Michael Owen and Alan Shearer's bitter fallout can be traced back to games 14 years ago

Michael Owen hasn’t spoken to former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer since 2019, but the "bitter" feud can be traced back to the latter stages of the 2008/09 campaign.

Four years after signing for the Magpies in a club record £17 million deal from Real Madrid, the experienced Owen was part of side that was battling relegation.

But ahead of their final two Premier League games of the season against Fulham and Aston Villa, the former England international was struggling with a so-called groin injury.

It was a difficult period for Newcastle and their coach, Alan Shearer, who was parachuted in as manager in a desperate bid to save the club from relegation.

Owen, meanwhile, was unwilling to risk his fitness due to his contract expiring in the summer. It was a series of events that frustrated Shearer, according to reports.

Paul Ferris on Michael Owen in The Boy on the Shed. #nufc pic.twitter.com/2Rui5mpDx6

— David Coverdale (@dpcoverdale) February 20, 2018

Paul Ferris, who was part of Alan Shearer's coaching staff at the time, says the former Liverpool striker felt 'like it was going to go'.

As you can see in the extract from Ferris' book above, he documents the his conversation with Owen ahead of the Fulham clash, and explains how they conducted scans and no sign of a tear was showing up.

A decade later and both Shearer and Owen traded a war of words on social media after Owen’s autobiography ‘Reboot’ was released.

In the book, Owen claimed Shearer blamed him for Newcastle’s relegation after he won just one of eight games in charge.

He wrote: “He was brought in at St. James' Park as the saviour, the local boy. It could have been a great story. But he failed. Newcastle United were relegated. Perhaps rather than examine his own shortcomings, it felt easier to blame Michael Owen.”

In response, Shearer posted a clip of Owen saying: “So all I did for six, seven years... I hated it, I couldn't wait to retire." The former Newcastle forward also added: “Yes Michael, we thought that also, whilst on £120k a week…”

Owen hit back, saying: “Not sure you are as loyal to Newcastle as you make out mate. I distinctly remember you being inches away from signing for Liverpool after Sir Bobby Robson put you on the bench. You tried everything to get out.”

SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated news channel to send you the latest news, features and plenty more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.