THE MAGIC WANDS ARE GOING UP: OSBORN GOES OUT ON AN ALL-TIME HIGH

Sunday 03rd May 2009

SIMON OSBORN says he is considering retiring from the game - despite scoring the wonder goal that clinched promotion for Cray Wanderers, writes Stephen McCartney.

The 37-year-old Croydon born midfielder stepped up to caress a 79th minute curling free-kick into the top left-hand corner from the edge of the Metropolitan Police to settle a tense Ryman League Division One South play-off final at Hayes Lane yesterday.

When the likes of Reading, Queen’s Park Rangers and Wolverhampton Wanderers have splashed out over £2m on you, a nerve-jangling game needs someone like Osborn to show his class and Police goalkeeper Will Packham could do nothing about the stunning right-footed free-kick as the ball flew into the top corner to send Hayes Lane into raptures.

Osborn, who also helped landlords Bromley to win their Ryman Premier League play-off final against Billericay Town a few years back, admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk that yesterday’s play-off success is up there of all-time highs during his glittering professional career.

“Whenever you score a goal it’s great, it’s a great feeling,” he said. “I’m not going to say the old typical cliché about sex and whatever - it’s fantastic.

“I’ve got a decent record, I think I’ve lost (a play-off final) once with Wolves."

He added, “I played at Croydon (Athletic) at the start of the season and sort of dropped out there and I was watching football.

“I’m friends with Jerry (Dolke, the Bromley chairman), I know the boys at Cray and they asked me to play.

“I’ve come here in February, they’ve been on a fantastic run and this culminates the whole season for me really.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, I’ll hang my boots up!”

When asked if this is going to be his last game, Osborn, who has played for Crystal Palace, Reading (£90,000), Queen's Park Rangers (£1.1m) Wolverhampton Wanderers (£1m), Tranmere Rovers, Port Vale, Gillingham, Walsall and Hereford United - before playing non-league football for local sides Bromley and Croydon Athletic, replied, “I don’t know yet! How do you go any better than this!

“I’m 37 now, nearly 38, you’ve just won the play-off final, you’ve scored the goal. I could spoil it. I don’t know, I’ll go away now and see what happens after that.”

Despite joining the club at the end of February, Osborn, who grabs all the headlines for his decisive finish, paid tribute to the players that have worked tirelessly throughout the season to make yesterday possible.

He said: “They’ve been here all season, they’ve worked very hard and I think it’s just deserved really. They’ve finished second.

“Having watched them earlier in the season they were one of the better sides in the division and I’m glad that they’ve gone up now.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk congratulate everyone at Cray Wanderers on winning promotion - see you in the Ryman Premier League!

Visit Cray Wanderers' website: www.craywands.co.uk