goal that kept Livi in the SPL last season.

But, for him, nothing tops beating Fulham last weekend.

Easton added: "I would put that down as my greatest achievement and also most enjoyable moment in football so far.

"I have played in some pretty big games up there in semi-finals and finals. They are always big games against the Old Firm - and it is nice to beat them - but it was just something special being in the FA Cup.

"The amount of attention that is placed on it down here means it is great to be involved in something like that.

"Before the Fulham game we were thinking well, we will see how it goes.

"Now we have got a result against them we will maybe see Charlton in a different light. We have got a bit more confidence now that we can maybe go and try and win that.

"It is great that it is in London. We took around 6,000 fans to Fulham and will probably do the same, if not more, at Charlton.

"Not only will it be a good day out for them, they will get behind us as they did at Fuham and that definitely creates a good atmosphere for us to do our best in."

However, Easton is adamant that winning promotion remains the ultimate goal for him and his O's team-mates.

"We have had a couple of good days where we have been able to think about Fulham but the gaffer is right in saying that we have to put our focus back on the League," he said.

"That is why he built the team he did for this season - it was really to get us up a division.

"The way the stadium is and the way our fan base is now, Orient have got the potential to be in a higher division and hopefully we can get there.