Neil Austin

This article is about the English footballer. For the New Zealand politician, see Neill Austin.

Neil Austin

Personal information
Full name	Neil Jeffrey Austin
Date of birth	26 April 1983 (1983-04-26) (age 28)
Place of birth	Barnsley, England
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Hartlepool United
Number	2
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2007	Barnsley	148	(0)
2002	→ Gateshead (loan)[1]	3	(0)
2007–2009	Darlington	62	(5)
2009–	Hartlepool United	79	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:56, 5 November 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Neil Jeffrey Austin (born 26 April 1983) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back or left-back. He is currently playing for Hartlepool United.

Biography

Born in Barnsley, Austin came through the youth ranks with his local club Barnsley F.C., playing 165 first team games, including 25 games in the 2006–07 Championship season. He made his debut on 10 August 2002 against Swindon Town.

Despite struggling with an injury for a period of the 2005–06 season, Austin still managed to make 44 appearances for the reds helping them secure their return to the Football League Championship.

In his first season at Darlington he played 29 games and scored 2 goals, his first was a mazy run from the edge of his own 18 yard box played a one - two then finished with aplomb. His season ended early though as he collected an injury that had plagued him the previous season.

In June 2008, Austin underwent an operation on his troublesome ankle which was successful. He scored his 1st goal of the season in Darlington's 6–0 away win at Macclesfield Town, it been a nice 25 yard drive. Live on Sky Austin netted a superb 25 yard free-kick against fellow promotion hopefuls Bradford City in Darlington's 2–1 victory. The tough tackling right back put Darlington's off field problems of administration to the side and went on to make 39 appearances scoring 3 goals and receiving 4 yellow cards in the 2008–09 season. Austin's superb form saw him voted in the League 2 Team of the Season.

In June 2009, he joined Darlington's arch rivals Hartlepool United.^[2]

Honours

Barnsley

• Coca-Cola League One Play-Off Final Winner: 2005–06

See also

• Teenage Cancer Trust

References

1. ^ "Players A to Z 00-01 to 08-09". Unofficial Gateshead Football Club Statistics Database. http://www.freewebs.com/gfcstats/az0008.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-06. 
2. ^ "Austin Completes Move To Pools". Vital Hartlepool. 2009-06-10. http://www.hartlepool.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=157233. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 

External links

• Neil Austin profile at Vital Hartlepool
• Neil Austin career stats at Soccerbase

Persondata
Name	Austin, Neil
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	26 April 1983
Place of birth	Barnsley, England
Date of death
Place of death