Kevin Austin (footballer)

Kevin Levi Austin (12 February 1973 – 23 November 2018) was a professional footballer and manager.

Not to be confused with Kevin Austin Jr..

Kevin Austin
Personal information
Full name Kevin Levi Austin[1]
Date of birth (1973-02-12)12 February 1973[1]
Place of birth Hackney, England
Date of death 23 November 2018(2018-11-23) (aged 45)
Place of death Sheffield, England[2]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 Saffron Walden Town 8 (0)
1993–1996 Leyton Orient 109 (3)
1996–1999 Lincoln City 128 (2)
1999–2001 Barnsley 3 (0)
2000 → Brentford (loan) 3 (0)
2001–2002 Cambridge United 6 (0)
2001–2002 Kettering Town 3 (0)
2002–2004 Bristol Rovers 56 (0)
2004–2008 Swansea City 117 (0)
2008–2010 Chesterfield 54 (0)
2010–2011 Darlington 12 (0)
2011 → Boston United (loan) 14 (0)
2011–2012 Boston United 25 (0)
Total 538 (5)
International career
2000–20?? Trinidad and Tobago 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

As a player he was a defender from 1992, until 2012. He notably played over 100 league matches each for Leyton Orient, Lincoln City and Swansea City. He also played in the English Football League for Barnsley, Brentford, Cambridge United, Bristol Rovers and Chesterfield. He also played Non-League football for Saffron Walden Town, Kettering Town, Darlington and Boston United. Born in England, he was capped seven times by the Trinidad and Tobago national team.

Club career

Leyton Orient

Austin began his career at non-League Saffron Walden Town before joining Leyton Orient in August 1993 for a fee of £1000, for whom he made 119 League and cup appearances in three seasons, scoring four goals.[3]

Lincoln City

He moved to Lincoln City in July 1996, for a fee of £30,000, making 146 appearances.[4] A firm favourite during his time at Sincil Bank, Kevin was voted number 56 in Lincoln's 100 league legends in June 2007.[5]

Barnsley

Austin moved to Barnsley in July 1999 on a Bosman free transfer,[6] but in only his fifth match for Barnsley and ironically against Lincoln in the League Cup, he suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury that kept him out of action for the remainder of the season.[5] He only made one further appearance for Barnsley; in a League Cup tie against Rotherham United in August 2000.[7] Returning to fitness, Austin was loaned to Brentford and also linked up with Trinidad and Tobago, making his one and only appearance for the Warriors in a 1–0 2002 World Cup qualifying win over Panama in Port of Spain in November 2000.[6] However, he was then sidelined by a recurrence of his Achilles tendon injury picked up on international duty in the Cayman Islands.[5] A proposed move to Oxford United in January 2001 fell through when he failed a medical and he was released by Barnsley in the summer of 2001.[3]

Cambridge United

He linked up with his old manager John Beck at Cambridge United but continued to be bedevilled by injury and he agreed to cancel his contract with them in March 2002.[5]

Kettering Town

He spent the remainder of the season with Kettering Town, making his debut against Folkestone on 30 March 2002 and going on to make three appearances.[8]

Bristol Rovers

In the summer of 2002, Bristol Rovers appointed John Still as their assistant manager and Still, who had worked with Austin at Lincoln, invited him for pre-season training. Austin impressed sufficiently to earn a contract and he returned to both full fitness and regular first-team football,[9] making a total of 61 appearances.[4]

Swansea City

In June 2004, he moved across the Severn Bridge to Swansea City. Austin missed making his home début game for Swansea against Cheltenham on 21 August 2004 when he was caught in a traffic jam on the M4 while travelling from his Bristol home.[10] In all competitions, to the end of the 2007/08 season, Austin made 139 appearances for Swansea City (with a further eleven as substitute).[4]

Chesterfield

Austin moved to League Two outfit Chesterfield in June 2008 on a two-year deal.[11]

Darlington

Austin then joined Conference Premier side Darlington after his spell at Chesterfield.[12]

Boston United

He went on loan to Conference North club Boston United, until the end of the season 2010–11.[13] He joined Boston on a permanent deal after being released by Darlington following the end of the season.[13] He left the club at the end of the season.[14]

International career

He was eligible to play for either England or Trinidad and Tobago at international level and chose to play for the latter against Panama in 2000.[6]

Coaching career

In September 2016 he joined Scunthorpe United as a youth team coach.[15]

Style of play

Austin was a centre-half who was also utilised as a full-back. Standing at 6'1", he was an imposing figure, dubbed "The Doorman".[16]

Death

Austin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2017.[17] He died on 23 November 2018, aged 45.[18]

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  2. "Kevin Austin". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  3. Kaufman, Neilson N; Ravenhill, Alan E (2002). The Men Who Made Leyton Orient Football Club. Tempus Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 0752424122.
  4. "Kevin Austin | Football Stats | No Club | Age 42 | 1992–2012 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  5. "#56 – Kevin Austin | Lincoln City | Club | League Legends | League Legends". 18 December 2007. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  6. "Kevin Austin". 11v11.com. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  7. "Games played by Kevin Austin in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  8. "SoccerFacts UK Player Details". www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  9. "Games played by Kevin Austin in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  10. "Austin caught in traffic jam". walesonline. 21 August 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  11. "Austin makes Chesterfield switch". BBC. 5 June 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  12. "Quakers snap up Terry and Austin". BBC. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  13. "Kevin Austin – First Team – Boston United Football Club". www.bostonunited.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  14. "Pilgrims announce retained list". NonLeagueDaily.com. 30 April 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  15. "U18 Team – U18 Coaching Team – Kevin Austin – Scunthorpe United". www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk.
  16. "Interview: Kevin Austin". Read Swansea. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  17. "Former Swansea defender Kevin Austin diagnosed with pancreatic cancer". Sky Sports. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  18. "Former Swansea City defender dies aged 45". BBC Sport. 25 November 2018.
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