Source: FOOTYMAD
Valiant defender to sign.
Port Vale defender Gareth Owen will sign a two-year deal with the Railwaymen on Thursday after the defender told BBC Radio Stoke that he had informed Mark Grew he was leaving the Potteries club. 28-year-old defender Owen who hails from Cheadle in Staffordshire had rejected a similar deal at Port Vale and has opted for Crewe Alexandra.Owen told the Stoke Sentinal "If I had been offered a contract in February I would have signed it, said Owen, "but I was only offered a 12-month deal about six weeks ago, which included a pay cut, before it was upped to two years a few weeks ago."Money is not my motivation, but did I deserve a pay cut? I don't think I did. That felt like a kick in teeth, and that's when I started to have doubts over my future."But money was never the issue, because the other offer I have received is on a par with Vale's.Owen also sited off the field issues at the club and the fact he does not know who is going to be the next Vale manager as the reason to move on to a stable club.Owen stressed "I've not been happy with what's gone on at the club recently," he added. "Nobody knows who the next manager is going to be or who is even in charge of the club at the minute. That's not made it a nice place to be around."I've also got an eye on the future, so with this other opportunity I feel the time is right to leave. But it was still a very difficult decision because I've enjoyed my time at the club."I gave it serious consideration, but I also had to take into account my family and their future."Owen had made 97 apperances for the Valiants since his move from Stockport County in January 2009 to which at the time he nearly joined the Railwaymen.
