Ex-Premier League star joins seventh-tier side AFC Totton as the former Southampton and QPR goalscorer signs for 11th club

A former Premier League star is continuing his career after signing for seventh-tier club AFC Totton at the age of 35.

The former Southampton, QPR and Burnley striker has been playing in the lower EFL ranks in recent seasons and beamed when presented at the National League club on Wednesday.

The move to Totton marks a new milestone for the veteran who made 451 appearances in all four English professional leagues, scoring 178 goals.

The former Premier League goalscorer spent the past two seasons at League Two club Swindon Town amid a spat between the club’s owners and fans.

Charlie Austin made 48 appearances in English football’s fourth division last season, scoring 14 goals in a campaign that saw the Robins avoid relegation, but has opted not to retire after his contract expires.

Charlie Austin has made the move to the Non-League club as he joins the 11th club of his career

Instead, Austin has decided to add another club to his glittering CV by joining the side that finished runners-up in the Southern League Premier Division South last season.

Austin previously rose through the ranks in Non-League football, with spells at Kintbury Rangers, Hungerford, Thatcham Town and Poole, before eventually making the switch to the EFL.

Austin explained how his latest move came about: ‘James Beattie got in touch with me in May and asked what the situation was. I said I still wanted to play in the Football League but let’s keep in touch.

Austin made his name scoring goals for clubs such as QPR in the Premier League

The 35-year-old previously had an unsuccessful spell with Brisbane Roar in Australia

“And that was it for the first four or five weeks. We kept in touch and he invited me to come and train with the club. I wasn’t sure at first, but when I was on holiday with the kids, the penny dropped and I called him and said, look, let’s do the deal.

‘I know I bring a lot of experience as I have played in all four divisions of the professional league and also at this level at the beginning of my career.

‘If my game suits the team and can help the team to take that last hurdle, then that’s what matters: the goal is that we get promoted.

‘Non-League has generally improved over the last 15 years. There are so many more players who have been involved in the professional game but then don’t get a contract and come back to Non-League, and the only positive thing about that is that Non-League is getting much better and much stronger.’