Just how good was Peter Osgood ? Well during the 1970s Peter Osgood was known as The King Of Stamford Bridge. An uncompromising centre-forward who loved the physical side of the game more than others.
Over recent times Chelsea has been blessed with strikers who may not be blessed with the ability of Messi or Ronaldo. Strikers of the ilk of Drogba and Diego Costa however have a string to their bow that others do not. Physicality. The same could be said of Peter Osgood. Physical he most definitely was, but he was also blessed with natural talent. Through hard work and determination, Osgood earned every one of the 105 goals he scored for the Blues.
Talent Spotting Uncle
His Chelsea career began in 1964 following a request from his Uncle to the club that he was good enough for a trial. His Uncle was right, Osgood trialled and was signed immediately. He was just 17 years old. Chelsea had signed a kid with raw talent who needed his edges smoothed to become a world-beater.
He made his first-team debut against Workington in the League Cup on the back of scoring 30 goals for the Reserves in just 20 games. Chelsea won 2-0 with Osgood scoring both. From that game on he never looked back.
Wizard Of Os
Moments of magic naturally followed Osgood wherever he went. Against Burnley, in 1966 he ran from the edge of his own box beating 6 or 7 men in the process before smashing the ball home. Such was his exciting emergence that there were whispers he was an outside option for England’s 1966 World Cup squad.
Called up in May of 1966 it looked like he was in with a chance of making the squad. However, despite impressing his name was not on the list of names that were part of the initial 40-man squad that was whittled down to 22. In years to come it was reported that Sir Alf Ramsey did not like Osgood’s playboy lifestyle and as such thought, it would be an unnecessary distraction for the squad.
A Bad Break
The following season brought more bad news for the 19-year-old Osgood. A challenge by Blackpool’s Emlyn Hughes left him with a broken leg. He would miss the whole season. As a result, he would go on to miss Chelsea’s first FA Cup Final at the old Wembley. A final in which Chelsea would lose to their London rivals Spurs 2-1.
His return to action for Chelsea would be a pivotal moment in his career. He returned with a bang, scoring goals for fun. His re-emergence led to him being labelled The King of Stamford Bridge. In 289 appearances he scored 105 goals. For a period of time Osgood was unplayable. Defenders knew they were in for a battle royale every time they played Chelsea.
Cup Final Triumph
Osgood is one of only nine players to score in every round of the FA Cup. In 1970 he played a major part in helping Chelsea to victory in a replayed final against Leeds United. He scored Chelsea’s equaliser in the second game at Old Trafford with a diving header from Charlie Cooke’s chipped pass twelve minutes from full-time. Chelsea eventually went on to win 2-1. The final is probably more commonly known as the dirtiest cup final ever. Some of the fiercest tackling seen included Eddie McCreadie kicking Billy Bremner in the head which the referee let go unpunished.
His performances for Chelsea in 1970 were enough to earn him a place in England’s World Cup squad in Mexico. Osgood made 2 substitute appearances against Czechoslovakia and Romania. All told he played for his country just 4 times without scoring.
European Winner
Osgood went on to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup against Real Madrid in 1971. Scoring in both the original tie, and the replay that followed. His goal-scoring continued, despite Chelsea’s decline as a major European and domestic force. His volley against Arsenal in 1972 was voted BBC goal of the season.
Osgood’s off-the-pitch lifestyle eventually became his undoing at Stamford bridge. Manager Dave Sexton pulling the plug on his Chelsea career due to Osgood’s gambling and party habits. He was sold to Southampton in March 1974 for a then club-record £275,000.
Return Of The King Of Stamford Bridge
An FA Cup Final triumph followed for Osgood in 1976 when Southampton beat Manchester United 1-0. However Osgood never really lived up to his goal-scoring potential on the South Coast scoring just 36 times in 161 appearances for The Saints. A loan move to first Norwich then Philadelphia Fury followed before he returned rather surprisingly to Chelsea in 1978.
Osgood would play just 10 times for Chelsea scoring twice before announcing his retirement at the end of the 1978 season. Osgood it seemed to many left the game in a whimper posing the question “just how good was Peter Osgood ?”
He died on the 1st March 2006, after a tragic heart attack at a family funeral, aged 59. His ashes lie under the penalty spot on the Shed End and a statue of the Chelsea legend is situated outside the West Stand.
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