A record signing
Michael Owen signed for Newcastle United in August 2005 for a fee of around £16 million, making him Britain's most expensive player at the time. Did Michael Owen play for Newcastle United? Yes — for four seasons, from 2005 to 2009.
Playing with Alan Shearer
Owen joined a Newcastle side built around club legend Alan Shearer, and the pair — former England strike partners — struck up a genuine friendship, with Owen even staying at Shearer's home after first moving to the North East. Their relationship reportedly cooled in later years, something both have alluded to publicly without going into great detail.
Injury struggles
Owen's Newcastle years were repeatedly disrupted by injuries, most seriously a cruciate ligament injury sustained playing for England at the 2006 World Cup, which kept him out for the best part of a year. Despite the setbacks, he remained the club's top scorer in more than one season when fit.
Relegation and exit
Newcastle United were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2008–09 season, and Owen left the club on a free transfer that summer, subsequently joining Manchester United.