By John May

Osgood was a cult hero at Stamford Bridge and The Dell

Peter Osgood was a player beloved by the fans of the teams he played for, but often unappreciated by managers.

Like George Best, who died last year, Osgood was a naturally gifted footballer with a sublime touch and ease of movement which belied his lack of searing pace.

His breakthrough into the Chelsea first team coincided with the advent of the Swinging 60s and, in his own way, Osgood was as much an icon of the times as Best.

A teenager with precocious skills, Osgood was crowned the King of Stamford Bridge by supporters from the moment he scored twice on his debut as a 16-year-old in a League Cup tie against Workington.

Ossie was the figurehead of a richly-talented team including the likes of Charlie Cooke, Alan Hudson, Bobby Tambling, John Hollins, Peter Bonetti and Marvin Hinton.

Football mourns death of Osgood

Osgood recovered from the setback of a broken leg in his teen years, an injury which he always felt cost him a vital yard or two of pace.

Not that it appeared to matter. Osgood was all the more appreciated by fans as he appeared to play in slow motion.

Like a conjuror letting light in on magic, Osgood was hypnotically easy on the eye as he flowed past defenders, setting them off balance with his extravagant body swerve.

Osgood was also capable of looking after himself in an age when defenders tackled first and asked questions later.

To many - and not just Chelsea fans - his role in the epic 1970 FA Cup final against Leeds was memorable. His delicate diving header in the replay at Old Trafford heralded a triumph of skill and flair over the strong-arm functionality of Leeds.

Osgood masterminded Saints to the 1976 FA Cup final

Osgood spearheaded Chelsea's European Cup-Winners Cup triumph over Real Madrid the following season but as that Chelsea team broke up around him Osgood stayed on until another challenge presented itself.

That came as Lawrie McMenemy built a team at Southampton composed of sage heads and talented youngsters.

The Saints were relegated in Osgood's first season but he became a cult figure at a second club as he masterminded Saints' finest hour when they beat Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup final.

Osgood was an irresistably delightful force as he carved out a second career on the south coast.

The former striker dropped back into midfield to pull the strings alongside Alan Ball as Saints swaggered back to the top flight in 1978, but promotion inevitably brought about the break-up of that team.

Osgood's career in pictures

An almost unnoticed short loan at Norwich preceded a spell in the United States with Philadelphia Fury before Osgood tried to make an ill-advised swansong at Chelsea.

Osgood was unable to inspire a Chelsea team in decline, but even the handful of low-key appearances in his second spell failed to sully the memories of his previous reign at Stamford Bridge.

Perhaps it was an indictment of the times and England managers that Osgood, and other richly-talented players such as Tony Currie, were unable to transport their skill to the international stage.