LLOYD Owusu hopes Slough Town can use the hurt of last term’s play-off defeat to win promotion from the Southern Premier Division this season.

Owusu, 40, is a legend at Slough having started his career with his hometown club in the Vauxhall Conference in 1996, before being sold to Brentford two years later for a fee of £25,000.

Famous for his ‘raise the roof’ goal celebrations, the striker finished his 20-year playing career in Australia, where he lives with his two daughters, and has now taken up a role in coaching.

Watching on from Sydney, Owusu believes The Rebels have the stability under joint-managers Neil Baker and Jon Underwood to push for promotion this season.

In a special interview with the Observer this week, Owusu said: “I would like to give a shout out to all the Slough Town fans, so many people that have supported me from day one and helped me on my way up. It’s a great club and I have a lot of respect for them.

“I know they’ve got a fantastic new stadium complex, so I want to go and visit them when I can, and hopefully the two managers there can grow the club back into a good position.

“I’ve not looked at the league, but judging by their pre-season results, Slough look a good side.

“When you have that stability you can look to push on with the experience and hurt of a loss, to go one better than the play-offs.”

On long-serving physio Kevin McGoldrick, who recently celebrated his testimonial at the club, Owusu said: “I’ve spoken with Kevin to pass on my best wishes.

“He’s a massive part to Slough Town. When I used to watch the team as a 10-year-old Kevin was physio then. He’s a great man and I wish him all the best.”

Owusu, who scored 20 goals in 65 appearances for The Rebels, is currently completing his coaching badges with Australia and has not ruled out a return to England as a coach in the future.

He explained “I’m living in Sydney and coaching the next generation, passing my experiences as a player onto the youth. It’s good to help the next generation.

“In my playing days I was coaching as well and always said I wanted to give something back to the sport, and I’m really enjoying it.

“I was involved with an international football school until January this year and now with Cranbrook School in Rose Bay, New South Wales, where the under-16 team has just won the CSI League, which is fantastic news.”

Owusu added: “I always look for the right opportunity and want to work with players at an elite level and in a professional environment, that’s something I would definitely entertain.

“A role at a professional club in England I would entertain. I would love to work at that level because it’s real football, with passion from the fans and camaraderie from the players.”

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