CHARLIE Austin returns to the scene of his debut this afternoon, believing he is a better player for his first full season in the Championship.

The striker arrived at Turf Moor just over 14 months ago on a three-and-a-half year deal from Swindon Town.

Howe made Austin his first signing after taking charge of the Clarets in January 2011, splashing the cash on his former Bournemouth trialist.

Arriving with a record of 17 goals in 28 games, the ex-Poole Town hotshot was thrown straight into the Burnley XI for their game at Doncaster Rovers days after his big move.

But he had to wait until the first game of this season to break his duck for his new club, after a dislocated shoulder in training meant he missed the last two months of the 2010/11 campaign, just four games into his Clarets career.

He goes back to the Keepmoat Stadium for the first time today, confident that he has made great strides.

“I’ve moved on leaps and bounce since then,” said the 22-year-old, adding, “I made my debut there so it would be nice to go there again.”

Austin used to build walls before turning professional. He has knocked down Championship defences this season, scoring 15 goals so far, despite missing almost a full month of action after dislocating his shoulder for a third time in just over a year.

Four goals in three games has left him just six adrift of top scorer Jay Rodriguez.

Although a groin injury is hindering the striker’s chances of featuring again this season, Austin isn’t banking on toppling his team-mate to head the Clarets’ goal charts.

But he does hope there is more to come.

“I think 21’s a bit much,” smiled Austin, whose 50th career goal coincided with his first professional hat-trick, in the 5-1 win over Portsmouth.

“It looks alright, doesn’t it?” he added of his half century.

And Austin is content with his return with five games to go this term.

“It is good for me in my first season in the Championship,” he said.

“The first half of the season I was fine and then I got injured and struggled to get back in and I was low, but now I’m starting to build momentum to get to the end of the season.

“I’ve really enjoyed myself this year and hopefully I can push on.”

His last goal secured a 1-0 win over Brighton on Good Friday.

Happy to be back in the goal groove after a good start to the season, Austin was just as pleased with the team’s battling per-formance, especially at a stage of the season when the Clarets have little but pride left to play for.

“It was a performance we needed to put in here. We’ve been lacklustre at home to say the least, but hopefully we can push on from now to the end of the season,” said the striker, who was pleased Burnley bounced back from a midweek defeat at home to Birmingham City to make it two wins out of three.

“That’s the character of the lads, we’re building for next season as well, and I think next year will be a really good season for us.”

He added: “To come from the high of Saturday (at Portsmouth), in the first half on Tuesday we were a bit below par then on Friday the first half was good but the second half was a real battle.

“We know we can play good football but it shows that we can play ugly.

“It’s good to know that we can play like that.

“It’s nice to be able to pass the ball around but sometimes you need to be able to put a few tackles in, don’t you?”

Austin admitted the bad-tempered battle at Brighton earlier in the season inspired their fighting spirit.

“It was in the back of my mind what happened down there,” he said.

But as inconsistency seems destined to have cost them a top six finish, Austin feels they have just as big a point to prove to themselves.

“Definitely, especially after the second half of the season. We have sunk below par,” he continued. “If we can win the five remaining games or at least go undefeated it will be a real boost for us for next season.”