The 27-year-old England international's 58th-minute strike in last night's 3-1 friendly victory at Coca-Cola League One Hartlepool was his first for the Magpies since December 17 2005 - a fortnight before his injury nightmare began.

Since his hat-trick in a 4-2 win at West Ham that day which took his Newcastle tally to seven goals, Owen has spent 15 months of the intervening period recovering from a fractured metatarsal and a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

His strike for England in Estonia last month was his first goal in a year, and last night's effort 13 minutes after he was introduced as a substitute simply whetted his appetite for more after weeks of speculation that he could leave St James' Park.

Owen said: "We all realise how important these games are, but there's nothing like the real thing.

"I wish we could get these out of the way and get the season started. We are all looking forward to the season now - when the proper games come around.

"That's when it really counts and that's when you want to be banging them in."

It proved a good night for Sam Allardyce's returning strikers as Shola Ameobi, who missed most of last season after undergoing hip surgery, scored twice either side of Owen's strike to cancel out James Brown's 49th-minute opener for Hartlepool.

But it was the former Real Madrid star's contribution as he converted James Troisi's cross which raised the biggest cheer from the travelling fans packed behind keeper Jan Budtz's goal.

Owen said: "I could have scored after about three seconds of the second half starting.

"James played in a great ball. He could have shot but he had the presence of mind to lift his chin, which is a good trait in anyone, and see a better option - and he left me with a simple tap-in."

Ameobi too was delighted to have returned to the scoresheet with a deft finish and a second which owed much to Budtz's handling error.

The 25-year-old feared at one point his career could be over after battling in vain against his hip problem for 18 months.

Now he is ready for battle it out with Owen, Obafemi Martins and new signing Mark Viduka for a place in the front line as the Magpies attempt to restore their fortunes under Allardyce.

Ameobi said: "My hip was painless, and it was great to be out there again.

"I was out a long time, and it was a great feeling to hit the back of the net.

"You get the feeling of the new regime coming in with the new board and management team starting their work - but we know we have to win football games.

"Last season, things were not up to scratch - and we want to prove a point, not just to the fans and the city but to ourselves.

"We want to make sure we are a top side in the Premiership and in Europe again, just like we were five years ago.

"This is a new season, and we are excited."

That excitement extends to the manager, whose first game in charge saw one of his reasons for accepting the job fully justified.

Allardyce said: "Michael is one of the reasons I came here. When you decide to come to a football club you look at the players they have got and say 'What chance have I got of being successful at a football club like this?'.

"When there's Michael Owen there and there's Shola Ameobi and Obafemi Martins with what he did last season, Kieron Dyer, people like that, it makes you want to come and add to them.

"I am here to be more successful than I was at Bolton - and having players already here of that quality obviously delights you."

:: Newcastle United was today de-listed from the Stock Exchange following the completion of Mike Ashley's £134.4million takeover.