Charlie Austin set to re-join Swindon Town eleven years after initial departure

Charlie Austin is set to return to Swindon Town following his departure from Brisbane Roar, eleven years after he initially left the club. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam reports on the striker’s imminent return.

Following a large amount of speculation after him deciding to leave Brisbane, Austin, 33, is set to re-join his first professional club.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Austin said: "My mind was made up really with where I was at with football and coming back across becasue the family was in a position where we needed to come back. My eldest was here so it was a no-brainer.

"When I told the chairman [Clem Morfuni] that I was thinking of coming back it all kind of fell into place.

"Yeah, I did [have other offers] but I came back for family reasons, I don't live too far from here, it was a no-brainer for me to come back and help the football club move forward and come and play games.

"There is a young squad and I can come and use my experience to help."

Austin first made his name at the County Ground, as he scored 19 goals in 33 games in his debut season as Swindon missed out on promotion in the 2009/10 season after a play-off final defeat against Millwall at Wembley.

The striker then hit 12 in 21 in the league the following season, before departing for Burnley in January after handing in a transfer request to force through the move, despite this he would still end the 2010/11 season as Town’s top goal scorer.

The Hungerford-born player would go on to play for Queens Park Rangers, Southampton, and West Bromwich Albion in a fantastic career, in which he would once score 18 Premier League goals in his first season at the level with QPR, despite the club being relegated.

This season would see him called up to the England squad by Roy Hodgson in 2015 for games against Republic of Ireland and Slovenia, although he would not feature in either game.

Despite being booed upon his return to the County Ground with Burnley in the League Cup in 2012, a match Swindon would win 3-1, he is a firm fan favourite in SN1 and a signing that will breathe some much needed life into their season.