If fate had been kinder to Bournemouth, Charlie Austin would have been lining up against Swindon Town today, not for them.
Austin, 21, was a trialist with Bournemouth for two months in the summer of 2009 while playing in the Wessex League for Poole Town, but a League-imposed transfer embargo prevented them signing him.
Swindon took ruthless advantage of Bournemouth's inability to complete the formalities for the bricklaying prodigy.
Austin has since gone on to score 35 goals in 52 starts and Swindon are now pricing him at �1.5m while fending off interest from clubs at a higher level.
Swindon manager Danny Wilson admits Swindon will be happy – and maybe surprised – if Austin is still one of his players when the transfer window shuts at the end of January.
Austin plays against Bournemouth for the first time since he left the family home in Dorset to try his luck at the County Ground.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said: "To see him doing so well pains me greatly because we knew what a talent he was. Full credit to him for the way his career has developed and for the speed at which it has.
"We were very keen to sign him and he would have added greatly to the young strikers we had at the time.''
Howe promoted Brett Pitman and then Josh McQuoid instead when it became clear there was no way they could sign Austin and each has subsequently been sold for in excess of �550,000.
Many of the players Austin trained with at Bournemouth are still part of Howe's squad and keen to prevent him adding them to his list of conquests.
Howe said:'' The lads that played against him in training are still here. Swindon have taken 18 of their 25 points at home and they have got Charlie Austin who is bang in form.''
Simon Ferry is favourite to continue in midfield as replacement for Jonathan Douglas who will be sitting out the second match of a three -match ban.
Swindon will be only two points behind sixth-place Bournemouth if they inflict on the Cherries a fourth successive defeat.
Wilson said: '' Bournemouth play without fear and like to attack, so we must beware of that. There is not much in this division in terms of points between top and bottom.''
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