CHRIS LAKEY Chelsea legend Peter Osgood, who joined the Canaries for a short period, has died aged 59.Osgood died suddenly while attending a family funeral this morning.

CHRIS LAKEY

Chelsea legend Peter Osgood, who joined the Canaries for a short period, has died aged 59.

Osgood died suddenly while attending a family funeral this morning.

Osgood played three games for Norwich in 1976 - but according to then assistant manager Ken Brown, the Canaries never saw the best of him.

Osgood hadn't found the back of the net but as the team travelled up to Everton on a wet November day for what was due to be the final appearance of his month-long loan deal from Southampton, he made a promise.

“We were going up there and he said, 'You're going to see a performance from me today like you have never seen before',” recalled Brown.

“I told him I'd be happy enough for him to play as he had done in the three previous games and he said, 'No, I'm telling you, I am so glad to be here and for you giving me this break'.

“Well, we got all the way to Everton and you wouldn't believe it, the match was postponed because of the rain.

“He literally cried and said, 'I can't tell you how much I wanted to play today'.”

That was the end of Osgood's brief stint under Brown and manager John Bond, although they did try, unsuccessfully, to get him back on loan again to team up with the likes of Phil Boyer and Martin Peters.

“When I asked Lawrie McMenemy he said, 'No way, my chairman nearly throttled me when I told him you'd got him in the first place',” added Brown.

Brown said he was stunned to hear of Osgood's death, but said he had great memories of the former Chelsea great.

“He was great for us at the time and he played ever so well, but he wasn't as good for us as he wanted to be” said Brown. “He thought he didn't really do himself justice but in training he was fantastic, unbelievable - he never missed the target. He was a joy to work with and to be with.

“He'd been injured at Southampton and he probably wasn't quite fit enough. But at that time I needed him badly because we were very short at the time and everything about our game was geared to attacking football.”

Osgood had a larger than life personality which made him an instant hit among fans.

“He was a tremendous person,” said Brown. “I used to see him quite often when I was on England duty and without fail he'd come up and have a chat.

“It is a big loss, I can hardly believe it.”