Peter Osgood joined Chelsea at the age of 17, and before his trial at Stamford Bridge working as a bricklayer and playing for his local team in Windsor. He was at this time known as a grand talent and especially Arsenal must have been crying as “Ossie” never considered the move as he didn’t fancied the travel.
When arriving at Chelsea in February 1964, he was first signed up as a junior but early on and just days after coming in making his debut for the first team in a game v. Workington scoring both goals in the 2-0 win. His goalscoring ratio was sensational and he just continued to hammer in goals in the reserves hitting 30 in 20 games and surely his form made him a first team player early on.
Peter Osgood made his major breakthrough at Chelsea in the 1965/66 season and with 7 goals in 32 league games his name was in the preliminary 40 men squad for the 1966 World Cup, but he didn’t make the finals, but still as a a teenager, impressive to see him making Sir Alf Ramsey’s attention.
After his first season he suffered a broken leg in the next, missing the FA Cup final at Wembley which Chelsea did lose 2-1 to Tottenham. Osgood was fighting his way back to full fitness, but surprisingly being played in midfield. He eventually found his way back, but a major blow as his tally after 10 games was an impressive 6 goals, which looked to have been more or less sensational.
Coming back in full for the 1967/68 season he just continued to score goals, hitting 16 in 42 league games. His best season was the 1969/70, when he had a tally of 23 on 38 league games, and also made the 22 men squad for the 1970 Mexico World Cup. He made his England debut in the same year, but strangely only played 4 games for his country, not really being fancied though two of his caps came during the World Cup playing against Romania and Czechoslovakia, sadly never experience the thrill of scoring for his country.
Embed from Getty ImagesHis form was still great and in the 1969/70 season coming back to Wembley again with that very special FA Cup final v. Leeds and after replay crowned winners. Osgood scored the first Chelsea goal in the replay, equalizing an early 1-0 Leeds lead. Then we all know what happened the season after, scoring that memorable goal v. Real Madrid in the European Cup winners Cup final, taking place in Greece, and again it was up to Peter Osgood to step forward.
Chelsea experienced great success on the field, but off it financial difficulties made it impossible to keep their best players and Peter Osgood sold to Southampton for a fee of £275.000. He had a great spell at The Dell, and as we all remember playing his part in the 1976 FA Cup final brining home another FA Cup trophy this time after a 1-0 win v. Manchester United.
After a short loan spell at Norwich and an adventure in the NASL with Philadelphia Fury he did return to Chelsea and played for the club until retirement in 1979. He had great talent Peter Osgood and a grand technique for a tall striker and when you look at it in perspective, a bit like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
After football, Peter Osgood opened a pub in Windsor together with his old teammate, at Chelsea, Ian Hutchinson. Peter Osgood is to date the only player to have a statue outside Stamford Bridge and seen as a through legend of this football club as he put them on the map with a number of great moments and memorable goals scored.
Peter Osgood sadly died in 2006 only 59 years of age, a sad loss for Chelsea as one of their best players all time had left us, and he was a very popular player among fans and did give them some memorable moments.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn total Peter Osgood played 289 league games and scored 105 goals for Chelsea. He did produce the goods at Southampton as well with 28 in 126 league games, and was part of a great promotion push and helped the club winning the FA Cup, both seen as memorable club moments down south.
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