Born and bred in the north east of England, Graeme Owens is an old fashioned winger who has been educated at Middlesbrough Football Club's famous academy since he was seven years old. A Geordie from Cramlington, he loves to run at defenders at speed and has an eye for goal, having scored with several spectacular strikes for Middlesbrough's reserve team.

Graeme was a member of Boro's 2004 FA Youth Cup-winning squad at the tender age of 15 and since then big things have been expected of the skilful Geordie. Graeme was also a key player as Boro lifted the prestigious Nike Cup as a schoolboy in 2003. At the world finals in Portland, Oregon, USA, Graeme was named as one of the tournament's Most Valuable Players by his opponents.

With his willingness to take on defenders with both pace and skill, combined with his ability to use either left or right foot, Graeme had many eye-catching displays for the Middlesbrough Reserve side during the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons. Indeed Graeme was named man of the match on more occasions than any other Middlesbrough player during this time.

Graeme was rewarded for his fine form in the reserve team when he was called up to Boro's first team squad for the FA Cup tie at Bristol City in January 2007. Although he didn't make the final 16, manager Gareth Southgate spoke highly of the player, commenting that he was certainly one to watch for the future. He went on to make his full debut for Boro in the Carling Cup defeat at eventual winners Spurs at White Hart Lane in September 2007.

Graeme went on loan to Chesterfield in March 2008 to gain valuable first team experience. In 2009 Graeme again went out on loan to Championship side Blackpool. Whilst on loan to Blackpool, the then manager Tony Parkes commented that he would like to sign him on a permanent basis.

Several clubs were expressing strong interest in Graeme as the season closed and he spent a few days training with Kilmarnock before deciding that a move north of the border to Kilmarnock would be a progressive career step and broaden his experience.

Graeme has the ability to play on either the left or right wing, or as a second striker. His main attributes are his pace, skill and technical ability. Graeme has been likened in the past to Celtic and Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady. Indeed Graeme faced his counterpart when he featured heavily in Boro's 2008/2009 pre season programme including an eye catching performance against Celtic in the Algarve.

Everyone at Kilmarnock extends a warm welcome to Graeme and wishes him a long and happy stay with the club.