MICHAEL Owen yesterday admitted he wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived at St James' Park from Real Madrid but reckons his initial fears have subsided and the move has exceeded all expectations.

Owen, by his own admission, cut a frustrated figure at the Bernabeu Stadium last season - despite a successful return of 16 goals - where he was largely used as a substitute.

The 25-year-old striker says his problems were always cultural, rather than football related, with the language barrier providing the most difficult obstacle to overcome.

But since arriving on Tyneside, Owen says he finally feels at home after his unsettling time abroad, thanks in no small part to the United faithful.

Owen confessed he was initially drawn to Newcastle by the passion and fervour of the fans and yesterday he revealed it was this fanaticism that he missed while in Spain.

"I didn't know what it would be like here," said Owen, who also revealed his wife will give birth to their second child in February, technically making the new-born a Geordie.

"I was always a one-club man at Liverpool and going to Madrid was never going to be the same, a place where you can hardly speak the language.

"But here you get to mix with the lads a lot more and understand the banter in the changing room. It was an eye-opener making a move back to an English club and I have found it really good.

"It took a while at Madrid with hotel rooms and stuff, and we were dreading the first couple of months (at Newcastle).

"But we have a house (in Northumberland) and I am matey with a lot of the lads and have settled in better than I thought I would.

"This is a city that is very passionate about football. It is a city with only one club and everyone is a Newcastle supporter, which is different to Madrid and Liverpool, who have two teams. I missed that passion in Madrid.

"The passion of the fans was a big draw here. Playing in front of fans who sing your name, it makes you wake up looking forward to playing because you know when you go out on that park there will be 50,000 people singing and passionate about how you perform.

"I was born into the Premiership and I missed it when I was away. It is great to come back and you can't go to many clubs like this, where the fans show that passion."

It is this fervour among the Geordie faithful which leads many supporters into thinking one victory will lead to the Premiership title and that a defeat should lead to the dismissal of the club's manager - such are the wildly fluctuating opinions on Tyneside.

Owen says he revels in this peculiar juxtaposition. He also believes a Champions League slot is not beyond the club's reach this season.

"If we can get into Europe great," said Owen, who is looking to add to his four-goal tally against Steve Bruce's Birmingham today.

"After the start we had - one point from five games - we have done really well to get within five points of third place.

"Apart from Chelsea it is a really interesting Premiership this year. Chelsea are way clear of the challengers.

"You can tell in the city there is a buzz again and people have a spring in their step. We have a very good team here - not the biggest squad - and a lot of quality.

"It is amazing how things snowball when everything is going wrong and then when everything goes right. That is what happens at this club.

"If you get this club rolling in the right direction it will be amazing because of the passion of the fans. If you get this club on the crest of a wave it will be a fantastic place to be.

"We are on the start of that wave at the minute and we need to keep going.

"We won't win every game in a season but once we lose one game, it is still crisis, pressure on the manager.

"Hopefully, all that will settle down and people will be realistic and if we can get on a run and win six or seven out of ten games we will be there."

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