Despite struggling with an injury for a period of the 2005–06 season, Austin still managed to make 44 appearances for the reds helping them secure their return to the Football League Championship.

Live on Sky Austin netted a superb 25 yard free-kick against fellow promotion hopefuls Bradford City in Darlington's 2–1 victory.

The tough tackling right back put Darlington's off field problems of administration to the side and went on to make 39 appearances scoring 3 goals and receiving 4 yellow cards in the 2008–09 season.

[5] An injury in early February 2011 saw Austin out injured until the final two games of the season with Steve Haslam replacing him at right-back.

However, he regained his place next season and played every single minute of the 2012–13 campaign,[6][7] the first Hartlepool player to do so since Tommy Miller in 1999–2000.