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The disgraceful Michael Owen timeline at Newcastle United

In his excellent new autobiography, Paul Ferris has confirmed what we all think/thought of Michael Owen.

Ferris was a physio at Newcastle United back in 2009, as Newcastle vainly fought relegation.

As his book has revealed, Michael Owen certainly wasn’t focused on that particular fight…

Former Newcastle physio (and player) Paul Ferris in his new autobiography ‘The Boy on the Shed’:

“Michael didn’t want to risk it (playing in second last match of 2009/09 relegation season) because he was out of contract in the summer and was saying, ‘I’ll not get a contract at another club if I’m injured’.

“We had a bit of a conversation where I suggested he should be concentrating on the game coming up.

“All we could think about was Fulham, whereas he was thinking about the future.”

These are the timeline ‘highlights’ of the depressing ‘contribution’ Michael Owen made to Newcastle United…

24 August 2005 Michael Owen signs for Newcastle United, a club record fee of £16m, receiving a reported £110,000 per week (£5.5m per year, plus bonuses…)

22 December 2008 (After only 47 Premier League starts in three and a half years and around £20m in wages so far) Michael Owen refuses to sign a new contract offered by Newcastle. Owen also states that he will not be seeking a move in the January transfer window and instead intends to postpone talks over his contract situation until the end of the season (when he can leave for nothing and be in a stronger position to demand higher wages from a new club…)

11 May 2009 Newcastle have a must win game against Middlesbrough in their relegation struggle (third last game of season), Michael Owen starts but contributes little. Boro take a shock lead before Steven Taylor scores an equaliser. Owen is subbed on 70 minutes with the score still 1-1, his replacement Obafemi Martins scores within seconds of coming on and Lovenkrands adds another for a 3-1 win.

16 May 2009 If Newcastle can beat Fulham at St James Park they would be hot favourites to now stay up. Michael Owen nowhere in the squad, as per (Paul Ferris explanation of) reasons above…Newcastle lose 1-0 as chances go begging after their best striker opts not to play.

24 May 2009 Newcastle go to Aston Villa needing a result, Michael Owen is only on the bench. NUFC go 1-0 down through a Duff own goal, Owen comes on with 23 minutes to go but contributes nothing. If Newcastle had got a goal/point they would have stayed up. Later (in 2013), Michael Owen responded to claims that he had decided not to make himself available to start that all or nothing Villa match: ‘I was hurt and it’s ridiculous to suggest anything else. I had a lot of pride and I wanted to do it for the fans and the friends I had made up there.’

14 June 2009 Reported that Michael Owen’s management company, Wasserman Media Group, had sent out a 34 page brochure advertising Owen to several targeted potential clubs.

22 June 2009 Michael Owen confirms he has no intention of helping Newcastle get promotion after being one of those chiefly responsible for the relegation. He says that, rather than showing any loyalty to Newcastle, he is looking for a move to a Premier League club, or a top foreign club.

30 June 2009 Michael Owen’s contract comes to an end. He has started only 58 Premier League matches and scored 26 goals. He has been paid at least £22m in wages…you do the maths.

3 July 2009 Michael Owen signs a two year deal to go and sit on Manchester United’s bench (starts 6 PL games in total for Man U).

So a £16m transfer fee and £22m minimum in wages, plus whatever other associated costs (agents, bonuses, whatever), we are looking at £40m wasted on Michael Owen, the return being 26 Premier League goals in those 58 PL starts, and relegation.

Michael Owen also ensuring Newcastle received not a penny in transfer fee either, as he ran out his contract.

When you consider he was signed fully 13 years ago, just how much would this deal be the equivalent of in the Premier League in 2018?

(***Sunderland are now up for sale for only £10m more than the £40m Michael Owen cost NUFC)