AN OVERSEAS FOOTBALLER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19997, 14 January 1927, Page 3

AN OVERSEAS FOOTBALLER.

ENGLISH LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE. MR J. OWEN IN DUNEDIN. For 12 months Mr “Jimmy” Owen, who not long ago was one of England’s most popular League footballers, has been residing in Dunedin, and it probably would not be known yet that he ever donned a football jersey had he not been “discovered’' by t former schoolmaster six month* ago. At Mr Owen’s request the knowledge that he played centre threequarter for England on eight or nine occasions was retained by the few who came to know of it on that occasion, and even now there are few who are aware of the fact. When * pupil of the Cowley School, in St. Helena, England, Mr Owen played Rugby Union football, and from school he went to the war. On his return to England he decided to become a professional footballer, and joined the St. Helens Rec.’s Club, one of the clubs which decisively beat the All Black League team now on tour in England. In the athletic world he made great strides, and on several occasions was captain of his team. He represented Lancashire, and during 1920 and 1921 ho was a member of the English League team. In the 1922-23 season he received a knee injury as a result of which he was confined to hospital for seven months. Had it not been for this misfortune he would have been a member of the English League team which toured New Zealand in 1923. Mr Owen played in the three tests against the Australian League team which visited England. As his injury prevented him from taking any further part in football, Mr Owens, to use an expression of his own, became a “free lance” and visited Canada and South Africa before ho came to New Zealand. In Dunedin ho has confined his recreation to golf and cricket. Ho is uncertain whether ho will remain hero for long._ Mr Owen, in conversation with a Daily Times reporter, said that New Zealanders had no idea of the playing strength of the League clubs at Homo, and it came as no surprise to him to hear that the New Zealand team had suffered a number of reverses. In the circumstances he thought the touring team had done fairly well. League, he said, was the finest game in the world if played properly. When asked his opinion of New Zealand, Mr Owen said he thought it the finest of the colonies. Dunedin was the best pb:ce he had ever lived in. “And,” he added, “I’ve lived in a few.”