Brian Owen. 2nd November 1944 – 23rd July 2025.

News has reached Kenilworth Road of the sad passing of Brian Owen who, as physio, was one of David Pleat’s first signings when he returned to the club in 1991.

Brian had enjoyed a long and varied career as a player, coach and physio before he arrived at Kenilworth Road starting as an apprentice at Watford in 1961 before playing for Colchester and Wolves.

He then coached at Molineux, Peterborough and Ipswich before becoming physio at Crystal Palace and Colchester as well as in the England international set-up.

Highly regarded at Kenilworth Road, Brian became a local hero when called on to use his skills during a club tour of Sweden where the coach party encountered a car that had hit an elk at speed. Swift thinking by Brian tended to the badly injured car occupants until an ambulance arrived.

The chance to get back into coaching came in 1992 when he was lured to Cambridge United as assistant manager and from there he went back to Colchester where he remained until retirement in 2009.

Our thoughts go out to all his family and friends.

Roger Wash