10 Problems Only Newcastle United Fans Will Understand
9. Having To Listen To Michael Owen Every Time Newcastle Are On BT Sport
When Newcastle broke their transfer record to sign Michael Owen from Spanish giants Real Madrid for a fee of £16.5 million, he was given a hero's welcome. More then 20,000 fans sat in the Gallowgate end of St. James' Park to see the unveiling of such an exciting prospect. Everyone on Tyneside had great expectations and couldn't wait to watch a Michael Owen/Alan Shearer striking partnership take on the Premier League. These expectations never amounted to anything as he spent most of his time in the injury room earning £110,000 per week. Former Chairman Freddy Shepherd admits that it was the worst bit of business hed done at Newcastle, costing the club £1.3 million per goal on average. After missing all but a few games of the 2005/06 season, Owen was called up for the world cup where it appeared obvious that he wasn't playing at full fitness. After failing to score in the first 2 group matches against Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago, he managed to injure his right knee only 51 seconds in to the game. A scan later revealed he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee leaving him sidelined for another 11 months. Owen later admitted that he shouldn't have taken part in the 2006 world cup and many Newcastle fans accused him of choosing club over country with his international commitments meaning more to him than his generous employers. Since his departure, Michael Owen has made several scathing statements in the media regarding Newcastle fans and the club itself, and it's fair to say he isn't a popular face in the North-East.
