Gareth Owen
Encyclopedia
Gareth David Owen is a professional footballer who plays as a defender
for League Two
side Port Vale
. He also serves as coach of the club's reserve team. Owen qualifies to play for the Wales national football team
through his Welsh mother and has represented Wales at under-19 level.
He began his career at Stoke City
, signing as a professional in August 2001. He made his first team debut in the 2003–04 season, also spending time on loan at Oldham Athletic
. He spent part of 2004–05 on loan at Torquay United
, before returning on loan at Oldham. His loan deal was made permanent in the summer for a £50,000 fee, though he did not find success in the 2005–06 campaign. He spent the 2006–07 season on loan at Stockport County
, and was voted the club's Player of the Season, after which he joined Stockport permanently, and was installed as club captain. Following a successful 2007–08 season, he joined Yeovil Town
on loan in October 2008, having fell out with the management at Stockport. He then joined Port Vale on a loan deal that was made permanent in January 2009. He was a key member of the first team in 2009–10 and 2010–11, and was also appointed as the club's reserve team manager for the 2011–12 season.
(just outside Stoke-on-Trent
), Owen attended Painsley High School
in his youth. He was in the same school year as future Port Vale
teammate Adam Yates
.
, turning professional in August 2001. However in March 2002 he broke his leg in a youth team match against Leeds United
; this meant two ankle operations which cost Owen fifteen months out of action.
He made his senior debut in a First Division
clash with Wigan Athletic
on 14 October 2003; he replaced Clint Hill
on the 80 minute mark, as Stoke lost 2–1 at the JJB Stadium thanks to two Geoff Horsfield
goals. Four days later he made a further cameo against Ipswich Town
. To gain first team experience he spent the second half of the 2003–04 season on loan at Second Division
side Oldham Athletic
. He scored his first senior goal at Boundary Park
, in a 4–1 win over Plymouth Argyle
on 17 April. Upon his return to the Potteries he won his home debut at the Britannia Stadium
; he played the full ninety minutes in what was a 4–1 win over West Bromwich Albion
.
At the start of the 2004–05 season he was loaned out to League One
club Torquay United
, where he played six games. After returning from Plainmoor
he played two further games for Stoke, making substitute appearances in 1–0 wins over Coventry City
and Millwall
.
for a fee of £50,000. However he made only 21 appearances in 2005–06. Never fitting in at the club, in May 2006 he put in a transfer request, which was accepted. He later claimed he had 'fallen out of love' with football at Boundary Park
.
Third Round tie at Premier League Watford
. He was voted the club's player of the season and joined Stockport permanently for an undisclosed fee in June 2007. In the 2007–08 season, Owen went on to captain Stockport back to League One
, lifting the play-off trophy after a 3–2 win over Rochdale
at Wembley Stadium
. In the final he actually played with a face-mask due to an injury. However the season was not a complete success, as County suffered a shock defeat to Isthmian League
Staines Town
in the FA Cup First Round. In October 2008 he went out on loan to Yeovil Town
after a public falling-out with manager Jim Gannon
. After the loan was extended in November he stated his aim to sign a permanently contract with the "Glovers", though the next week he ended up joining Dean Glover
's Port Vale
.
Port Vale on loan until January 2009, with a view to a permanent deal. He made his Vale debut on the day the loan move was agreed, helping the "Valiants" to keep a clean sheet against Barnet
despite barely getting chance to meet his new teammates. Owen was expected to sign a permanent deal with Port Vale in January 2009 but was unexpectedly recalled by Stockport in order to negotiate a settlement for the remainder of his contract. This issue was finally resolved on 19 January, and he left Stockport by mutual consent to sign for Port Vale on a two and a half year contract. During this period he also held informal talks with Dario Gradi
's Crewe Alexandra
. In March 2009 Owen picked up an ankle
injury, which kept him out of action for the rest of the season
. During the downtime he spent time working on his coaching badges and helping Ray Williams
on scouting
duties.
A key part of the back three in 2009–10
, Owen scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 home win over Grimsby Town
on 5 September. He was transfer listed in late September, along with the entire Port Vale squad, after manager Micky Adams
saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat. A key member of the Vale defence, after breaking his cheekbone he once again donned a custom-made protective face mask. He also was forced to take a few weeks on the sidelines in order to undergo surgery, though he made a speedy recovery. A muscle problem in his lower back meant he was forced to undergo sugar injections to keep playing during the latter half of the season. At the end of the season he announced that he wished to extend his Port Vale career beyond summer 2011.
He started the 2009–10
season as a key member of the Vale defence. When his former boss Jim Gannon
arrived as Vale's new manager in January 2011, Owen insisted that 'what's done, is done', and there was speculation that Gannon would make Owen captain. However the following month he was sidelined after fracturing his left ankle in a 1–1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers
. This 'fracture' in fact turned out to be severe bruising, leaving Owen a much shorter recovery time. In April 2011, he began contract talks on a new two year deal. However the new contract meant taking a pay cut, whilst Crewe Alexandra and Burton Albion
both expressed an interest in the defender. Before he made his decision he was awarded with the Chairman's Player of the Year award. He decided to sign a two year deal with Crewe Alexandra
, citing unrest at Vale Park
as one of his motivations for switching clubs. However, once he discovered Micky Adams was returning as manager he reversed his decision and put pen to paper on a two year deal with the "Valiants" as a player-coach. He hoped his role as reserve team coach would stand him in good stead for a future career in management.
An achilles injury forced him to sit out most of the 2011–12
pre-season. However Adams allowed Owen to act as manager for a pre-season friendly against Stone Dominoes
, a game which Vale won 2–0. Despite coaching the reserves and continuing his university work, as a player he missed just one of the "Valiants" first ten league games of the season. However he then was struck down by injury, and underwent a hernia operation in November.
caps
, both easy victories over the Faroe Islands under-19s
. The first was a 4–1 win on 7 August 2001, the second was an 8–2 victory two days later.
, thanks to his father. With a brother in the Armed Forces
, Owen ran in the Stoke-on-Trent
2010K run, a marathon to celebrate the city's centenary, to raise money for Help for Heroes
. He managed to raise over £1,000.
He aims to go into management when he retires as a player; in June 2009 he started a course to earn his UEFA Level Two coaching badge. A few months later he began a Sports science
degree course at Manchester Metropolitan University
, with the aim of getting into teaching or coaching. As of June 2011 he is studying to complete a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University
, alongside teammates Adam Yates
, Justin Richards
, and Ritchie Sutton
. He began writing weekly columns on Port Vale
for The Sentinel for the 2011–12
season.
|2001–02||Stoke City
||Second Division
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2002–03||Stoke City
||First Division
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2003–04||Stoke City
||First Division
||3||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|2003–04||Oldham Athletic
||Second Division
||15||1||0||0||0||0||15||1
|-
|2004–05||Stoke City
||Championship
||2||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
|-
|2004–05||Torquay United
||League One
||5||0||0||0||1||0||6||0
|-
|2004–05||Oldham Athletic
||League One
||9||0||0||0||0||0||9||0
|-
|2005–06||Oldham Athletic
||League One
||17||0||3||0||1||0||21||0
|-
|2006–07||Stockport County
||League Two
||39||0||1||0||1||0||42||0
|-
|2007–08||Stockport County
||League Two
||36||0||2||0||2||0||44||0
|-
|2008–09||Stockport County
||League One
||8||0||0||0||1||0||10||0
|-
|2008–09||Yeovil Town
||League One
||7||0||0||0||0||0||7||0
|-
|2008–09
||Port Vale
||League Two
||12||0||1||0||0||0||13||0
|-
|2009–10
||Port Vale
||League Two
||40||1||1||0||3||0||46||1
|-
|2010–11
||Port Vale
||League Two
||36||1||4||0||2||0||43||1
|-
|2011–12
||Port Vale
||League Two
||16||0||0||0||0||0||17||0
|-
240||3||12||0||11||0||278||3
240||3||12||0||11||0||278||3
Notes:
with Stockport County
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
. He also serves as coach of the club's reserve team. Owen qualifies to play for the Wales national football team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
through his Welsh mother and has represented Wales at under-19 level.
He began his career at Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, signing as a professional in August 2001. He made his first team debut in the 2003–04 season, also spending time on loan at Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. He spent part of 2004–05 on loan at Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, before returning on loan at Oldham. His loan deal was made permanent in the summer for a £50,000 fee, though he did not find success in the 2005–06 campaign. He spent the 2006–07 season on loan at Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, and was voted the club's Player of the Season, after which he joined Stockport permanently, and was installed as club captain. Following a successful 2007–08 season, he joined Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
on loan in October 2008, having fell out with the management at Stockport. He then joined Port Vale on a loan deal that was made permanent in January 2009. He was a key member of the first team in 2009–10 and 2010–11, and was also appointed as the club's reserve team manager for the 2011–12 season.
Early life
Born and raised in Cheadle, StaffordshireCheadle, Staffordshire
Cheadle is a small market town near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, with a population of 12,158 according to the 2001 census. It is roughly from the city of Stoke-on-Trent, north of Birmingham and south of Manchester...
(just outside Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
), Owen attended Painsley High School
Painsley Catholic College
Painsley Catholic College is situated in Cheadle, Staffordshire and is one of the leading schools in the country. Painsley consistently achieves excellent grades at GCSE level and the shared VI Form continues this success. The name “Painsley” was chosen because it had a common link with all the...
in his youth. He was in the same school year as future Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
teammate Adam Yates
Adam Yates
Adam Paul Yates is an English footballer who plays for League Two side Port Vale as a full back. He is a former semi-pro international with England....
.
Stoke City
Owen began his career as a trainee with his local club, Stoke CityStoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, turning professional in August 2001. However in March 2002 he broke his leg in a youth team match against Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C. Reserves and Youth Team
Leeds United Reserves are the reserve team of Leeds United A.F.C.. The manager of the reserves is Neil Redfearn and they currently play at the first team's home ground, Elland Road. In previous seasons, the reserves have played at York City's Bootham Crescent and the South Leeds Stadium...
; this meant two ankle operations which cost Owen fifteen months out of action.
He made his senior debut in a First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
clash with Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
on 14 October 2003; he replaced Clint Hill
Clint Hill (footballer)
Clinton Scott "Clint" Hill is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League. His preferred position is at centre-back, although he can also play at left-back as well.-Tranmere Rovers:...
on the 80 minute mark, as Stoke lost 2–1 at the JJB Stadium thanks to two Geoff Horsfield
Geoff Horsfield
Geoffrey Malcolm "Geoff" Horsfield is an English former professional footballer, now football coach. He made more than 300 appearances in the Football League playing as a striker. He is now a coach at Port Vale....
goals. Four days later he made a further cameo against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
. To gain first team experience he spent the second half of the 2003–04 season on loan at Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
side Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. He scored his first senior goal at Boundary Park
Boundary Park
Boundary Park is the main sports stadium of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the northwestern extremity of Oldham, with the towns of Royton and Chadderton lying immediately north and west respectively, giving rise to the name Boundary Park....
, in a 4–1 win over Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
on 17 April. Upon his return to the Potteries he won his home debut at the Britannia Stadium
Britannia Stadium
The Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
; he played the full ninety minutes in what was a 4–1 win over West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
.
At the start of the 2004–05 season he was loaned out to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, where he played six games. After returning from Plainmoor
Plainmoor
Plainmoor is a suburb of Torquay, Devon, but is best known as the name of the stadium in which Torquay United Football Club currently play.-History:...
he played two further games for Stoke, making substitute appearances in 1–0 wins over Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
and Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
.
Oldham Athletic
He returned to Oldham on loan in March 2005, playing nine times until the end of the season when he was transferred from Stoke to Oldham AthleticOldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
for a fee of £50,000. However he made only 21 appearances in 2005–06. Never fitting in at the club, in May 2006 he put in a transfer request, which was accepted. He later claimed he had 'fallen out of love' with football at Boundary Park
Boundary Park
Boundary Park is the main sports stadium of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the northwestern extremity of Oldham, with the towns of Royton and Chadderton lying immediately north and west respectively, giving rise to the name Boundary Park....
.
Stockport County
On 3 July 2006, Owen joined Stockport County on a season-long loan deal. He enjoyed a successful 2006–07 season, playing 42 games, including a FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Third Round tie at Premier League Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. He was voted the club's player of the season and joined Stockport permanently for an undisclosed fee in June 2007. In the 2007–08 season, Owen went on to captain Stockport back to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, lifting the play-off trophy after a 3–2 win over Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. In the final he actually played with a face-mask due to an injury. However the season was not a complete success, as County suffered a shock defeat to Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
Staines Town
Staines Town F.C.
Staines Town FC are an English football club based in Staines, Surrey. They are currently competing in the Conference South. The team are usually known as 'The Swans'...
in the FA Cup First Round. In October 2008 he went out on loan to Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
after a public falling-out with manager Jim Gannon
Jim Gannon
James Paul "Jim" Gannon is a former footballer and football manager, who is now Director of football and manager of Conference National team Stockport County...
. After the loan was extended in November he stated his aim to sign a permanently contract with the "Glovers", though the next week he ended up joining Dean Glover
Dean Glover
Dean Victor Glover is an English former footballer and football manager. A cultured and stylish defender, he had the ball control skills of a midfielder. He played 457 league games in a seventeen year career in the Football League.He started his career at Aston Villa in 1980, before he moved on to...
's Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
.
Port Vale
Despite starting his career at Stoke City, in November 2008 Owen agreed to join local rivalsPotteries derby
The Potteries derby is the football local derby in Stoke-on-Trent between Port Vale and Stoke City. The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals; this has led to a heated atmosphere at these matches, especially with the rise of football hooliganism and the 'Naughty Forty'...
Port Vale on loan until January 2009, with a view to a permanent deal. He made his Vale debut on the day the loan move was agreed, helping the "Valiants" to keep a clean sheet against Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
despite barely getting chance to meet his new teammates. Owen was expected to sign a permanent deal with Port Vale in January 2009 but was unexpectedly recalled by Stockport in order to negotiate a settlement for the remainder of his contract. This issue was finally resolved on 19 January, and he left Stockport by mutual consent to sign for Port Vale on a two and a half year contract. During this period he also held informal talks with Dario Gradi
Dario Gradi
Dario Gradi MBE is an Italian-born English football manager and former player, who was serving as manager of the Crewe Alexandra F.C. Academy. He is a former manager of Crewe Alexandra, with whom he has been associated for almost thirty years.Gradi is notable for his 24-year first spell as manager...
's Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
. In March 2009 Owen picked up an ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injury, which kept him out of action for the rest of the season
2008–09 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-seventh season of football in the Football League, and first season in League Two, following their relegation from League One. After a poor start to the season manager Lee Sinnott was sacked in September, and was replaced by Dean Glover. Despite a brief...
. During the downtime he spent time working on his coaching badges and helping Ray Williams
Ray Williams (footballer)
Raymond "Ray" Williams is an English former footballer who played as a striker. He now works as a commentator at BBC Radio Stoke....
on scouting
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
duties.
A key part of the back three in 2009–10
2009–10 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-eighth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in League Two. Micky Adams received plaudits for his first full season in charge. He took a squad of players that had previously been near the bottom of the division and made...
, Owen scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 home win over Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
on 5 September. He was transfer listed in late September, along with the entire Port Vale squad, after manager Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat. A key member of the Vale defence, after breaking his cheekbone he once again donned a custom-made protective face mask. He also was forced to take a few weeks on the sidelines in order to undergo surgery, though he made a speedy recovery. A muscle problem in his lower back meant he was forced to undergo sugar injections to keep playing during the latter half of the season. At the end of the season he announced that he wished to extend his Port Vale career beyond summer 2011.
He started the 2009–10
2009–10 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-eighth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in League Two. Micky Adams received plaudits for his first full season in charge. He took a squad of players that had previously been near the bottom of the division and made...
season as a key member of the Vale defence. When his former boss Jim Gannon
Jim Gannon
James Paul "Jim" Gannon is a former footballer and football manager, who is now Director of football and manager of Conference National team Stockport County...
arrived as Vale's new manager in January 2011, Owen insisted that 'what's done, is done', and there was speculation that Gannon would make Owen captain. However the following month he was sidelined after fracturing his left ankle in a 1–1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
. This 'fracture' in fact turned out to be severe bruising, leaving Owen a much shorter recovery time. In April 2011, he began contract talks on a new two year deal. However the new contract meant taking a pay cut, whilst Crewe Alexandra and Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
both expressed an interest in the defender. Before he made his decision he was awarded with the Chairman's Player of the Year award. He decided to sign a two year deal with Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, citing unrest at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
as one of his motivations for switching clubs. However, once he discovered Micky Adams was returning as manager he reversed his decision and put pen to paper on a two year deal with the "Valiants" as a player-coach. He hoped his role as reserve team coach would stand him in good stead for a future career in management.
An achilles injury forced him to sit out most of the 2011–12
2011–12 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2011–12 season is Port Vale's one-hundredth season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive season in League Two. It marked the start of Micky Adams' second spell in charge of the club, and despite fan unrest with the board, Vale fans and players were hopeful of promotion come...
pre-season. However Adams allowed Owen to act as manager for a pre-season friendly against Stone Dominoes
Stone Dominoes F.C.
Stone Dominoes F.C. are a football club based in Stone, Staffordshire.-History:The club was established in 1987 and joined the Midland League Division Two in 1995. They reached the 5th round of the FA Vase in 2003–04 season. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League...
, a game which Vale won 2–0. Despite coaching the reserves and continuing his university work, as a player he missed just one of the "Valiants" first ten league games of the season. However he then was struck down by injury, and underwent a hernia operation in November.
International career
Owen picked up two Wales under-19sWales national under-19 football team
The Wales national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship held every year.-Recent history:...
caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
, both easy victories over the Faroe Islands under-19s
Faroe Islands national under-19 football team
The Faroe Islands U19 National Team represents the Faroe Islands at under-19 age level and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association....
. The first was a 4–1 win on 7 August 2001, the second was an 8–2 victory two days later.
Personal life
Although from Staffordshire (where he played county cricket as a youngster), he supports ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, thanks to his father. With a brother in the Armed Forces
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, Owen ran in the Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
2010K run, a marathon to celebrate the city's centenary, to raise money for Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes is a British charity launched on 1 October 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. It was founded by Bryn Parry OBE and his wife Emma Parry OBE after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
. He managed to raise over £1,000.
He aims to go into management when he retires as a player; in June 2009 he started a course to earn his UEFA Level Two coaching badge. A few months later he began a Sports science
Sports science
Sport science is a discipline that studies the application of scientific principles and techniques with the aim of improving sporting performance...
degree course at Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
, with the aim of getting into teaching or coaching. As of June 2011 he is studying to complete a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University is a university with its main campus based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and with other campuses in Stafford, Lichfield and Shrewsbury.- History :...
, alongside teammates Adam Yates
Adam Yates
Adam Paul Yates is an English footballer who plays for League Two side Port Vale as a full back. He is a former semi-pro international with England....
, Justin Richards
Justin Richards (footballer)
Justin Donovan Richards is an English footballer who plays for League Two side Burton Albion. A striker, he has a tally of around one goal every three games, playing in the Conference and lower reaches of the Football League...
, and Ritchie Sutton
Ritchie Sutton
Ritchie Aidan Sutton is an English footballer who plays for Mansfield Town as a defender. He can operative as a centre-back or a full-back....
. He began writing weekly columns on Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
for The Sentinel for the 2011–12
2011–12 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2011–12 season is Port Vale's one-hundredth season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive season in League Two. It marked the start of Micky Adams' second spell in charge of the club, and despite fan unrest with the board, Vale fans and players were hopeful of promotion come...
season.
Statistics
Club level
|-|2001–02||Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2002–03||Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
||First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|2003–04||Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
||First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
||3||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|2003–04||Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||15||1||0||0||0||0||15||1
|-
|2004–05||Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
||Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
||2||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
|-
|2004–05||Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||5||0||0||0||1||0||6||0
|-
|2004–05||Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||9||0||0||0||0||0||9||0
|-
|2005–06||Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||17||0||3||0||1||0||21||0
|-
|2006–07||Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||39||0||1||0||1||0||42||0
|-
|2007–08||Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||36||0||2||0||2||0||44||0
|-
|2008–09||Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||8||0||0||0||1||0||10||0
|-
|2008–09||Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||7||0||0||0||0||0||7||0
|-
|2008–09
2008–09 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-seventh season of football in the Football League, and first season in League Two, following their relegation from League One. After a poor start to the season manager Lee Sinnott was sacked in September, and was replaced by Dean Glover. Despite a brief...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||12||0||1||0||0||0||13||0
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-eighth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in League Two. Micky Adams received plaudits for his first full season in charge. He took a squad of players that had previously been near the bottom of the division and made...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||40||1||1||0||3||0||46||1
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Port Vale's ninety-ninth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in League Two. Vale enjoyed a solid start to the campaign, looking like good prospects for promotion. However Micky Adams left the club in December to take charge of Sheffield...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||36||1||4||0||2||0||43||1
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2011–12 season is Port Vale's one-hundredth season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive season in League Two. It marked the start of Micky Adams' second spell in charge of the club, and despite fan unrest with the board, Vale fans and players were hopeful of promotion come...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||16||0||0||0||0||0||17||0
|-
240||3||12||0||11||0||278||3
240||3||12||0||11||0||278||3
Notes:
- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
& play-off results included in totals.
under-19 caps
- Scores and results list Wales' goal tally first. The "Caps" figures are in bold for games in which he scored
Caps Date Venue Opponent Result Competition Scored Location Cards 01 (00) 7 August 2001 Vetch Field Vetch FieldThe Vetch Field was a multi-purpose stadium in Swansea, Wales. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home ground of Swansea City until the Liberty Stadium opened in 2005. Opened in 1912, the ground held around 12,000 at the time of its closure, but upwards of 30,000 at its peak...
, SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
4–1 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
0 
02 (00) 9 August 2001 Bridge Meadow Stadium Bridge Meadow StadiumNew Bridge Meadow Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Haverfordwest, Wales. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Haverfordwest County F.C.. The stadium holds 2,000 people.-References:...
, HaverfordwestHaverfordwestHaverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
8–2 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
0
Honours
Individual- Stockport County F.C.Stockport County F.C.Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
Player-Of-The-Season: 2006–07
with Stockport County
- Football League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
play-offFootball League Two play-offsThe Football League Two play-offs are a series of play-off matches, contested by the teams finishing from 4th to 7th in the Football League Two table to determine the fourth promotion place to the third tier of English football, League One. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 7th playing...
winner: 20082008 Football League Two play-off FinalThe 2008 Football League Two play-off Final, also known as the 2008 Coca-Cola League Two play-off Final due to sponsorship from Coca-Cola, was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 26 May 2008, at the end of the 2007–08 season....
External links
- Profile at the official Port Vale site