Popular and prolific former Burnley striker scores after explicit behind-the-scenes rant at team-mate went viral

Ex-Burnley striker Charlie Austin hit the headlines for all the right reasons today after an X-rated rant at a team-mate had gone viral last week.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The 33-year-old former Turf Moor favourite, who moved to the Australian A-League in the summer, scored a second half equaliser for Brisbane Roar to earn his side a point against Western Sydney Wanderers at the CommBank Stadium.

The visitors were behind after just five minutes against the joint-league leaders when Marcelo assisted striker Sulejman Krpic to open the scoring. However, Austin restored parity just five minutes into the second half after combining with strike partner Joe Knowles.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The ex-bricklayer, who scored 41 times in 69 starts in the Championship for the Clarets, hadn’t netted since April, when scoring for QPR in a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Sheffield United at Loftus Road.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 22: Charlie Austin of the Roar passes during the round three A-League Men's match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar at CommBank Stadium, on October 22, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 22: Charlie Austin of the Roar passes during the round three A-League Men's match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar at CommBank Stadium, on October 22, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 22: Charlie Austin of the Roar passes during the round three A-League Men's match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar at CommBank Stadium, on October 22, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

It comes just days after Austin lost his cool in a dressing room bust-up with defender Connor Chapman as they trailed at home to Melbourne City. The centre back needlessly conceded a corner, which star man Jamie Maclaren consequently scored from, and then gave away a penalty to hand the 29-year-old forward his second goal of the game.

Tempers flared between the pair at half-time with footage from KeepUp's A-League All Access series airing Austin’s fury. “The ball is running out of play, don't kick it out, it'll be our ******* goal kick,” he said as he started his foul-mouthed tirade.

"Just see it out, suck him in! Get a foul! You've given a ******* corner away [and] they score! You missed the first one, you missed the ******* second.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"And then the geezer chops back and you dangle your ******* leg. What are you doing man! They do that in the [Under] 12s man, this is professional football. Just defend!”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 22:  Charlie Austin of the Roar competes for the ball with Gabriel Cleur of the Wanderers during the round three A-League Men's match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar at CommBank Stadium, on October 22, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 22:  Charlie Austin of the Roar competes for the ball with Gabriel Cleur of the Wanderers during the round three A-League Men's match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar at CommBank Stadium, on October 22, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 22: Charlie Austin of the Roar competes for the ball with Gabriel Cleur of the Wanderers during the round three A-League Men's match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar at CommBank Stadium, on October 22, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Chapman, however, was reluctant to take Austin’s criticism on the chin and chose to retaliate at the interval. “Be the goal-scorer, score a ******* goal then,” he said, as roar trailed 2-0. “He cuts it back, no one's there. You don't rush. You don't ******* finish it there!”

But Austin had the last word, responding with: “It's not hard, just ******* defend.”

At full-time, having reflected on his behaviour, Austin concluded: “I wouldn't be like that if I didn't care.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I probably should've shown it in a better way. Connor's been around the block so I'd like to think it's not the first barney he's had with someone in the dressing room, so we just move on now.”

They did just that, claiming a second point of the campaign to climb to eighth in the division.