My Toon dream has comes true, sobs grateful Owen

England striker Michael Owen has spoken movingly of his delight at the transfer to St James's Park from Madrid and his pleasure at having a chance to work with anger-management legend Graeme Souness "before he's fired".

Owen charmed hordes of thrilled Newcastle United fans when he explained the north-east was the location for him. "It was the only place I wanted to be, let's be clear about that. Once I realised that Real Madrid only wanted me to stay on the bench, that Liverpool weren't willing to pay the necessary fee to take me back to Anfield, that Man United were happy with van Nistlerooy now that he's started to score again, that Chelsea weren't interested at all and nor were Arsenal then I found that Newcastle was the only place to be."

Pausing only to sign dozens of replica shirts — already marked with his trademark "Mr Boring" — for excited youngsters whose parents are now 90 quid poorer for the privilege, Owen denied that there were any significant "get-out" clauses in the contract he had signed. "Not at all, I expect to be here for the next four years. My contract clearly states that as long as this team wins the Premiership and Champions League every season then I won't be going anywhere."

Owen then left to return to his new home — having moved his family from close to Chester to close to Southport to meet the promise to be near to the rest of his team mates.

In Madrid, meanwhile, the bars around the Bernabeu stadium were packed to capacity with pundits speculating on their team's prospects without the man they had dubbed "Señor Aburrido". "I for one can't think of anyone with the talent to fill Owen's mighty boots," admitted one ashen-faced fan pulling on a new Robinho replica shirt. "I fear for Real Madrid," he concluded.

Previously

• Michael Owen signs £10m deal with Morgan Stanley
• Robbie Savage speaks out over transfer heartbreak
• Beckham transfer deal off