Stoke City striker Michael Owen has surprised journalists with his rubbishing of the press yesterday.

The Daily Mail reports Owen, one of the Premier League's wealthiest footballers, complains about newspaper estimations of his Stoke salary, tweeting yesterday: 'I haven't bought a newspaper in years as I cottoned on early that they are full of c***.'

This is the same Owen who has contributed well-paid columns for the News of the World, The Times and Daily Telegraph. A bit rich indeed.