As Owen is only 21 Stoke will be entitled to compensation if they decide to release him. A transfer tribunal would then have to decide any fee. Talbot said, “Stoke are being slightly unfair because Gareth is a young lad who hardly played any league football before he came here. He only had two games as a sub. for them, and it’s doubtful he will get in their first team when he goes back. He probably would have been better off playing league football every week with us, but we couldn’t agree terms with his club. We offered a fee, but the amount Stoke wanted from us was a bit unreasonable. Unfortunately Gareth had to go back, so now we’ll see what happens at the end of the season. He is still learning the game, but I was pleased with what he did for us. He left with our thanks.”Owen made a total of 15 appearances for Athletic and would have liked to remain at Boundary Park. He said, “I really enjoyed my time here, but the decision was out of my hands.”