*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Tommy Osborne
Appearances: 46+1 Goals: 1
Date / Year of birth: 5th September 1979
Position: Defender
Season of first appearance: 2009/10
Season of last appearance: 2010/11
Also played for: Gillingham (0), Hastings United, Dartford, Cray Wanderers, Billericay Town, Chatham Town, Thamesmead Town, Maidstone United, Hythe Town and Cray Valley Paper Mills
Dartford born defender capable of playing anywhere in the back four who started his career with Gillingham before being released at the end of the 1998/99 campaign.
In the summer of 1999 Tommy signed for Hastings and he went on to make around 200 appearances in a four year spell with the Sussex club before moving on to Dartford in June 2003.
Tommy became a key player for the Darts and won the club's 'Players' Player of the Year' award for the 2004/05 season. He was part of the side that won the Isthmian League Division 1 North title during 2007/08 and on 7.3.09 Tommy scored from the penalty spot in a 2-2 draw at Margate in the Premier Division. That was only the third goal of his Dartford career and by then Tommy had been with the club for nearly six years. He left the Darts in June 2009 having made over 250 appearances and manager Tony Burman said "He's been absolutely superb since he's been with us."
Tommy then linked up with Cray ahead of the 2009/10 campaign but only played five times (once as sub) in the Premier Division before linking up with Billericay at the start of November 2009.
After just two outings (one as sub) in cup ties for Billericay Tommy moved on to Chatham in February 2010 but within days he left the club and signed for Thamesmead.
He played twice for the Division 1 North outfit and then left Thamesmead to join Margate in March 2010 - Tommy's fifth club of 2009/10.
He made his debut as a sweeper in a 1-1 draw at Boreham Wood in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 27.3.10 and the Thanet Times said Tommy "let nobody down". He was standing in for the banned John Keister but when the veteran was available again Tommy kept him out of the side and only missed one match before the end of the season.
The Isle of Thanet Gazette said Tommy was "excellent" in a 0-0 draw at Tonbridge on 5.4.10 and Margate's "man-of-the-match by a distance at sweeper". The paper also described him as being "a good, experienced pro" and by the end of the campaign Tommy had made eight appearances without scoring as Margate avoided relegation despite finishing in the Premier Division drop zone.
On the eve of the 2010/11 season manager Iain O'Connell spoke about him to the Isle of Thanet Gazette and said "Joined us last year and was exceptional. He's so professional and I expect him to be even better this year as he tells me he's not had an alcoholic beverage for three months !"
Tommy made his first appearance of the new Isthmian League Premier Division campaign as a sweeper in a 2-2 draw with visitors Canvey Island on 21.8.10 and he continued in that role for Margate's next five matches. In the last of them - an FA Cup tie at Binfield on 11.9.10 - Tommy scored what the Thanet Times described as a "a George Best-style wonder-goal" that "came out of nowhere". The paper said he "picked up the ball midway in the Binfield half and skipped through three challenges before drawing the keeper, going round him and finishing. He should be fined for scoring a goal like that !". Margate won 3-0 and Tommy then started a run in the side as a left wing-back.
He was a regular in the number three shirt for the next two months but after a 2-0 home defeat against Folkestone on 23.11.10 Tommy only featured once as a substitute in Margate's next three matches. He returned to the side as a centre-back in a 2-0 defeat against Croydon Athletic at Hartsdown Park on 8.1.11 and Tommy then had stints playing at right-back and left-back in the weeks that followed.
On 19.3.11 he was sent off in a 3-2 win against Hendon at Wembley FC and Tommy was dismissed for what was deemed to be a deliberate handball in the penalty area although the Thanet Times said he "simply lost the flight of the ball in the strong sun". Hendon scored the resulting spot-kick and Tommy later served a one-match ban.
As the campaign drew to a close he generally played as a sweeper again and on 30.4.11 Tommy made what turned out to be his final appearance for Margate in a 3-3 draw with Kingstonian at Hartsdown Park. At the end of the season he left the club having scored once from 39 outings (one as sub).
In June 2011 Tommy signed for Maidstone and their player-manager Jay Saunders told the Stones' website "I played with Tommy at Margate and his performances were always impressive." He went on to make 38 appearances (two as sub) in the Isthmian League Division 1 South without scoring for Maidstone during the 2011/12 campaign and stayed with the Stones for 2012/13 as they won promotion to the Premier Division via the play-offs. Tommy made a total of 33 league appearances during the season without scoring.
After missing most of pre-season in the summer of 2013 due to a knee injury Tommy was loaned to Division 1 South club Hythe in August 2013 and he made his debut for them in a 3-2 win at Faversham on 13.8.13. He ended up staying with Hythe for the whole of 2013/14 and Tommy made a total of 47 appearances without scoring.
In June 2014 he signed for Cray Valley of the Southern Counties East Football League and their manager Paul Gross told the Kentish Football website "I've been speaking with him since I was appointed manager and after yesterday's session, he's decided to put pen to paper and I'm absolutely thrilled he has agreed to join us. He brings a wealth of experience to the club and will be a valued asset. I'm looking forward to working with Ozzy and he'll be a great leader for the younger lads in the squad."
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
||
|
2009/10 (MFC) |
8 (51) |
0 |
0 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22) |
1QR |
1QR |
3R |
QF |
|
Margate finished in
relegation position but were reprieved and remained in the Isthmian League
Premier Division. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
| |
|
2010/11 (MFC) |
38 (49) |
1 |
1 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (16TH OF 22) |
2QR |
2QR |
2R |
1R |
|