Swindon Town

Charlie Austin re-joined The Reds in December 2022 following a spell in Australia playing for Brisbane Roar.

The 33-year-old, who spent two seasons at SN1 between 2009 and 2011, has penned a deal at The County Ground until the end of the current 2022/23 campaign after agreeing a mutual termination of his contract with A-League side Brisbane Roar.

The forward joined Swindon Town in September 2009 after impressing on trial from Poole Town, and went on to score an impressive 31 league goals in 54 appearances in his first season in professional football.

His clinical finishing earned him legend status among Town fans during his two year stint in Wiltshire, but January 2011 saw him move on to pastures new, joining Championship side Burnley on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

An equally fruitful two year period at Turf Moor ensued, where Austin averaged a league goal every two games in his 82 appearances, before Queens Park Rangers secured his services in August 2013.

He spent three seasons at Loftus Road, with his goals once again proving pivotal, as the London club secured promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs during the 2013-14 campaign.

Austin certainly wasn’t phased as he made a seamless step up to England’s top flight, as he finished the 2014-15 season as the divisions fourth highest goal scorer, with 18.

His efforts didn’t go unrecognised by then England manager, Roy Hodgson, who called him up for the first time for a friendly against the Republic of Ireland and a UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying match against Slovenia.

In January 2016, a reported £4-million pound fee took him to Southampton, where scored on his league debut against Manchester United after coming on as a second half substitute for Sadio Mane to earn Saints a late victory.

In August 2019, the Berkshire-born marksman moved to West Bromwich Albion before returning back to Queens Park Rangers in January 2021, signing permanently for The Super Hoops in June of that year.

He was then snapped up by Australian side Brisbane Roar in June this term, where he went on to make eleven appearances, scoring four goals in all competitions.

He decided to end his Aussie adventure early though and return to England this month, opting to rejoin Swindon where it all began.