Owen Book Sparks Twitter Row with Newcastle Legend, Shearer

Owen Book Sparks Twitter Row with Newcastle Legend, Shearer

Michael Owen’s new book has ignited a row on social media between the former England striker and Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer.

One of the more cutting lines in the book includes Owen’s claim that his transfer from Real Madrid to the Magpies in 2005 was a “downward step” and the one move he “really regrets”.

The pair exchanged barbed tweets as the story broke on Tuesday – but what is the background of their feud?

In Reboot – My Life, My Time, which is being serialised in the Daily Mirror, Owen also goes into detail about his relationship with Newcastle’s fans during an injury-hit spell with the club, which ended with him joining Manchester United after the Magpies’ relegation to the Championship in 2009.

“I should have followed my gut instincts, I didn’t want to go there – my heart was set on a return to Liverpool,” said Owen – who had left Anfield for Real in 2004 – of his move to St James’ Park.

The 39-year-old former England captain also claimed Newcastle were “only a big club in the sense that it has a lot of fans and a big stadium”. Ouch.

Match of the Day pundit Shearer, the Magpies’ record goalscorer, responded on social media.

Tweeting a clip of Owen telling BT Sport in 2018 that he “couldn’t wait to retire for the final six or seven years” of his career, Shearer posted: “Yes, Michael, we thought that also, whilst on £120K a week.”

Newcastle’s relegation in 2009 appears to be the catalyst for the pair’s strained relationship, according to Owen’s book.

Shearer was interim manager at the time and, going into the final day of the season, the Magpies needed at least a draw at Aston Villa or their 16-season spell in the Premier League would come to an end.

Owen claims he was not fully fit but, with Villa 1-0 up through Damien Duff’s own goal, the striker came on as a substitute in the 66th minute.

Newcastle could not find a response and were condemned to the Championship, and Owen alleges Shearer was “seething” with him and insinuated the player “had an eye on my next contract”, with his existing deal about to run out.

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