'The guy is a total parasite!': Newcastle United fans hit back at extraordinary Michael Owen comments

The 39-year-old flopped on Tyneside after a club-record £16million move from Real Madrid in 2006, and has repaid United by saying he regrets the move - wishing he joined Liverpool instead of taking a "backwards step".

Despite making just 79 appearances across four years, Owen admitted there was a point where he felt he didn't "need to justify" himself to "f****** Magpies fans" believing "blind delusion is especially true of Newcastle United".

And if all that wasn't enough, Owen questioned United's 'big club status', insisting it is "only a big club in the sense that it has a lot of fans and a big stadium".

Owen pulled no punches in his view towards Newcastle in his upcoming book 'Reboot', and neither have fans, who have responded to the former Manchester United striker's extraordinary comments.

@JustinTerrett: When we signed Michael Owen it was possibly the happiest day of my life (at the time) he was my favourite player. I even had a Liverpool VHS so I could watch him play. Now, I don’t think I could hate a player more than I do him. #nufc #lfc

@RossyT1892: Owen coming out with what every Newcastle fan already knew. Your poor performances, lack of professionalism and complete disinterest in helping the club at the time told us everything we needed to know. A bad move at the time for yourself, a worse move for #NUFC

@jackgoodrich25: I was 16 when he signed and me and my mates went and queued to stand in the stadium watching his unveiling. We were dead excited. He makes us look like fools, though really it reflects poorly on him rather than us.

@Cosseycj: Shows exactly the type of person he is. Owen was a mercenary who’s only interest was money

@ataylor1892: He needs to remind himself why he HAD to come to Newcastle, nobody else wanted him and he wasn't getting match time at RM. The guy is a total parasite!!!