| 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 | ||
| Position | 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) | |
| International career | |||
| 1954 | England | 3 | (0) |
| Football League XI | 2 | (0) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1959–1960 | Luton Town | ||
| 1960–1975 | Leeds United (first-team coach) | ||
| 1975-1978 | Birmingham City (assistant manager) | ||
| 1978–1981 | Manchester United (youth coach) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Sydney William Owen (29 September 1922[1] – 27 August 1998) was an Englishfootball player and coach. He spent nearly all his playing career as acentre half forLuton Town.
Born inBirmingham to Florence Laura (née Whiley) and Henry Sydney Owen, Owen began his football career playing for the Birmingham YMCA team before joiningBirmingham City as a youth player. After the end of theSecond World War, he made it into the club's first team for the1946–47 season, but played just five times in theSecond 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 the1949–50 season, was appointed as captain by managerDally Duncan. He earned three caps for theEngland national football team in 1954, and selected as part of the squad for the1954 FIFA World Cup, at which he appeared in England's first match, a 4–4 draw withBelgium.[2] He also played twice for theFootball League XI.
In 1959, his final season as a player, Owen was named theFWA 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 the1959 FA Cup Final againstNottingham 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 ofLeeds United underJack Taylor and thenDon Revie throughout the 1960s and 1970s, bringing with him trainerLes Cocker.[5]
In 1978, he was hired byManchester United managerDave 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 ofMark Hughes as astriker, having selected him for the youth team during hisfinal season working atOld Trafford.[7]
Luton Town
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