Stoke City chairman Peter Coates stands by their deal for Michael Owen.

Owen has only featured seven times for Stoke so far this season after encountering form and fitness problems.

"We thought it was worth a try," said the Stoke chairman.

"You could say it hasn't worked out, but we are not complaining about that.

"It was the sort of thing where if he had got five or six goals after being used periodically, then that would have been worth it."

And he stressed that Stoke had not broken the bank to sign the former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United striker.

"The deal was a sensible one," he also told The Sentinel.

"I am not discussing what he's on, but the fact is we were satisfied with the deal."