Mitch Austin

{{short description|English-born Australian footballer (born 1991)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mitch Austin

| image = Mitch Austin Port Melbourne August 2016.jpg

| caption = Austin with the Melbourne Victory in 2016

| full_name = Mitchell Gregory Reginald Austin{{cite web |url=http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2015/the-football-league-retained-and-released-list-2491522.aspx |title=The Football League Retained List |publisher=The Football League |date=8 July 2015 |accessdate=16 June 2015}}

| height = 1.86 m{{cite web|title=Mitch Austin|url=https://www.melbournevictory.com.au/player/mitchell-austin|website=melbournevictory.com.au|publisher=Melbourne Victory FC|accessdate=3 February 2017|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141639/https://www.melbournevictory.com.au/player/mitchell-austin|url-status=dead}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|4|03}}

| birth_place = Rochdale, England

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Manly United

| youthyears2 = 2009–2010

| youthclubs2 = Rotherham United

| position = Left winger{{cite web|title=Mitch Austin|url=http://www.ccmariners.com.au/player/mitch-austin/1r7u7oa06npy311wzif7amflta|publisher=Central Coast Mariners FC|accessdate=21 February 2016|archive-date=9 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409170100/http://www.ccmariners.com.au/player/mitch-austin/1r7u7oa06npy311wzif7amflta|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last1=Windley|first1=Matt|title=Mitch Austin will play his first game for Melbourne Victory against Juventus at the MCG|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/mitch-austin-will-play-his-first-game-for-melbourne-victory-against-juventus-at-the-mcg/news-story/8137b7704db9d25dc11e0d5b74b1fbce?nk=bfa2efd2859d3c0ada200483f53ec045-1523011222|website=Herald Sun|date=8 July 2016|publisher=News Corp|accessdate=6 April 2018}}

| years1 = 2010–2013

| clubs1 = Stalybridge

| caps1 = 69

| goals1 = 10

| years2 = 2013–2015

| clubs2 = Cambridge United

| caps2 = 9

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2014

| clubs3 = → Lincoln City (loan)

| caps3 = 6

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2014

| clubs4 = → Brackley Town (loan)

| caps4 = 9

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2014

| clubs5 = → Southport (loan)

| caps5 = 8

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2015–2016

| clubs6 = Central Coast Mariners

| caps6 = 23

| goals6 = 5

| years7 = 2016–2018

| clubs7 = Melbourne Victory

| caps7 = 24

| goals7 = 4

| years8 = 2018–2019

| clubs8 = Newcastle Jets

| caps8 = 5

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2019

| clubs9 = Sydney FC

| caps9 = 2

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2019–2020

| clubs10 = Partick Thistle

| caps10 = 1

| goals10 = 0

| club-update = 11:10, 21 March 2020 (UTC)

| module = {{infobox person

| embed = yes

| father = Greg Austin

| mother =

| spouse =

| education =

| alma_mater =

| relatives =

}}

Mitchell Gregory Reginald Austin (born 3 April 1991) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a winger and is currently a free agent.

Born in England to an Australian father, Austin began his senior career at Stalybridge Celtic in 2010. Three years later, he joined Cambridge United and, after loans to Lincoln City, Brackley Town and Southport in 2014, Austin moved to Australian side Central Coast Mariners in 2015. He remained in Australia for four more years, playing at Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC. In 2019 Austin moved to Scotland, playing one year for Partick Thistle.

Early life

Mitch Austin was born in Rochdale, Greater Manchester on 3 April 1991. He has a twin sister named Brittany. His father is the Australian rugby league, and rugby union footballer Greg Austin.{{cite web|last1=Prichard|first1=Greg|title=Austin's inherited powers a big plus for the Mariners|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2015/09/17/austins-inherited-powers-big-plus-mariners|website=The World Game|publisher=Special Broadcasting Service|accessdate=19 July 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Smithies|first1=Tom|title=A-League: Central Coast Mariners signing Mitch Austin excited by opportunity|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/a-league/aleague-central-coast-mariners-signing-mitch-austin-excited-by-opportunity/news-story/dadef2c17c9ae1636b10085c6dafe278|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=9 October 2015|accessdate=19 July 2016}} He left England at the age of eight when his father retired from playing professional rugby and moved the family back to Australia.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Club career

=Youth football=

Austin was a Manly United junior in Sydney, Australia. He was spotted by the scouts of Rotherham United in 2009 whilst on a tour of the UK with Manly United and was offered a scholarship with the youth academy.

=Stalybridge Celtic=

In 2010, he joined Conference North team Stalybridge Celtic.{{cite web|title=Mitchell Austin|url=http://www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk/player.php?code=MITCA|publisher=Stalybridge Celtic|accessdate=23 April 2014}}

=Cambridge United=

After making 71 league appearances, in 2013, he joined Conference team Cambridge United.{{cite news|title=Wing wizard of Aus joins Cambridge United|url=http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Wing-wizard-Aus-joins-Cambridge-United/story-22391788-detail/story.html|newspaper=Cambridge News|accessdate=23 April 2014}}

In 2014, he was loaned to Lincoln City to get more first team opportunities.{{cite news|title=Lincoln sign Delano Sam-Yorke and Mitch Austin from Cambridge|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25581565|accessdate=23 September 2014}} But Cambridge soon recalled Austin, and declined Lincoln’s request for an extension to the loan. Though weeks later he signed for Brackley Town again on loan. On 31 January 2014, his loan was extended till March.{{cite news|title=Transfer Deadline Day: Crewe's Audel loaned to Lincoln|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25983474|accessdate=23 September 2014}}

On 13 September 2014, he made his professional debut for Cambridge United against Dagenham and Redbridge.{{cite web|title=Dagenham and Redbridge vs Cambridge United|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/09/13/england/league-two/dagenham--redbridge-fc/cambridge-united-fc/1707009/|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=23 September 2014}}

In May 2015, Cambridge United announced, that Austin was one out of 12 players, who would leave the club in the summer 2015 expressing his wish to return to Australia.{{cite web|title=Cambridge United announce mass clearout: Luke Chadwick, Tom Elliott and more among those leaving|work=Cambridge News |date=6 May 2015 |url=http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge-United-announce-mass-clearout-Luke/story-26451666-detail/story.html|publisher=cambridge-news.co.uk|accessdate=6 May 2015}}

=Central Coast Mariners=

On 1 June 2015, Central Coast Mariners announced that they had signed Austin to a two-year contract.{{cite web|title=Mariners sign Mitch Austin|url=http://www.ccmariners.com.au/article/squad-news-mariners-sign-mitch-austin/zxf689wwby4n1w52c5joxlj9c|publisher=Football Federation Australia|date=1 June 2015}} After making 23 appearances in the first year of his contract, Austin asked to terminate his second year and was released by Central Coast Mariners.{{cite web|url=http://www.a-league.com.au/article/central-coast-mariners-winger-mitch-austin-departs-club/1k6pwcj3ly8s616jk0pweatn4h|title=Mariners lose star winger|publisher=Football Federation Australia|date=16 June 2016}}

=Melbourne Victory=

On 17 June 2016, Melbourne Victory confirmed the signing of Austin as a straight swap for winger Connor Pain.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/mitch-austin-joins-melbourne-victory-who-send-connor-pain-to-central-coast-20160617-gpl8ti.html|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=17 June 2016|accessdate=16 June 2016|title=Mitch Austin joins Melbourne Victory, who send Connor Pain to Central Coast}}

He made an outstanding start to his Victory career, earning Man of the Match honours in the club's pre-season friendly win over Juventus at the MCG.

Austin suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in training in November 2017, ruling him out for several months.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/mitch-austin-suffers-season-ending-injury-477897|title=Mitch Austin suffers season-ending injury|magazine=FourFourTwo|date=18 November 2017|accessdate=18 November 2017}}

On 1 February 2018, Austin was selected to represent Melbourne Victory in the E-League's inaugural season, alongside Mouad Zwed, becoming one of a handful of professional football players to compete in e-sports as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.melbournevictory.com.au/news/victory-locks-e-league-team|title=Victory locks in E-League team|date=1 February 2018|website=Melbourne Victory}}

=Partick Thistle=

Austin signed with Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle in July 2019 on a one-year deal.{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/signing-news-mitch-austin-signs-one-year-deal/|title=SIGNING NEWS: Mitch Austin signs one-year deal|website=Ptfc.co.uk|access-date=28 October 2021}} Austin chose kit number 77 for the 2019–20 season.{{Cite web |url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-team/mitch-austin/ |title=Mitch Austin | Partick Thistle FC |access-date=28 July 2019 |archive-date=28 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728103238/https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-team/mitch-austin/ |url-status=dead }} On 11 January 2020, Austin made his first team debut after suffering an injury in July 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50990654|title = Shankland treble as Utd go 17 clear|work = BBC Sport}} Austin only made two appearances for Partick Thistle before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Austin left Thistle in March 2020 during the pandemic to return home to his family in Australia.{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/mitch-austin-leaves-the-club/|title = Mitch Austin leaves the Club|website=Ptfc.co.uk}}

Since his departure from Thistle, Austin has been in a state of free agency for more than five years due to an injury necessitating two cartilage transplants, during which time he has awaited suitable donors for the surgical procedures.{{Cite web|url=https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJ4sQ4Sd/ |title=TikTok - Make Your Day}}

In May 2025, Austin played a friendly match for Huddersfield Town as a trialist, in the hope of returning to professional football.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DKCAqJgARUZ/?igsh=NW1rd2x6azc1b2hj|title=Instagram - More To Come!}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="4"\|Stalybridge Celtic \|2010–11 \|rowspan="3"\|Conference North \|5	0	2	0	0	0	7	0
2011–12 \|27	1	7	1	0	0	34	2
2012–13 \|37	9	7	2	0	0	44	11
colspan="2"\|Total !69	10	16	3	0	0	85	13
rowspan="3"\|Cambridge United \|2013–14 \|Conference Premier \|8	0	3	0	0	0	11	0
2014–15 \|Football League Two \|1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
colspan="2"\|Total !9	0	3	0	0	0	12	0
Lincoln City (loan) \|2013–14 \|Conference Premier \|6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
rowspan="3"\|Brackley Town (loan) \|2013–14 \|rowspan="2"\|Conference North \|5	1	0	0	0	0	5	1
2014–15 \|4	1	0	0	0	0	4	1
colspan="2"\|Total !9	2	0	0	0	0	9	2
Southport (loan) \|2014–15 \|Conference Premier \|8	0	8	0	0	0	16	0
Central Coast Mariners \|2015–16 \|A-League \|23	5	1	0	0	0	24	5
rowspan="3"\|Melbourne Victory \|2016–17 \|rowspan="2"\|A-League \|19	3	3	0	0	0	22	3
2017–18 \|5	1	2	1	0	0	7	2
colspan="2"\|Total !24	4	5	1	0	0	29	5
Newcastle Jets \|2018–19 \|A-League \|5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Sydney FC \|2018–19 \|A-League \|2	0	0	0	2	0	4	0
Partick Thistle \|2019–20 \|Scottish Championship \|1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !156	21	34	4	2	0	192	25

Honours

Cambridge United

FA Trophy: 2013–14{{Cite news |date=23 March 2014 |title=DONALDSON AT THE DOUBLE FOR CAMBRIDGE IN FA TROPHY FINAL |work=FA |url=https://www.thefa.com/news/2014/mar/23/cambridge-united-gosport-borough-final-wembley-stadium |access-date=13 April 2022}}