Farnham Town are delighted to announce that striker Owen Dean has put pen-to-paper on a new contract with the Club which will run until the end of the 2025/26 season.
The 20-year-old forward came through the ranks at Farnham Town and made his debut in January 2022 before becoming a mainstay in the side from the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
Owen’s match-winning hat-trick in the Southern Combination Cup final in May 2023 capped off a terrific breakthrough campaign where he scored 14 goals and laid on eight assists in 41 appearances and he’s continued to go from strength to strength ever since.
Last term, Owen spearheaded a title-winning attack at The Memorial Ground with his 22 goals helping him with the club’s Golden Boot for 23/24 in addition to his 14 assists aiding the Town’s efforts towards an invincible league campaign.
Back in April, we agreed terms with Owen regarding a new deal which would run for the 2024/25 campaign – our first ever at Step 4 level – and he’s continued to take the steps up in his stride.
Owen scored the third in a 3-1 win over Hartley Wintney yesterday, his 21st goal of the campaign and 18th in the Isthmian South Central which moved us seven points clear at the top of the table as we prepare to enter the second half of the season.
The Club sees Owen as a vital part of it’s future and we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve agreed terms to an 18-month contract extension that will keep him at the Club until the end of the 2025/26 season.
Speaking to the Club after agreeing to terms, Owen said: “I’m thrilled to continue to play my football at Farnham Town. This is my home and we’re like a family here. The last three years have been special for us and I’m really happy with how I’ve progressed my football and been able to support the team.
“Everyone can see what the Club is building towards, the success we’ve had in the last 18 months reflects that, and I want to continue to be a part of that moving forward. We’re all excited about the possibilities and I can’t wait to to carry on, get my head down and keep performing for the team every week!”
Manager Paul Johnson said: “Owen was one of the few that really believed in us when we came in a little over two years ago now, and that faith has been repaid in him also. He’s been immense for us over the last two years especially, and he’s still so young and there’s a lot more to come from him.
“He’s developed a ruthlessness in front of goal and continues to improve every week. He’s a great player to have in your arsenal and we’re delighted he’s ours. We’ve made a great start to the campaign and we know what lies ahead of us – and we want Owen to be there with us every step of the way.”
Club Chairman Harry Hugo said: “I’m delighted to get this one over the line. There’s be a lot of interest in Owen over the last 18 months and that’s only natural with the sheer amount of goals he’s scored at his tender age. That said; he’s part of the furniture at Farnham and it would be wrong of us as a board to not fight to keep him here for the foreseeable.
There was a big question mark over Owen this season to see if he could replicate his explosive form that ended our Step 5 campaign last year; but he’s answered those questions emphatically with 18 league goals before the turn of the year and 21 in all competitions. He only mustered 22 all of last season. Not only is Owen a fantastic footballer on the pitch but he’s a brilliant lad and a genuine home town hero. I hope people go on to view Owen as one of Farnham’s greatest ever players come the end of his Farnham career.”