Gems of the Lower Leagues: Charlie Austin

by Ally Poole

Charlie Austin has made a meteoric leap from being a bricklayer playing for part-time Poole Town as late as September 2009 to free-scoring striker for Burnley in the Championship. However Austin is still only 22 and is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting players in the Football League.

Austin was involved with the youth system at Reading, his local club, until he was released by them. Despite now being 6 foot 1, Reading released Austin for being too small at the age of 15, in 2004. He dropped into non-league football playing for Thatcham Town, Kintbury Rangers and Hungerford Town into 2008.

After a family move to Bournemouth, in 2008 Austin rekindled his love for football when he joined Poole Town. His impressive style of play and a goal scoring record of 48 goals in 42 games, which is incredible in any league, earned him a trial at Swindon Town in September 2009. Austin was signed a month later after impressing the management team at Swindon.

He then proceeded to score on his full debut against Carlisle on the 21st November 2009, and after a good start to his professional career in which he forged a great strike partnership with Billy Paynter, he was offered an improved 2 and a half year contract with the club in early 2010. That season Swindon Town qualified for the League 1 play-off final for a place in the Championship. Unfortunately for Austin and Swindon they lost 1-0 with Austin himself missing a glorious chance to equalise when one on one with the keeper. In his defence replays did show a clear bobble of the ball just before Austin struck it.

The Wembley heartache didn’t faze Charlie Austin and he scored 17 times in the first 27 games of the 2010-2011 season. This terrific start to the season attracted interest from Championship clubs. Austin handed in a transfer request and even though a bid was accepted from Ipswich Town, Austin could not agree personal terms and in turn joined Burnley on a three and a half year contract on the 28th January 2011, for an undisclosed fee.

After only playing four times in the second half of last season for new club Burnley, Austin has been outstanding at the start of the current 2011-2012 season. He has scored 7 goals in 12 league games for Burnley and has made the step up to Championship level seamlessly.

He is helped by the fact that he is a poacher and someone who plays on the shoulder of the last man, and the step up in class has not been too difficult to adapt to for Austin. Although defenders in the Championship are of a higher level than of those in League 1 and League 2 where Austin had previously played professionally, due to his style of play Austin has done well as he has received a lot of service from the higher skilled creative players around him. It also helps that he really is a traditional target man as it is those type of strikers who often find it more difficult to play in higher leagues due to the increased strength of the defenders.

Austin already seems to be forming a good partnership and understanding with fellow hot young prospect Jay Rodriguez, who has already attracted interest from Premier League clubs, and is set to score even more goals this season and further in the future.

Ally Poole is a new contributor to Just Football. Follow him on Twitter @allyjpoole

Burnley FC, Charlie Austin, Football League, Gems of the Lower Leagues