John Oster

Infobox Football biography
playername = John Oster


fullname = John Morgan Oster
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|12|8|df=yes
cityofbirth = Boston
countryofbirth = England
height = height|meters=1.75
position = Winger
currentclub = Crystal Palace
clubnumber = 26
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1994–1997
1997–1999
1999–2005
2001
2002–2003
2004–2005
2005
2005–2008
2008–
clubs = Grimsby Town
Everton
Sunderland
→ Barnsley (loan)
→ Grimsby Town (loan)
→ Leeds United (loan)
Burnley
Reading
Crystal Palace
caps(goals) = 24 (3)
40 (1)
68 (5)
02 (0)
17 (6)
08 (1)
15 (1)
76 (2)
04 (0)
nationalyears = 1997-
nationalteam = Wales
nationalcaps(goals) = 13 (0)
pcupdate = 09:26, 18 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 11:44, 13 August 2008 (UTC)

John Morgan Oster (born 8 December 1978 in Boston, Lincolnshire) is an English born Welsh international footballer, currently playing as a winger for Crystal Palace.

Club career

Oster started his career at Grimsby Town before moving to Everton for £1.5 million in 1997, aged only 18 and having played only 25 matches. He was widely regarded as a highly promising talent, but proved difficult to manage and never achieved his potential with the Toffees.

Oster moved to Sunderland for a fee in excess of £1 million, but achieved little in his time at the club other than to frustrate supporters and end the career of reserve player Mark Maley by accidentally shooting him in the eye with an air rifle. [cite news | date=2002-04-26 | url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,690882,00.html | title=Sunderland player accidentally shot in the face by team-mate | work=The Guardian | accessdate=2007-02-27] . While at Sunderland, John spent 5 months on loan with his former club Grimsby Town, where despite having a very productive spell with the club, his goals and performances could not stop Town's relegation in 2003. Oster was released by Sunderland in January 2005 [cite news | date=2005-01-27 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/4214251.stm | title=Sunderland end Oster's contract | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-02-27] , shortly after returning to the Black Cats in disgrace from a loan at Leeds United. [cite news | date=2004-12-31 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/4128427.stm | title=Leeds sack Oster after incident | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-02-27] Following a short spell at Burnley,cite news | date=2005-01-30 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/burnley/4218751.stm | title=Oster signs contract at Burnley | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-02-27] Oster joined Reading on 2 August 2005. [cite news | date=2005-08-02 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/4702973.stm | title=Makin and Oster pen Reading deals | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-02-27]

Oster made his debut for Reading against Brighton & Hove Albion on 9 August 2005 as a substitute. [cite news | date=2005-08-09 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~697448,00.html | title=Little and Kitson strike as Royals earn first win of the season | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-02-27] In January 2007, he extended his contract at the Madejski Stadium until the summer of 2008. [cite news | date=2007-01-31 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~973543,00.html | title=Oster commits his future to Royals as he signs new contract until summer of 2008 | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-02-27] He notched his first Premier League goal in nearly 10 years against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium where the Royals were defeated for the first time in 2007, by 2 goals to 1. [cite news | date=2007-02-26 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~987769,00.html | title=Oster is ready for United challenge after his first Premiership goal in ten years | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-02-27] He was released by Reading following their relegation from the Premier League, on 16 May 2008. [cite news | date=2008-05-16 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1314021,00.html | title=Four offered deals, six released | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2008-05-16] . Oster signed an initial six month contract for Crystal Palace on 11th August 2008 [cite news | date=2008-08-11 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/7554629.stm | title=Eagles snap up Oster and Griffit | work=bbc.co.uk | accessdate=2008-08-11] , he scored on his debut against Hereford United in the Carling Cup.

Club career statistics

:"(correct as of 24 September 2008)"

International career

Despite being only one of an handful of Welsh Premiership players, Oster has not yet played under John Toshack, his last cap for Wales being the 2-2 draw with Northern Ireland in 2004 under previous boss Mark Hughes. [cite news | date=2004-09-08 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/3637104.stm | title=Wales 2-2 N Ireland | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-02-27]

Honours

Grimsby Town

*Supporters Young Player of the Year: 1997

Reading

*Football Championship Winner 2005-06

References

External links

*soccerbase|9529|John Oster

Persondata
NAME=Oster, John Morgan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=8 December 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH=Boston, Lincolnshire
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=