Charlie Austin issues confident Swindon Town prediction | OneFootball

Charlie Austin remains hopeful that his Swindon Town side can fight for League Two promotion places this season - stating that the Robins 'have a good squad' as they aim for glory.

Austin got his big break in professional football at Swindon way back in 2009, where his 37 goals in 65 games earned him a move to Burnley - before going on to write himself in Championship history with 91 goals in the second-tier and a further 34 in the Premier League at QPR and Southampton.

He made his return to Swindon in January last season, and with nine goals in fifteen starts for the Robins, they achieved a positive 10th-placed finish. But Austin believes they can go one further this season under Michael Flynn.

What has Charlie Austin said about Swindon Town's chances of promotion from League Two?

Speaking exclusively to Football League World via Sky Bet, Austin didn't let up in his predictions for the Wiltshire-based club.

He said: "We’ve [Swindon Town] got a good squad, we’ve got a good togetherness. I don’t think we’ll be far away [from promotion] this season.”

With the likes of Wrexham, Notts County, Gillingham and Stockport County to battle against, it will be a tough season for the Robins - and after their last-minute winner against fellow West Country rivals Forest Green Rovers in midweek, there is ample opportunity for Michael Flynn's men to take the result in their stride in a bid to return to the third tier for the first time since the 2020/21 season.

Swindon failed to lose a handful of their stars this summer; with the only real key departure being Jonny Williams, who joined fourth-tier promotion rivals Gillingham on a free transfer.

That being said, Liam Kinsella was signed from Walsall as a marquee signing in midfield, and alongside the likes of Tariq Uwakwe and Udoka Godwin-Malife, there has been a good influx of young, high-potential playing talent at the County Ground this summer.

Alongside the likes of George McEachran, Jake Cain, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Austin himself, there is an abundance of players who are easily of the upper League Two quality mark - it’s whether they can perform as such for the whole season if they are to make the play-offs, or go one better next season after a season of gelling together.

How have Swindon Town fared so far this season?

Swindon's first league game of the season was postponed, in typical fashion. Their opener at Colchester was postponed within an hour of kick-off thanks to a waterlogged pitch, thus meaning they had to wait until the week after to make their league debut.

They raced into a 2-0 lead over Cheshire outfit Crewe Alexandra thanks to goals from Godwin-Malife and Jake Young - though a fightback from the away side saw them level the game in front of a stunned 9,000 fans at the County Ground.

That was avenged in midweek with the late, late win over David Horseman’s Forest Green side - but the Robins will need to cut out their defensive frailties if they are to make the top seven of the division come the end of the season.