THERE is little sign of panic from Michael Owen over the fact that, as of today, he is out of contract and out of work for the first time in his career.

After all, the England international has a mini-army of agents and advisers working on his behalf to arrange a new contract.

And, as he's been earning £100,000 a week at Newcastle for the past four years, he's not struggling to pay the 'leckie' bill -- as they used to say on Brookside -- and several Premier League clubs (Everton, Aston Villa, Hull and Stoke) are keen to offer Owen more work for next season.

For one of Owen's former Liverpool team-mates -- who is also his brother-in-law and fellow professional footballer Richie Partridge -- things are not quite so relaxed. The 28-year-old is also out of contract, as his last club, Chester City, reacted to their demotion from League Two to the Conference by ditching most of last season's squad, leaving Partridge on the lookout for a new club.

ANOTHER WORLD

"I think it's the first time in our careers that myself and Michael have been out of contract at the same time, but I think he's at the other end of the scale from me. It's another world, being honest," says Partridge, who is married to Owen's sister, Lesley.

"I don't think he'll have much trouble getting a new club. He has a few people working on his behalf to make it happen. He has offers from a few clubs and he'll certainly be with a Premier League club next season, so he hasn't much to be worried about.

"As things stand today, I have no club, and there are a couple of things in the pipeline, but nothing definite. Being realistic, I'd be looking to sign for a club in League One or the Conference for next season, depending on what offers are out there. I certainly can't see myself being able to get a Championship club, coming from a team who were relegated from League Two.

"I will speak to a few clubs in the next few days and see what's out there. Hopefully, I will be able to get something and get a club close to home. I have a young family now and they are my priority. I don't want to move to the other end of the country.

"I'd prefer to stay in the Football League if possible, but there are good clubs in the Conference. The top clubs there pay decent wages and it would be a challenge to try and get a club promoted, but I'm certainly not in the same league as Michael when it comes to him leaving Newcastle United."

Eleven years ago this month, Partridge was part of the Irish U18 side that earned the affection of the nation by winning the European Championship title, beating Germany in a penalty shoot-out in the final. But two of the Irish squad (Partridge and Barry Quinn) are this summer out of contract. Quinn was released by Oxford United, and this trend now leaves just two members of that Irish U18 squad currently playing at the highest level with club and country (Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne). Nine players are either playing non-league football, retired or presently without a club (Alex O'Reilly, Keith Doyle, Ger Crossley, Barry Quinn, Richie Partridge, Liam George, Paul Donnelly, Ryan Casey and Ronnie O'Brien).

"I was amazed to hear that Barry was let go after a few years with Oxford," says Partridge. "Barry was a brilliant player for us when we won that tournament and a great captain to have. It's just a shame that things didn't work out for him as well as you'd hope, but there is still some football left in him."

Still only 28 years old, Partridge also hopes his career can be prolonged. For so long, he was the great hope of the Irish game, a gifted winger who had enough skill and pace to play at any level.

But bad choices and serious injuries kept his wings clipped -- when he joined Rotherham United in 2006 after spells with Liverpool and Sheffield Wednesday, Partridge was almost 26 years old, but had a career total of just 29 league starts at that stage.

"A lot of things didn't happen for me," he says. "I now know that I stayed at Liverpool for too long (nine years). I always hoped I could make the breakthrough there, but I should have left earlier. And I had a couple of bad injuries, I know everything there is to know about the workings of the knee."

That has opened up another door for the Dubliner, however, as only last week Partridge received confirmation that he had passed his exams and is now a chartered physiotherapist.

"I had been studying and working at it for four years, so it's a relief to have it done and get the qualifications," says Partridge. "Life in football doesn't go on forever. I hope I can play for another four or five years, but I want to have a career for myself after that and have options, so working as a physio gives me something extra.

CLINICS

"I have done some work with physio clinics in the local area, and hopefully with the contacts I have in the game and the clubs I have played for, I can pick up work along the way as well.

"But I do want to play on for another couple of years and I still have a lot to offer if I can get a good club, because Chester wasn't a great place to be for the last while.

"I joined the club two years ago and the first season there was good, but last year was tough, on and off the field.

"I feel fit and able to play on for another while. It's strange that I have played more football in the last couple of seasons than I did for years before that. I think I have averaged 30 games a season for the past three years and before than I wasn't playing any football at all, apart from the time I had on loan to Coventry.

"So hopefully I'll get a club sorted when I start speaking to managers in the next few days. It won't be a move in the same league as Michael Owen, but I just love playing, especially as I was out injured for so long earlier in my career."

Partridge and Quinn are not the only Irishmen facing into some anxious weeks as they try to find a new club: in all, 35 players from the Republic, who were with British clubs last season, are currently out of contract, ranging from the familiar names of international players (Liam Miller, David Connolly, Jon Douglas) to little-known youngsters (Cian Hughton, Craig Mahon, Niall McArdle).

Today should see a spurt of activity on the transfer front as the transfer window has formally opened.

- Aidan Fitmaurice