Charlie Austin

Mercedes


The striker and his wife photographed as they make their way from their stylish ride sitting in the background.

Born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England, he began his youth career with professional football club Reading in 2005 before being released at 15 for being too small. He subsequently dropped down to non-league football to keep his aspirations alive, playing for the likes of Kintbury Rangers and Hungerford Town before switching to semi-professional football team Poole Town while also working as a bricklayer. His big break came when Swindon Town's chief scout caught him playing for Poole Town in a match where he scored four goals, the striker was consequently given a trial with the EFL Two outfits where upon he scored a hat-trick in a reserve game against Swansea City, he was offered a contract immediately afterwards. His two seasons with The Robins yielded 37 goals in 63 appearances prompting EFL Championship club Burnley to secure his services on January 2011. In his first full season with The Clarets the Englishman made 41 EFL Championship appearances scoring 16 goals to finish the clubs top scorer; the striker would prove to be even more lethal in his second season scoring 25 times in 37 EFL Championship games. Prior to the start of the 2013/14 season he signed with West London side Queens Park Rangers, the striker scored 17 goals in his debut season to help the club win promotion to the Premier League via playoffs. The 2014/15 season would see the Englishman grace Premier League football for the first time, he scored 18 goals in 35 games including a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over West Bromwich Albion, finishing the season as the fourth top scorer in the Premier League but was unable prevent his side from being relegated. On January 2016 the striker signed for Premier League club Southampton for a fee of £4 million on a four-and-a-half-year deal, making his debut as a substitute to score the late winner against Manchester United, since then the the striker has scored 20 goals in 81 appearances for The Saints.