Syd Owen

Sydney William Owen (29 September 1922[1] was an English football player and coach. He spent nearly all his playing career as a centre half for Luton Town.

Syd Owen
Personal information
Full name Sydney William Owen
Date of birth (1922-09-29)29 September 1922
Place of birth Aston, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Date of death 27 August 1998(1998-08-27) (aged 75)
Place of death Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Playing position(s) Centre half
Youth career
Birmingham YMCA
Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1945–1947 Birmingham City 5 (0)
1947–1959 Luton Town 388 (3)
Total 393 (3)
National team
1954 England 3 (0)
Football League XI 2 (0)
Teams managed
1959–1960 Luton Town
1960–1975 Leeds United (first-team coach)
1975-1978 Birmingham City (assistant manager)
1978–1981 Manchester United (youth coach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Born in Birmingham to Florence Laura (née Whiley) and Henry Sydney Owen, Owen began his football career playing for the Birmingham YMCA team before joining Birmingham City as a youth player. After the end of the Second World War, he made it into the club's first team for the 1946–47 season, but played just five times in the Second Division and was allowed to leave at the end of the season.

Owen signed for Luton in June 1947. He played 388 league games for the club and 423 in all league and cup games, and after constant displays of natural ability in the 1949–50 season, was appointed as captain by manager Dally Duncan. He earned three caps for the England national football team in 1954, and selected as part of the squad for the 1954 FIFA World Cup, at which he appeared in England's first match, a 4–4 draw with Belgium.[2] He also played twice for the Football League XI.

In 1959, his final season as a player, Owen was named the FWA Footballer of the Year.[3] On 27 April 1959, he was appointed as player-manager of Luton following the departure of Dally Duncan six months earlier; Owen was therefore in charge of the club for the 1959 FA Cup Final against Nottingham Forest. As well as serving as manager for the match, he also captained the side from his position at centre half.[4]

After less than a year in the job, a "fundamental disagreement on policy" led to his resignation on 23 April 1960. He later became first team coach of Leeds United under Jack Taylor and then Don Revie throughout the 1960s and 1970s, bringing with him trainer Les Cocker.[5]

In 1978, he was hired by Manchester United manager Dave Sexton to be the club's youth coach. He remained in the position for three years until shortly after Sexton's departure from the club at the end of the 1980–81 season.[6] Owen is credited with spotting the potential of Mark Hughes as a striker, having selected him for the youth team during his final season working at Old Trafford.[7]

References
  1. Sydney William Owen in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
  2. "England 4-4 Belgium". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  3. "England Player Honours - Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year". England Football Online. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  4. "1959 FA Cup Final: Nottingham Forest vs Luton Town". therollingball. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  5. "Managers - Jack Taylor (1959-61)". mightyleeds.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  6. "Syd Owen". redStat. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  7. "Mark Hughes". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
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