GAFFE-prone soccer boss Freddy Shepherd scored another own goal - when he bragged he would carry star striker Michael Owen back to Liverpool.

Mobile phone footage of the Newcastle United chairman appeared on YouTube after being shot by Liverpool fans.

The Reds supporters pull alongside Shepherd who is driving his black £70,000 Range Rover through Jesmond, Newcastle.

One of the unseen fans shouts "Freddy, Freddy, can we have Michael Owen back?"

Through his open window he replies: "I will f***ing carry him back for you."

One of the LIverpool fans asks: "For £9m?"

Shepherd responds with: "His agent is f***ing..." He lets the sentence trail off, shaking his head, then adds: "But that's a different story."

He then qualifies his comments, saying "No, he's OK. He's a decent lad."

He then asks: "What are you doing up here?"

When the fans say "we just came to see what was going on," Shepherd laughs and accelerates away.

Shepherd is known to be furious at Michael Owen's refusal to pledge his future to Newcastle.

The England striker has played only 13 games since his £16m move in August 2005 from Real Madrid.

See Audio and Video section. Full story in tomorrow's Northern Echo.