John Morgan Oster (born 8 December 1978) is a football coach and former professional player who played as a midfielder.
Oster was a product of the youth team at Grimsby Town where he was added to the first team squad in 1994, however he didn't make his debut until the 1996–97 season. His performances that season caught the eye of Premier League side Everton who paid £1.5 million for him during the summer of 1997. Two years later he was sold to Sunderland where he remained until 2005. Whilst with The Black Cats he spent time on loan with Barnsley before returning to Grimsby for two separate loan spells during the 2002–03 season, in his time back at Blundell Park he was unable to save the club from relegation. He later moved on loan to Leeds United before joining Burnley permanently. His stay with Burnley was brief and moved to Reading where he helped them earn promotion to the Premier League for the first time, in 2008 he moved to Crystal Palace where he remained for a year before transferring to Doncaster Rovers. He departed Rovers in the summer of 2012 and joined League Two side Barnet, prior to his move to the North London club he had played his entire professional football career inside the top two divisions of English football. He joined Gateshead in September 2013.
Born in England, Oster represented Wales at international level, where he earned 13 caps between 1997 and 2004. He was renowned for his excellent first touch and wide range of passing. He was often deployed on the wing, but played as a deep-lying playmaker later in his career.
Club career
Grimsby Town
Oster started his career at Grimsby Town and had progressed through the youth ranks at the club and was inducted into the first team in the same youth squad as players such as Danny Butterfield, Matthew Bloomer and Daryl Clare. He was promoted to the first team scene in the 1994–95 season when the club were in the old First Division. However, he didn't make his debut until the 1996–97 campaign where he made his debut in a 3–1 win away at Charlton Athletic on 26 November 1996. Following Grimsby's relegation from the First Division, Oster was sold by The Mariners, for a fee of £1.5 million that saw him break the club's record transfer sale that was initially held by Gary Croft following his move to Blackburn Rovers for £1 million a year earlier. He had only played twenty-six times in all competitions, scoring four goals upon his departure.
Everton
The Mariners sold Oster to Everton for £1.5 million in 1997, aged only 18 and having played only 25 matches. It transpired that he had made the wrong move though, as he was rarely utilised in his favoured winger's role, in a 4–4–2 formation. Oster scored three times during his spell at Everton; once in the league against Barnsley, once in the League Cup against Scunthorpe United and once in the FA Cup against Coventry City.
Sunderland
Oster moved to Sunderland for a fee in excess of £1 million, but again failed to find regular form. His low point at the club was when he was involved in an incident that ended the career of reserve player Mark Maley by accidentally shooting him in the eye with an air rifle. While at Sunderland, during the 2002–2003 season, he spent five months back on loan with his former club Grimsby Town. He enjoyed two fruitful and productive spells with the club during that season, but despite this his goals and performances could not save The Mariners from relegation, as the club struggled to stop a slide down the Football League ladder. Oster was released by Sunderland in January 2005, shortly after returning to the Black Cats in disgrace from a loan at Leeds United, where he scored once against Millwall. There was little doubt that Grimsby would have liked Oster back but could not afford him and their financial position and reduced league status made it an unattractive option for the player.
Burnley
Following a short spell at Burnley, where he scored once against Coventry, Oster joined Reading on 2 August 2005.
Reading
Oster made his debut for Reading against Brighton & Hove Albion on 9 August 2005 as a substitute. In January 2007, he extended his contract at the Madejski Stadium until the summer of 2008. 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, 2–1. After a couple of years as a squad player with the Royals, including a number of Premier League sub appearances, he was released by Reading following their relegation from the Premier League, on 16 May 2008.