Statement of intent from 7th tier club AFC Totton this week as Charlie Austin explains the surprise decision to sign for them.
The 35 year old was only played in League Two a couple of months ago, and had been a Championship player in 2022, but now he’s completed his medical and has linked up with Southern League Premier Division South ahead of the 2024/25 season.
The Stags are hoping he can make his debut in Saturday’s home friendly against Forest Green Rovers, before the league season gets underway at home to Walton & Hersham on the 10th of August.
πΈβ½οΈπ¦ CHARLIE AUSTIN Poses for Photos to Mark His Signing for AFC Totton…
View the full GALLERY:https://t.co/yhU3f2ylOk
Images courtesy of Sayers Sports Photography pic.twitter.com/ozBZoWhj36
— AFC Totton π¦ (@AFCTotton) July 31, 2024
Talking in an interview, per Daily Echo, he said: “I think it was more along the family lines, I know where I am physically and mentally.
“I think I just wanted to spend more time with family. I do football with my son, training midweek, and itβs something I didnβt want to miss out on.”
“Beatts [AFC Totton director of football James Beattie] got in touch with me – and I appreciate it wasnβt an easy deal to make, but the football club showed real patience with me to make it happen.
“I was very appreciative of that and now itβs about playing with a smile on my face and helping the football club.
“There isnβt much else to tell, he got in touch with me in May and asked me about my situation, what I was thinking of doing.
“I told him I still wanted to play in the Football League but it was about what opportunities would arise throughout the summer.
“I went on holiday and we stayed in contact, before it came to a point where he just asked me if I wanted to come down and train, they knew I had been training on my own.
“I said I wasnβt too sure but I went away on one last family holiday and the penny dropped, I just rang him and told him I wanted to do the deal.
“It was as simple as that, thereβs no glitz or glamour in it but the patience the club has shown has been brilliant and I am really appreciative of that.”
AUSTIN’S CAREER:
Youth career
2005 – Reading
Senior
2006β2007 – Kintbury Rangers – 28 games (21 goals)
2007β2008 – Hungerford Town – 37 games (11 goals)
2008 – Thatcham Town
2008β2009 – Poole Town – 57 games (64 goals)
2009β2011 – Swindon Town – 65 games (37 goals)
2011β2013 – Burnley – 90 games (45 goals)
2013β2016 – Queens Park Rangers – 89 games (48 goals)
2016β2019 – Southampton – 81 games (20 goals)
2019β2021 – West Bromwich Albion – 45 games (11 goals)
2021β2022 – Queens Park Rangers – 59 games (15 goals)
2022 – Brisbane Roar – 11 games (4 goals)
2022β2024 – Swindon Town – 68 games (23 goals)
2024- AFC Totton
Here’s how fans reacted to the statement of intent from 7th tier club AFC Totton as Charlie Austin explains the decision to sign for them…
@SuggWillSugg: Charlie Austin going from #stfc to playing in the same league as supermarine in a singular summer is absolutely wild.
@Callum_StazZa:
I speak for everyone when I say
ππππππππππππππππππππππππππ
What we thinking, 60, 70 goals? Double hat trick????
@jbafcb77: Christ how have that pulled that off then
@Mountford_14: Damn, how on earth did he not manage to get another League Two club – or even VNL??? #STFC
@albie_f5: Didnβt expect that π Totton got money though to be fair. Would expect them to win that league now. Shame Salisbury didnβt go in for him
@LoneGeorgie: Charlie Austin about to go moan at some bloke doing the refereeing as a hobby just because he didn’t award him a free kick
@cheeseyp: Wow , what a signing ….. question is , how do they afford him π€….. pressure on the manager now !!
@liamtribb: Called for VAR and then never played high enough to have it π
@Collison21: On Β£3,400 a week last season !
@Dafydd_Nich: Charlie Austin signing for Totton. Absolute ridiculous amounts of money at that football club!
@DazWareham: Absolutely insane. He’s gonna bury that league. Not about the money anymore, just about the goals. What a legend.
@andydavis1978: Considering Charlie Austin was the self-proclaimed best striker #saintsfc have ever had, he has dropped levels at a rapid paceβ¦ π
@SaintRobinho86: Charlie Austin has signed for AFC Totton. How the mighty have fallen ππππ #SaintsFC
@tom_lewo: Tbh ⦠at AFC Totton, which is one league below the national league south⦠@chazaustin10 is bagging 40 minimum⦠surely!
@AlexReddick: Charlie Austin in the Southern League Prem next seasonβ¦β¦ Wow
@TeeGee60518810: craziest thing is he was a championship player playing for QPR 2 years ago
@AaronBailey92: 7th tier at 35 is nuts he’s still got football in him thought he’d end up at like Wrexham or something
@cameron_pickard: They will piss the league
@foreverayellow: blimey i didn’t see that coming, fairplay to him
AFC Totton to the rest of the league pic.twitter.com/9c1JYg2CE6
β x (@Xuser4159) July 30, 2024
Charlie Austin signing for my local non-league side. Hook it to the veins mate! @AFCTotton #QPR pic.twitter.com/HRd3OldkSc
β Joseph Bagshaw (@JoeBagshaw90) July 30, 2024

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