Charlie Austin left Swindon Town and joined for AFC Totton, the club’s official website revealed.
After the completion of the previous campaign, his contract with Swindon Town expired, and he has been considering his free agency possibilities.
Austin, 35, has now made the decision to drop into non-league to join the Southern League Premier Division South runners-up.
He has told their website: “I know I can bring a lot of experience, having played in all four divisions of the professional league, as well as at this sort of level at the beginning of my career. if my game can fit in with the team and can help the team to get over that final hurdle, then that’s what it’s all about – the goal is for us to get promoted.
“Non-league in general over the last 15 years has got better. There are so many more players who have been involved in the professional game but then don’t get contracts and come back through into non-league, and the only beneficial point of that is that non-league gets a lot better and a lot stronger.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge. If I was coming here half-hearted then I might as well have retired and just knocked it on the head then, but I’m coming here ready to play.”
New home for departed Swindon Town man
Swindon Town re-signed Austin in 2022 after his spell in Australia at Brisbane Roar in the A-League.
Over the previous few years, he played 68 appearances for the Robins across all competitions, scoring 23 goals.
He was originally signed by the Wiltshire club in 2010 as a youth player from Poole Town in the non-league, and in his first season, he scored 37 goals in 65 games.
After that, he played in the Premier League for West Brom, Southampton, QPR, Burnley, and other teams before moving to Australia.
Austin found the net on four occasions in 11 outings for Brisbane Roar when he went Down Under before deciding to move back home.
His deal at Swindon Town officially expired in late June and he has now decided to drop down a few leagues.
New home
AFC Totten are preparing for their upcoming Southern League Premier Division South season. They missed out on promotion last term despite finishing 2nd after losing on penalties in the play-offs to Salisbury.
Austin will significantly bolster their striking options and they will fancy their chances of going up next time around.
They are managed by ex-Forest Green Rovers boss Jimmy Ball.
