Revealed: The astonishing reason Michael Owen refused to play for NUFC prior to relegation in 2009

Former NUFC physio Paul Ferris has revealed that Michael Owen refused to play in the penultimate game of our 2008/09 relegation season against Fulham, stating that he ‘didn’t want to risk his groin’ as he was out of contract in the summer and worried he wouldn’t find another club if he was injured!

Incredible. All this from our £17m club record signing. He owed us one as it is, with him being injured more than he was fit during his 4 seasons on Tyneside, but to find that he backed out of playing in a game where he could’ve repaid his fee is pretty disgraceful.

As it turns out, just one more point and we would’ve stayed up that season, so Fulham at home on the penultimate weekend of the season would’ve been the perfect time for our club record striker to step up. But no, not the spineless Michael Owen.

Here’s a snippet from Paul Ferris’ upcoming book, explaining why Owen didn’t play in the 0-1 home defeat to Fulham – a crippling result that contributed to our relegation just a week later:

“Michael didn’t want to risk his groin 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’.”

It shouldn’t come as any major surprise really. Owen has always struck me as the sort of bloke whose in it for himself, but this is another level.

To think he had the captains armband..

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

4 thoughts on “Revealed: The astonishing reason Michael Owen refused to play for NUFC prior to relegation in 2009

  1. THE
    little ***** was here just for his own gains glad to get rid of the GREEDY BIT OF ****
    WE were better off without him G L BXXXXXX .

      (Quote)

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