# Russell Osman

Russell Charles Osman (born 14 February 1959) is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre back in the Football League for Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Southampton, Bristol City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Cardiff City. Osman played senior international football for England, for whom he received eleven caps. He is now a football pundit in the Indian Super League.

## Playing career

Osman was born in Repton, Derbyshire, the son of Rex Osman who played a handful of games for Derby County in the early 1950s. Osman played nearly 400 games for Ipswich Town, winning the 1980–81 UEFA Cup. Osman also contributed to Ipswich's victorious 1977–78 FA Cup campaign, making four appearances during the run. However he wasn't part of the squad for the final itself. Osman also represented his country 11 times. His first England cap came against Australia in a friendly on 31 May 1980, his last on 21 September 1983 in England's 1–0 Euro 84 qualifying match defeat to Denmark.

## Managerial career

Later in his playing career he was player-manager of Bristol City, and had a brief spell as caretaker manager of Plymouth Argyle before later managing Cardiff City. He had a brief role as joint caretaker manager of Bristol Rovers in 2004. In November 2007, he was appointed as assistant manager to Paul Tisdale at Exeter City. In February 2011 he was appointed coach of the Ipswich Town Under 18s. He left the role in August 2013. In July 2015 Osman joined Newport County as assistant manager to Terry Butcher. Butcher, Osman and Steve Marsalla were sacked on 1 October 2015 with Newport bottom of League Two after gaining just 5 points from the first 10 matches of the 2015–16 season.

## Escape to Victory

He played Doug Clure, one of the prisoner-of-war footballers, in the 1981 film Escape to Victory, which also included American actor Sylvester Stallone, British actor Michael Caine, Swedish actor Max von Sydow, and football stars Pelé, Ossie Ardiles, and Kazimierz Deyna. The film was based on a game between an Allied team and a Nazi German team during the Second World War.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Ipswich Town |
| Ipswich Town | 1977–78 | First Division | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 |
| Ipswich Town | 1978–79 | First Division | 39 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 2 |
| Ipswich Town | 1979–80 | First Division | 42 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 52 | 2 |
| Ipswich Town | 1980–81 | First Division | 42 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 0 | — | — | 66 | 3 |
| Ipswich Town | 1981–82 | First Division | 39 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 51 | 2 |
| Ipswich Town | 1982–83 | First Division | 38 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 45 | 5 |
| Ipswich Town | 1983–84 | First Division | 37 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 42 | 3 |
| Ipswich Town | 1984–85 | First Division | 29 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 39 | 4 |
| Ipswich Town | Total | Total | 294 | 17 | 32 | 1 | 28 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 385 | 21 |
| Leicester City |
| Leicester City | 1985–86 | First Division | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 42 | 0 |
| Leicester City | 1986–87 | First Division | 31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 3 |
| Leicester City | 1987–88 | Second Division | 37 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 44 | 5 |
| Leicester City | Total | Total | 108 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 120 | 8 |
| Southampton |
| Southampton | 1988–89 | First Division | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| Southampton | 1989–90 | First Division | 35 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 45 | 5 |
| Southampton | 1990–91 | First Division | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| Southampton | 1991–92 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Southampton | Total | Total | 96 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 124 | 6 |
| Bristol City |
| Bristol City | 1991–92 | Second Division | 31 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 35 | 2 |
| Bristol City | 1992–93 | First Division | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 |
| Bristol City | 1993–94 | First Division | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 |
| Bristol City | Total | Total | 70 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 3 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 1995–96 | Second Division | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Cardiff City | 1995–96 | Third Division | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 595 | 34 | 48 | 1 | 57 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 742 | 38 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 Appearances in Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in Cup Winners' Cup
* ↑ Appearances in Charity Shield
* 1 2 3 Appearances in Full Members' Cup
* 1 2 Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup
* ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy

## Honours

Ipswich Town
* UEFA Cup: 1981
Individual
* Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year: 1980–81
* Ipswich Town Hall of Fame: Inducted 2011