Monday, December 20, 2010

Swindon will be ready for ex-Dorset builder Charlie Austin chase

Swindon Town manager Danny Wilson admits he may lose hot-shot striker Charlie Austin in the January transfer window.

Austin has scored 33 goals in 57 matches since he laid down his trowel at a Dorset building site and tried his luck as a professional footballer.

His sweetly-struck volley to open the scoring against Wednesday was a contender for goal of the season and underlined his immense value to Wilson's team.

Swindon are already talking in terms of �1.5m for the 21-year-old former Reading junior from Hungerford, and there will be no shortage of clubs willing to meet the asking price.

Newcastle, Sunderland, QPR, West Bromwich and Fulham are all known to be admirers of Austin and there are enough scouts from other clubs to fill a mini-stand at the County Ground most weeks.

Swindon turned down one offer of �600,000 from Millwall on transfer deadline day in August and are under no financial pressure to cash in their greatest asset.

Austin is discussing a new contract with Swindon and claims to be happy and still learning his new trade.

But Wilson knows that sooner or later he will lose his top scorer, whose goal against Wednesday was his 13th of a season in which he lost a month to a shoulder injury.

Wilson said: "I think he has been on people's radar for a long time. But, as long as he does well for us and gets the goals, then that is all we can do. We will take everything else when it comes.

"For his goal, the run that he made was great and what a finish that was. It was an absolutely fantastic strike and something we have come to expect from Charlie.''

Austin's departure, for all the good intentions from the club about being offered a new contract, is a case of when and not if. Wilson's task now is to find a possible replacement and, even armed with cash from any Austin deal, it will not be easy to find a player who scores as regularly.

Beating Wednesday was special for Wilson, who managed them for two years from 1998, and for match-winner Jon- Paul McGovern, who made 55 appearances for them.

Wilson said: "I am delighted with the way we played, bearing in mind the quality of player in that Sheffield Wednesday squad.

"If fortune favours the brave, I think we deserved to win.

"I thought David Prutton and Jonathan Douglas ran the show in midfield for us in the second half and that gave us the impetus to go forward and attack.

"For me it was just another three points, but I admit beating one of my old clubs is always a little special.

"I can only look at the game selfishly and say it was a massive three points for us.''

Austin's goal was cancelled out by Clinton Morrison before a jubilant McGovern got the winner.

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