Biography
Winger Owen had a festive month on loan with Brian Horton’s Tigers in December 1987 and January 1988, making three unremarkable appearances.
Gordon Owen was born in Barnsley and began his career as a teenager at Sheffield Wednesday. He broke into the first team for the first time in December 1977 with the Owls languishing in Division Three, making his debut against Rotherham United. Owen was on the fringes of the Wednesday first team during the 1978/79 season and scored his first senior goal against Gillingham in March 1979, however in the 1979/80 season Owen was given few first team chances as the Owls won promotion to Division Two. He spent the closing weeks of the season a few miles down the River Don on loan at Division Three rivals Rotherham United, where he made nine appearances. Gordon remained at Hillsborough for another three seasons but was unable to rise above the role of occasional reserve as the club finished in the upper reaches of Division Two. In November 1982 he began a three month loan spell at Division Three side Doncaster Rovers, where he scored once in 11 appearances, then spent the last six weeks of the season on loan at Chesterfield, another Division Three side, for whom he scored twice in 6 appearances. Owen left Sheffield Wednesday in August 1983 having scored seven goals in 59 appearances for the club across a six year spell.
In August 1983 Owen transferred to Division Two side Cardiff City and finally found his feet as a regular first team starter. He scored 16 goals in 44 appearances for the Bluebirds in the 1983/84 season, form that led to an August 1984 move back to South Yorkshire when he signed for Division Two side Barnsley, a fee of £30,000 being paid. His good form continued at Oakwell and in two seasons he scored 29 goals in 75 appearances, notably scoring an FA Cup Fifth Round winner in March 1985 against Division One side Southampton. Owen dropped down the Third Division in August 1986, signing for Bristol City – he started regularly for the Robins in the 1986/87 season, including the May 1987 Football League Trophy Final at Wembley against Mansfield Town that Bristol City lost on penalties – Gordon missed the crucial spot kick to seal defeat. He began the 1987/88 season in fine form with eight goals in 10 matches and was still part of the Ashton Gate first team when he was loaned to Hull City in December 1988, with a view to a £35,000 permanent transfer. This move never transpired at Owen’s request however, and he returned briefly to Bristol City having scored 15 times in 69 appearances for the Robins.
In January 1988 Owen was transferred to Division Three side Mansfield Town for a £35,000 fee and in a season and a half at Field Mill he scored eight times in 62 appearances. He switched to Division Three side Blackpool in July 1989 for a £30,000 fee and played regularly in his first season, however he was used less frequently in the 1990/91 season and had loan spells at Division Four side Carlisle United (October and November 1990, 6 appearances) and Division Three side Exeter City (December 1990 and January 1991, 4 appearances). Owen left the senior game in the 1991 close season having scored six goals in 41 appearances for the Tangerines. He had a short spell in the non-league scene, signing for Frickley Athletic in the summer of 1991 then moving to Farsley Celtic in December 1991 before hanging up his boots in 1992.
After his football career Owen returned to Barnsley, becoming an engineer for Yorkshire Water and managing a taxi company.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 14 June 1959, Barnsley
Hull City First Game: 19 December 1987, Crystal Palace H (Division Two), 28 years, 188 days old
Hull City Final Game: 3 January 1988, Leeds United H (Division Two), 28 years, 203 days old
Clubs
Sheffield Wednesday (1976-1983), Rotherham United (1979-1980, loan), Doncaster Rovers (1982-1983, loan), Chesterfield (1983, loan), Cardiff City (1983-1984), Barnsley (1984-1986), Bristol City (1986-1988), Hull City (1987-1988, loan), Mansfield Town (1988-1989), Blackpool (1989-1991), Carlisle United (1990, loan), Exeter City (1990-1991, loan), Frickley Athletic (1991), Farsley Celtic (1991-1992)
Hull City Record
Career: 3 apps, 0 goals
Gordon Owen| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987/88 | 3 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |