Sheffield United: The experience former Nottingham Forest favourite Ben Osborn will use to cut through the noise at Derby County

Joining Nottingham Forest, spending more than a decade-and-a-half there after being released by his hometown club, soured the Sheffield United midfielder’s relationship with supporters at Pride Park.

Scoring a last minute winner there seven years ago, during one particularly tempestuous east Midlands dust-up, didn’t exactly endear him to them either. Especially, even though his celebrations were muted at best, when the visiting fans later voted it their goal of the season.

But if Osborn starts for United against Wayne Rooney’s side and County’s followers make their feelings known - “Even though I’d be surprised if many of them knew who I was because I was so young when I left” - there is precious little chance of him being distracted by the maelstrom.

“I look at games a little bit differently now,” Osborn told The Star earlier this week, revealing he recently enrolled on a course to gain his UEFA A licence. “I started doing my badges a while ago and, to be honest, it has changed my approach a bit.

“You look into things a little bit more, you analyse them in more detail. I definitely think it’s been a help and probably, because of that, made me a better player too. You get an understanding and an insight - about why things happen and how to try and make them happen - that, looking back, you didn’t have before. Well, I didn’t anyway.”

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s trip to County, whose administrators yesterday withdrew a contract offer to former United defender Phil Jagielka, Heckingbottom praised Osborn’s versatility and tactical knowledge - acknowledging both are qualities which will help his team negotiate safe passage through the remainder of a campaign plunged into chaos by Covid-19 and a flurry of postponements.

Capable of playing either as a wing back or as an attacking midfielder - the position he prefers - the 27-year-old’s ability to not only perform a number of different roles but also perform them well provides United’s coaching staff with some much needed flexibility as they enter a pivotal period.

Thirteenth in the Championship but with four games in hand on sixth-placed Huddersfield Town, Heckingbottom’s side also face Preston North End, Luton and Peterborough before the end of the month. Then, having last contested a league fixture nearly four weeks ago, they contest seven in the space of only 22 days during February.

“To be fair, when I was in Forest’s academy, I always remember once a week we used to do nothing but shape and stuff like that for a couple of hours every week so maybe that’s where it comes from,” Osborn said, explaining his interest in football strategy. “When you do your badges, naturally you start looking at things in a different way so it’s definitely changed me.

“One of the big benefits I’ve experienced is, when you’re looking back at a game on your own, you can see where you’ve made a mistake. Even more importantly, you can see why you’ve made it.

“Really, it does give you better insight and clearer ideas.”