CHARLIE Austin has announced his imminent return to Swindon Town.

The 33-year-old striker has been the subject of intense transfer speculation since leaving Brisbane Roar in Australia in early-December for personal reasons.

And although there has been no official confirmation from the club as of yet, Austin made his next steps clear in an interview with Sky Sports News on Wednesday night.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Austin said: "My mind was made up really with where I was at with football and coming back across because the family was in a position where we needed to come back. My eldest was here, so it was a no-brainer.

"When I told the chairman [Clem Morfuni] that I was thinking of coming back it all kind of fell into place.

"Yeah, I did [have other offers] but I came back for family reasons. I don't live too far from here, so it was a no-brainer for me to come back and help the football club move forward and come and play games.

"There is a young squad, and I can come and use my experience to help."

Austin is set to return to the club which gave him his first chance in professional football back in 2009.

The Hungerford-born striker instantly endeared himself to Swindon fans after scoring on his first start against Carlisle United and then hitting a further three goals in the next two games.

Before moving on to Burnley in January 2011 after handing in a transfer request, Austin bagged a total of 31 goals in 54 appearances for Town.

Austin was unable to fire the club into the Championship, though, as an unfortunate bobble cost him the chance to level the League One play-off final against Millwall in 2010.

After leaving Turf Moor, Austin signed for Queens Park Rangers and helped the West London club to promotion into the Premier League through the play-offs.

In his first season in the Premier League with QPR, the striker netted 18 times but was unable to save the club from relegation.

Austin’s sparkling form in the 2014-15 campaign won him a call up to the England squad under Roy Hodgson for games against Republic of Ireland and Slovenia, although he did not feature in either fixture.

The Hungerford-born player went on to play for Southampton and West Bromwich Albion prior to a return to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, a club he left once more in early-2022.

Austin was rumoured to be coming back to Swindon in the summer, but a move never materialised, and he joined Brisbane Roar in the A-League instead.

But after two goals in just seven appearances on the Gold Coast, Austin’s career is set to go full-circle with an official announcement expected imminently.