KARLEIGH OSBORNE
Women's Head Coach
Biography
Karleigh Osborne is the Head Coach of the Women's side and has been since 2018. The former professional also spent time at Brentford as a player between 2005-2012.
A central defender, Karleigh began his career with The Bees as a youth scholar. His professional debut came on the final day of the 2004-05 League One season, when he was just seventeen. He signed a new contract the following season and would head out on loan to Hayes, Oxford United and Eastbourne Borough over the next few seasons.
He had spells at right-back as Brentford were relegated to League Two but made a real difference under Andy Scott as The Bees fought to promotion again in 2008. His goal during a 2-0 win over Luton Town on the final day of the season helped secure the league title, his first piece of silverware. In the next three years, he would be in and out of the team at Griffin Park. He found a fine run of form in 2011, leading the team to the Football League Trophy Final - losing narrowly to Carlisle United.
In July 2012, having left The Bees at the end of his contract, he moved to Millwall. Injury hampered his progress with the team, leading to his loan and then permanent switch to Bristol City in 2013. His first goal for The Robins came at Griffin Park, during a 1-3 defeat to Brentford in January 2014.
Karleigh would make short loan trips to Colchester United and AFC Wimbledon before a move to Plymouth Argyle in the summer of 2016. Six months later, he signed for Kilmarnock on a short-term deal, where he would play alongside young prospect Kristoffer Ajer in defence.
A year at Grimsby Town followed in 2017, which then turned into Aldershot the next summer. A short stint with National League side Braintree Town saw him hang up his boots in June 2019.
The previous summer, he had been named Head Coach of the Brentford Women's side, after working with them part-time since 2015. He also is part of the presenting team that appear on Brentford FC's weekly YouTube show The Warm-Up, alongside fellow former pro Marcus Gayle and presenter Stu Wakeford.
