Isaac Owens

Life and career Owens was born in Howden-le-Wear, County Durham, in 1881. He began his football career with Darlington of the Northern League and then joined Bishop Auckland. before moving on to another Northern League team, FA Amateur Cup-holders Crook Town. His stay there was brief: in October 1901 he signed for Football League Second Division club Woolwich Arsenal.

Owens made his debut in the Football League away to Gainsborough Trinity on 12 October; playing at inside left, he scored one of the goals in a 2–2 draw. He was not selected for the next match, but returned to the side for the one after, in the London League, and retained the inside-left position for twelve competitive matches, scoring once more, in a 2–0 win at home to Newton Heath.

Owens returned to Darlington, playing for them in the Northern League and 1903–04 FA Cuphe contributed the winner against Shildon in the preliminary round replay and two goals in a 5–2 defeat of Bishop Auckland in the second qualifying round and then, in May 1904, he signed for Plymouth Argyle of the Southern League.

His first appearance for Argyle came on 12 October in a Western League match at home to Queens Park Rangers. He played his first Southern League match some six weeks later, and scored his first goals on 10 December, contributing both Argyle goals in a 2–2 draw at home to Northampton Town in the Southern League. In the 1904–05 season, Owens was used as backup to centre-forward Jasper McLuckie, and finished the season with four goals from 13 league appearances.

In 1906, Owens signed for another Southern League club, Bristol Rovers; he had played against them several timesand scored against themfor Plymouth Argyle. He returned the favour in January 1907, with the first goal of a 2–0 win against Argyle, but was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular, and finished the season with six goals from 17 Southern League appearances. He scored eight goals from 22 Southern League matches, and then returned to the Football League with Grimsby Town. Despite scoring on his debut, against Stockport County on the opening day of the season, and adding two more goals from just five more Second Division matches,

Owens died in Devonport, Devon, in 1916 at the age of 35.