Elliot Osborne

After a nine-year spell in the Port Vale academy, Osborne was released by the club at the age of 18 and joined Northern Premier League Division One South club Newcastle Town in July 2014.[3] After scoring seven times in 27 appearances for Newcastle Town, Osborne joined Nantwich Town of the Northern Premier League Premier Division on 26 February 2015.[4] The 2015–16 campaign was to serve as Osborne's breakthrough season in terms of attacking output from midfield, scoring 22 times in all competitions.[5][6]

His performances for Nantwich during the previous season meant that he had been watched by a number of EFL clubs.[6] Osborne was made aware that one of those clubs interested in him was Fleetwood Town, playing in League One.[6] He went to visit the club's training facilities and subsequently signed a contract on 17 June 2016.[6] Upon signing, Osborne was placed in the development squad with the opportunity to progress into the first-team set-up.[6] He joined National League club Tranmere Rovers on a 28-day loan deal on 30 September 2016.[7] A day later, Osborne made his Tranmere debut, replacing James Norwood in the 66th minute during a 0–0 draw with Dagenham & Redbridge.[8] Osborne made his first Tranmere start in their 1–0 home defeat against Gateshead on 4 October, playing the whole match.[9] Upon his return from Tranmere, Osborne made his Fleetwood Town debut in an EFL Trophy tie against Carlisle United on 9 November 2016, in which Fleetwood suffered a 4–2 defeat.[10]

Having made no further appearances for the Fleetwood first-team, Osborne joined Stockport County of the National League North on a two-month loan deal on 19 January 2017.[11] Two days later, Osborne made his Stockport debut in their 3–3 draw with Darlington 1883.[12] He scored his first goal for Stockport in a 2–1 victory over FC United of Manchester at Edgeley Park on 18 February; this proved to be his last appearance for the side before he returned to Fleetwood.[13] Osborne was loaned out once again, this time joining League Two club Morecambe on a half-season loan on 9 August 2017.[14] He scored one goal in 13 appearances during the loan spell.[15]

Osborne and Fleetwood teammate Dion Charles were sold to National League North club Southport on 12 January 2018, for an undisclosed fee.[16] Manager Kevin Davies stated that he had been impressed by Osborne's form at Morecambe and consequently wanted to sign him.[17] He scored three goals in 16 appearances for the club in the second half of the 2017–18 season.[2]

Having made eight appearances and scoring one goal during the opening month of the 2018–19 season,[2] Osborne returned to Stockport County on loan on 21 September 2018.[18] The deal was made permanent on 6 November 2017, signing a two-year deal at the club; manager Jim Gannon said that "I trust that as he matures and develops as a player that it will add to our own growth as a team and club."[19] He scored two goals in 37 appearances over the course of the 2018–19 season, helping Stockport to win promotion as champions of National League North.[20] He scored nine goals in 42 games in the 2019–20 season, the club's first season back in the National League, including a hat-trick in a 5–1 home win over FC Halifax Town.[21] He made 79 appearances and scored 11 times during his two-year stay at Stockport.[2]

Osborne made a return into the Football League when he joined League Two club Stevenage on 1 July 2020.[22] On signing Osborne, Stevenage manager Alex Revell said that "he's coming off the back of a couple of hugely successful seasons and will bring goals, a creativity and dynamism that we are all excited to watch".[22]