Bill Owen played for Exeter City during 1946/47 having signed from Newport County. Remembered for a Christmas Day hat-trick at Brighton, he left St James’ Park at the end of his only season and, after playing for Dartmouth United, returned to South Wales. He started his professional career with Manchester City.

Starting his senior career with Northwich Victoria, Bill moved to Manchester City in June 1934 where he made nine league appearances (three goals) before heading to Tranmere Rovers in  March 1936 and Newport County in June 1936. Making 69 league appearances (scoring five goals) in the years before the Second World War, Bill remained on the Somerton Park books throughout the conflict whilst he served in the National Fire Service for whom he played representative football. 

Aged 34, Bill joined Exeter City in October 1946 and soon made his debut in the defeat at Reading  which proved to be the first of 20 league appearances he made during 1946/47. Scoring nine league goals in total, the highlight of Bill’s time with City was a hat-trick against Brighton and Hove Albion in a 6-1 win on Christmas Day 1946.

Leaving Exeter at the end of the 1946/47 season, a mooted player-exchange move to Cardiff City broke down and Bill settled for a season with Dartmouth United before returning to live in South Wales and taking a job with Bowaters in Newport. Living in Caerleon near Newport he died in 1976.