AFC Totton
AFC TOTTON STRIKER CHARLIE AUSTIN has departed the Snows Stadium club, after playing his part in helping The Stags to a successful 2024/25 campaign that ended with promotion to The Enterprise National League South via the end of season Play-Offs.
The former Southampton and QPR hitman signs-off from his spell in SO40 having scored one of the most important goals in the entire history of the club. His strike against Dorchester Town just one minute before the completion of extra-time in the Southern League Premier Division South Play-Off semi-final at the end of April 2025 completed a now famous barnstorming 4-3 victory for Totton, who had looked down and out when trailing two-nil as the clock ticked past the 90-minute mark.
That unlikely revival enabled The Stags to go on and defeat Gloucester City in the final and secure Step 2 football for the first time since the club’s original formation in 1886.
Austin joined Totton shortly before the start of the 2024/25 season, and made his competitive debut for the club as a substitute in the opening day home win over Walton & Hersham. His second Stags appearance also came from the bench in a 3-0 midweek away success at Sholing, before he made his full Totton debut at the home of his former club Poole Town, on Saturday 17 August 2024.
Quickly regaining match fitness having missed the bulk of pre-season, he began September in fine form with three goals in as many matches against the relatively local Town rivals of Basingstoke, Wimborne and Dorchester, setting him on his way to an eventual total of 13 goals in 33 starts and 11 substitute appearances across all competitions.
AFC Totton manager Jimmy Ball said:
“Our thanks go to Charlie for the time he has been with us here at AFC Totton. When he joined us, we had a mission and a clear goal, and when all is said and done, we achieved our objectives together.
“For me as a manager, Charlie has been absolutely fantastic and a pleasure to work with both on and off the pitch. His commitment and work ethic have been excellent throughout his time here, and many of the other players in the squad have genuinely benefitted from having the chance to work alongside him and to learn from him.
“His will always be an important name in the history of AFC Totton, not least for scoring that crucial goal against Dorchester in the Play-Off semi-final that enabled us to go on and reach new heights as a football club. We all wish him the very best for the future.”
Austin’s football journey originally began in non-league football with Kintbury Rangers, Hungerford Town and Thatcham Town, prior to him catching the eye of Football League scouts as a prolific marksman for The Dolphins, for whom he scored 48 league goals in the 2008/09 campaign to earn himself a move to League One side Swindon Town. More goals followed and the Berkshire-born striker continued to enjoy successful spells with Burnley and QPR, before joining Southampton – then in the Premier League – in January 2016, and scoring on his Saints debut to win the game against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Spells at West Bromwich Albion and in Australia, playing for Brisbane Roar, preceded an 18-month return to Swindon Town, before AFC Totton stunned the non-league football community by securing the services of the popular frontman, who will turn 36 years-old on Saturday 05 July.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Harvey Gerring (left) and Sayers Sports Photography (right)
