Burnley FC’s Charlie Austin ‘gutted’ to miss out on Golden Boot

Austin, who ended the campaign with 25 league goals - and 28 in all competitions - missed the last four games of the season after having his appendix removed.

He ended up five behind Crystal Palace’s Glenn Murray, and four behind Jordan Rhodes of Blackburn Rovers, having been told his season was over, ironically, by a Rovers fan!

Austin said: “I woke up the Monday before the game at Leeds and felt terrible. I came to training but didn’t do it, I had breakfast and didn’t feel right.

“The doc had a look at me and sent me home.

“The sent me to Blackburn hospital and they were brilliant there. They sent me home and told me to be back for 7-30 a.m.

“I went back to the hospital and they said ‘you’ve got appendicitis, your season’s over’, I said ‘I’m not being funny, do you support Blackburn?’. They said ‘Yes, why?’ I said ‘Well you’ve just cancelled my season out’, but they said ‘Honestly Charlie that’s it for three to six weeks your season’s finished.’

“They were brilliant for me, they kept me in my own room and gave me my privacy until it was time to leave.

“I still believe I’d have won the golden boot. I know for a fact I would.There’s always next year and hopefully that’s a chance I will get.”