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Michael Owen has been blasted by ex-England teammate Matt Jansen after his scathing remarks about Newcastle United fans.

Jansen trained with Owen for England before a bout of gastroenteritis denied him a debut Three Lions cap against Paraguay in 2002.

But Jansen – whose career was blighted by a scooter accident that left him in a coma – said he was surprised at Owen's Toon tirade.

Owen wrote in his new book that he regretted moving to the Magpies in 2005, adding he felt he shouldn't have to "justify myself to f*****g Newcastle fans" after they bemoaned his disastrous injury record.

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He also aimed fire at Toon icon Alan Shearer, who he played with for England and Newcastle.

And Jansen – who has recently released a new book titled What Was, What Is and What Might Have Been – labelled Owen's comments "sour to take".

Jansen told Daily Star Online: "It is strange that he has had a go a quite a few people.

"Growing up in Carlisle, I supported Newcastle as a boy and I found that the best place and best atmosphere to go and play at was St James' Park, having been there as a fan and then having played there a few times.

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"But they are passionate fans and to say something like he regretted going to Newcastle is a bit sour to take."

He added: "I am (surprised) because you wonder whether he needed to say all this.

"It's not like he'll be struggling, whether it's his agent and that's the advice he's been given I don't know, whether it's just what he wants to get off his chest I don't know.

"I am quite surprised at how he's having a go at certain people, I mean having a go at Newcastle, that it was a regret to go there? I couldn't be like that.

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"But everybody is different I suppose, I find it a little bit odd.

"He was electric pace wise, he was in his peak as well, but he was quiet, you wouldn't have expected it from that kind of character.

"You would from fiery characters, like a Vinnie Jones or somebody like that, but he's quiet, keeps himself to himself."

Jansen narrowly missed out on playing for England at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea aged 24.

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But he was left in a coma for six days later that year after the scooter tragedy with his now wife Lucy, and was sidelined for four months.

However, the ex-Bolton Wanderers forward says his career was never the same after that and that he fell into a spiral of depression and anxiety.

Jansen – who has a UEFA A licence and is seeking a return to the game – told us: "When I had the accident the neurosurgeon said he needs, if he ever gets back playing, at least 12 months off when the dust settles, he shouldn't be rushed back into playing.

"But because it was new nobody really knew how to treat it other than the neurosurgeon who had given that advice.

"I appeared normal, because you couldn't see anything I came back and I played after four months.

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"But if you had broken your leg or you had done your cruciate knee ligaments and you were out for 12 months, you wouldn't rush back after four months because you would do horrific damage again.

"Just because you could not see mine, I maybe did horrific damage to my head. I came back too soon.

"I didn't know what the right answers were. The club were dealing with me on a day-to-day basis, and obviously the club wanted to get me back playing ASAP so I was just doing as instructed as I was going into the club each day.

"There's no criticism of the club, it was unique, so it was just maybe in hindsight I should have waited longer. But it's all hindsight and hypothetical. 2002 was different to 2019."