Mumps felled Owen

Michael Owen has revealed he missed England's summer friendlies against the United States and Trinidad and Tobago after contracting the mumps. The Newcastle striker withdrew from Fabio Capello's squad for the end-of-season games with what was initially thought to be a virus picked up from a vaccination he was given to travel with England to the West Indies. But hospital tests showed the 28-year-old had developed an illness that can cause painful swelling in areas other than the face. Owen, who was forced to undertake a long period of rest, has been unable to train fully with his Newcastle team-mates since returning for pre-season. He missed last weekend's 4-1 friendly victory over Hartlepool and will sit out the trip to Doncaster, while he is also a doubt for his club's two-match tour to Majorca. "When I pulled out of the... [read full story]