Down in the mumps Owen hoping to be fit for Newcastle curtain-raiser

The forward was laid low with the virus for a month and has not yet  joined in with his team-mates during pre-season training.

However Owen, who was initially diagnosed as having a virus when he missed  England’s two games with the United States and Trinidad and Tobago, has had his  own fitness plan drawn up which he believes will see him return against PSV in  Newcastle’s friendly on August 6.

'I should definitely be OK for our first home friendly with PSV Eindhoven,' he said.

Down in the mumps: But Owen will hopes for a swift return to action for the Magpies

'When I pulled out of the England squad for the games with the United States and Trinidad and Tobago, everyone thought I had a virus but it turned out that I had the mumps, and they would not let me go in case I infected any of the other England players.

'While I would not say I was in a bad way it wasn’t very pleasant at all. It  did affect me for a while, I was quite ill and I was not allowed to do anything  for four weeks.

'When I came back to Newcastle our doctor here worked out a programme for me  and it has been a slightly different programme from the rest of the players.

'Instead of going straight into the deep end with the rest of the lads, we have  just been making slow progress.

'That’s why you did not see me at Hartlepool on Saturday and why I won’t be out  there at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday. Perhaps I might get to play in one of  the games in Majorca next weekend.'

Owen has less than a year left on his Newcastle contract.