Michael Owen has no regrets over his time with Newcastle United.

Owen admits that had Liverpool matched Newcastle's £16m bid to Real Madrid then he could easily have returned to Anfield and the club where he became a global icon.

But he told the Sunday Sun: "It was a dream start. It has hurt me over the years since I left that every question that is asked to me is always a negative one about Newcastle.

"I am always trying to say positive things about Newcastle - because that's what I thought about my time up there.

"A lot of negativity came out and the bandwagon rolled on.

"Whenever I say anything decent nobody wants to write it.

"So I mean it when I say it was an enjoyable time for me.

"From the first minute I arrived with the amount of people that were there to greet me when I signed, it was fantastic. It was unbelievable.

"I got off to a great start in that sense."