HIGHLY-rated Redditch United midfielder Jamey Osborne turned down a summer move to Worcester City, according to joint boss Carl Heeley.

City will come face-to-face with the former Hednesford Town player when they meet Redditch in tomorrow’s Worcestershire FA Senior Cup final at Bromsgrove Sporting (3pm).

Worcester booked their place in the final following a 2-1 victory at Evesham United, while Redditch won 3-0 on penalties in their last-four tie against Kidderminster Harriers after it had finished 1-1.

Heeley believes Southern League Premier Division side Redditch will provide a tough test for Worcester.

“It will be a tough game and another competitive match,” said Heeley.

“Redditch will want to win and they have got some good players.

“They have made a couple of good signings and I think they have signed one of the best central midfielders who was in Conference North with Osborne coming from Hednesford.

“He’s certainly a player who interested us but he decided to join Redditch.”

Redditch manager Liam McDonald has hailed Osborne as the best player in the Southern League.

Osborne, 23, was tipped by many to play at least Vanarama National League level with a move to Halifax Town breaking down.

The midfielder came through the youth ranks at Hednesford and had been a driving force in their efforts to win promotion.

McDonald said the playmaker considered putting his career on hold for a year.

He said: “Liam was a free agent and he was considering a year out of football to concentrate on work and family.

“I am good friends with Jamie and asked him to come down and see what we’re trying to do at Redditch.

“If you look at the other clubs in Worcestershire, I feel we’ve definitely got the best player in the league.

“This is an exciting time for Redditch. We’re on the up.”

He added: “I feel he needs a season here to help him but he knows he’s at a club where Jermaine Hylton, Omar Sterling-James and Sam Hornby have moved onto the Football League.”

Redditch will have to pay compensation to the Pitmen under the Bosman ruling.

“The chairman (Chris Swan) will talk to Hednesford and I hope we’re able to come to an amicable agreement because no-one wants to see a player have a year out of football,” added McDonald.

“I am not sure what sort of figure Hednesford want but Redditch are not a club who will spend what they haven’t got. A few people have suggested we are already talking to other clubs about him. That’s simply not true.”