Fred Osborne played for Worcester City in the Birmingham League immediately before the outbreak of the First World War, but his football activities were then largely curtailed by the hostilities. He did, however, join Birmingham during the final wartime season, and also guested briefly for Leicester Fosse, Lincoln City and Coventry City.
One of Charlie Webb’s first recruits on the former Albion forward’s appointment as manager in 1919, 24-year-old Fred played three games in the club’s last season in the Southern League, but failed to impress in a struggling side and was freed to join Western League Weymouth in May 1920.