Gareth Owen (footballer, born 1982)
Gareth David Owen (born 21 September 1982) is an English-born Welsh former footballer, now working as academy director with Stoke City.
|
Owen with Port Vale in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gareth David Owen | ||
| Date of birth | 21 September 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Cheadle, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Stoke City (academy director) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2001 | Stoke City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2005 | Stoke City | 5 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2004 | → Torquay United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2005 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2005–2007 | Oldham Athletic | 17 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | → Stockport County (loan) | 39 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Stockport County | 44 | (0) |
| 2008 | → Yeovil Town (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → Port Vale (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2009–2013 | Port Vale | 110 | (2) |
| Total | 255 | (3) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001 | Wales under-19s | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
A defender, he 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 fallen 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. He retired from playing in January 2013, and began coaching at the Stoke City Academy.