Isaac Osbourne

Isaac Samuel Osbourne (born 22 June 1986) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Having progressed through the youth set-up at Coventry City, Osbourne made over 122 appearances in all competitions for the sky blues.

He most recently played for St Mirren, and is the older brother of midfielder Isaiah Osbourne.

A persistent knee injury troubled Osbourne throughout most of his career, and subsequently it forced him to retire from football aged 28.

Born in Birmingham, West Midlands, Osbourne started out playing football at Derby County after he and his brother, Isaiah were spotted and offered a trial.

The brothers went on trial at Aston Villa, after which Isaiah was signed by Villa.

Shortly after, Osbourne went on trial at Coventry City and impressed, the club signed him on youth terms in 1999.

He progressed through the Coventry City's youth system, where he was promoted to the club's reserve side three years later.

During the 2002–03 season, Osbourne was called up to the first team for the first time by Manager Gary McAllister.

At the end of the 2002–03 season, Osbourne went on to make two appearances in all competitions.

Shortly after, he appeared as an unused substitute for the first time, in a 1–0 loss against Watford on 1 February 2003.

Osbourne made his debut in the first team at Coventry City at 16 years of age and 308 days.

He made another appearance for the club, starting a match and played 66 minutes before being substituted, in a 0–0 draw against Millwall in the last game of the season.

Ahead of the 2003–04 season, Osbourne was given a number twenty–five shirt.

However, throughout the season, he appeared twice as an unused substitute.

Instead, Osbourne was featured in Coventry City's reserve team.

The start of the 2004–05 season continued to see the player feature in the club's reserve team instead of the first team.

He made his first appearance of the 2004–05 season against Watford on 18 December 2004, starting the whole game, as Coventry City won 1–0.

Osbourne then appeared in a handful of first team football, making four starts for the club.

However, he suffered injuries that saw him out for the rest of the 2004–05 season.

At the end of the 2004–05 season, Osbourne went on to make nine appearances in all competitions.

At the end of 2004–05 season, Osbourne was offered a new deal at the club, which he accepted.

He was awarded the 'Young Player of the Year Award' in 2005; previous winners of the award include Gary McSheffrey and Chris Kirkland.

At the start of the 2005–06 season, Osbourne made his first appearance of the season, coming on as a late substitute, in a 2–0 win against Queens Park Rangers on 20 August 2005.

This was followed up by making his first starts of the season for Coventry City, in a 2–1 loss against Sheffield United.

However, he suffered a calf injury that saw him out for months.

Osbourne returned to the starting line–up against Millwall on 10 December 2005, as the club won 1–0.

Following his return, he started in the next five matches for Coventry City throughout December.

Osbourne returned to the first team, appearing two times as an unused substitute in the remaining matches of the 2005–06 season and made ten appearances in all competitions.

Despite his absent, he was awarded Sky Blue Trust Young Player of the Year.

However, in early 2006, Osbourne damaged his lateral collateral ligament and had an operation, which was successful, but this ruled him out of the second half of the season.

By March, he was making progress on his road to recovery from his injury.

At the start of the 2006–07 season, Osbourne appeared once for Coventry City, coming against Norwich City as a substitute, in a 3–0 win on 9 September 2006.

Following his loan spell at Crewe Alexandra ended, he made his first appearance for the club, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute, in a 1–1 draw against Southend United on 30 December 2006.

Since returning to the first team, Osbourne continued to resume his regular first team starter for the rest of the 2006–07 season.

At the end of the 2006–07 season, Osbourne went on to make twenty–one appearances in all competitions.

In a match against Hull City on 3 March 2007, he set up a goal for Leon McKenzie to set up Coventry City's second goal of the game, in a 2–0 win.

At the start of the 2007–08 season, Osbourne continued to become a regular team starter, playing in the midfield position.

He then set up a goal for Dele Adebola to score the club's first goal of the game, in a 3–0 win against Notts County in the first round of the League Cup.

Following this, he signed a contract extension with Coventry City by signing a four-year deal, keeping him until 2011.