Harry Osman

Harry James Osman (29 January 1911 – 17 December 1998) was an English footballer who played as an outside left for Southampton for two seasons in the 1930s and went on to become manager of Winchester City where he "discovered" future England international Terry Paine.

Playing career Osman was born in the village of Bentworth near Alton, Hampshire but moved as a child to Okeford Fitzpaine in Dorset. As a teenager, he played football for Okeford United, before joining Poole Town, playing in the Western League, in 1930.

In December 1935, he joined Plymouth Argyle of the Football League Second Division, where he remained until the summer of 1937. Despite making only five appearances for Plymouth, he had caught the eye of Tom Parker when he was manager of Norwich City. making his debut for Southampton (in the Football League Second Division) on 28 August 1937, the first day of the 1937–38 season. Osman made an immediate impact, scoring in a 4–3 defeat by Parker's old club. His next goal came on 18 September (against West Ham United) before starting a run of form in October which saw him score eight goals in four games, including a hat-trick in a 6–3 defeat at Luton Town. On Christmas Day 1937, the Saints played a home league match against Swansea Town in which Osman scored to bring the result level at 1–1; this was the last goal scored at The Dell on a Christmas Day.

After retiring from football management in October 1957, Osman emigrated to Palm Beach, Florida where he died on 17 December 1998.