Freddy Shepherd, who found the money to bring the Real Madrid star to Tyneside, said last year: "We thought we were doing the right thing bringing a world-class player to the club, but looking back, it didn't work out."
Michael Owen says his career path changed one fateful night in Leeds 13 years ago - April 12, 1999.
Michael Owen: "You’ve got three hamstrings and one was just totally ruptured.
"I’ve got no hamstring in the middle. I’m basically running on two hamstrings on my right leg and three on the other.
"That injury has probably changed my whole career. I’ve been compromised from the age of 19.
"Every specialist says the same thing. It goes from one and then you compensate and it goes to the other one, and then to the groin, and then a double hernia and then on to this.
"If I’d still been in one piece from the World Cup and gone through my career, what type of player would I have been? No doubt about it, if I hadn’t had as many injuries I would have been the all-time leading scorer for England.
"Part of me thinks I’ve been the luckiest person in the world as well. I’ve played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle, Man United, got 90-odd caps for England, 40-odd goals, don’t need to work again, got four great kids. I’m not that unlucky!
"I don’t think I’ll play until my late 30s like Giggsy.
"But I’d like to play more, probably for two or three years after this season.
"There are a couple of possibilities when I’ve finished and media might interest me. Gary Neville is a breath of fresh air and has almost encouraged me to do it."