Osborn makes shock Walsall switch

The move will come as a shock to the Kent-based club, who announced last week that they had agreed a new two-year contract extension with Osborn to stay at the Priestfield Stadium.

However, the 31-year-old decided not to put pen-to-paper with The Gills and has opted to reunite himself with manager Colin Lee at the Bescot Stadium.

The former Crystal Palace, QPR, Tranmere Rovers, Reading, Port Vale and Wolves man was delighted to return to the West Midlands with The Saddlers.

"While I will be leaving many friends behind at Gillingham, where I always got on well with the manager (Andy Hessenthaler), players, and supporters, I am delighted to be joining Walsall," Osborn told the Walsall's official website.

"I have done my homework on the club, I know it is a good set up, and there is an excellent team spirit.

"Joining up again with former colleagues such as Darren Bazeley, Neil Emblen and Steve Corica will make it easy for me to settle in, and of course, I have played for Colin Lee at both Reading and Wolves.

"He was a big factor in me making the move. I know how Colin likes to play and I feel sure that I can do really well for Walsall."

Lee was also pleased to bring Osborn into his Walsall squad, claiming the midfielder is his type of player.

"I am delighted with this signing. Simon is an experienced midfield player who knows the First Division scene," said Lee.

"In many ways he is my kind of player, a good playmaker, not a clogger, an excellent passer of the ball.

"He has been a regular performer with Gillingham for the past couple of seasons, and at the age of 31, we have him at the peak of his career.

"This signing will be a big boost for our centre midfield. I am confident he will do well for us."

Osborn's decision to turn his back on Gillingham has left a bitter taste in chairman Paul Scally's mouth, having revealed that he and the player shook hands on an extension last week.

"He and I shook hands on it. We were well apart on terms at the start of our negotiations, but we gradually came together and in the end I agreed to go the extra bit to accommodate Simon's needs," Scally told Gillingham's official website.

"He asked me to draw up the new contract so he could sign and spend the rest of his career at Priestfield.

"But obviously a gentlemen's agreement is not what it used to be.

"I don't think the conduct of his agent helped, but in the end it was down to Simon, because he is the one whose hand I shook when we agreed the deal.

"He is obviously not the kind of person I thought he was."