Austin has Latics on red alert

CHARLIE Austin is the man Athletic's defence — however it ends up being comprised — will undoubtedly have to watch at Boundary Park on Saturday.

The prolific former Poole Town amateur has rattled in 17 goals for Swindon Town already this season, including a double in the win at Charlton earlier this week.

The emphatic 4-2 victory at The Valley was the third occasion this season in which Danny Wilson's side have scored four times in an away fixture, following examples at Peterborough — albeit in a 5-4 defeat — and Plymouth in an FA Cup first-round tie.

On only seven occasions out of 23 matches has Austin FAILED to hit the target for the Robins this term — an amazing statistic which makes apparent the reason higher-division clubs have been sniffing around the 21-year-old striker, with the transfer window back open.

"I'm sure there will be loads of phone calls, but that is what we expect with good players," said Wilson, whose club have already rejected an offer for Austin from Championship club Hull City.

"We've said all along we are going to try to keep hold of him and there has been nothing really which has made us change our minds at this moment in time."

Despite Austin's impressive strike rate that win at The Valley, which preceded Charlton sacking their manager Phil Parkinson plus all his backroom staff, was only Swindon's second in eight — not the form of a side which reached last season's play-off final.

And it was a first win in the league away from home since Walsall were defeated on their own patch 2-1 in mid-September, former Athletic loan left-back Alan Sheehan getting a goal for the Wiltshire club.

Since losing to Millwall at Wembley in the League One promotion decider, the Robins have lost the services of influential on-loan winger Danny Ward, who went back to parent club Bolton.

And striker Billy Paynter, scorer of three goals in two games against Athletic last season, cracked home a total of 26 last term before leaving the County Ground for promoted Leeds United.

There has also been a wide change in playing staff elsewhere for manager Wilson.

Left-back Michael Rose came in on a permanent basis from Stockport, having spent time last season at champions Norwich, while former captain and centre-back Gordon Greer left to sign up with Gus Poyet's Brighton.

Right-back Paul Caddis has joined from Celtic, as has midfielder Simon Ferry, who spent last season on loan with the Robins.

Also incoming were midfielder David Prutton from Colchester and striker David Ball from Manchester City, the latter on loan in a spell which has now run out.

Winger Matt Ritchie, who scored his fifth goal of the season in the defeat of Charlton, is set to join the club permanently from Portsmouth in a deal worth £200,000 prior to the visit to Boundary Park.