Goal machine Austin on course for record

JUNIORS: Kelty striker tipped to challenge 70-goal haul set in 1925

Kelty Hearts striker Nathan Austin is on track to rip up the record books.

For nearly a century, little-known Glaswegian Archie Stark has scored the most goals in a season by a Scot.

But now his incredible haul of 70 – for US side Bethlehem Steel in 1924-25 – is being chased down by Fife’s deadliest marksman.

Austin has already racked up an astonishing 38 goals and seven hat-tricks in 24 games for the Lowland League leaders.

McBookie.com is offering punters 2-1 that the ex-East Fife, Falkirk and Inverness Caley Thistle forward keeps fit and in-form to set a new record.

Austin, 25, who joined Barry Ferguson’s Hearts in the summer, said: “If I’d scored 20 or 30 this season and helped Kelty win the title, that would have done me.

“That (Stark) record is amazing but you can end up heaping unneeded pressure on yourself with targets.

“The only one I set for myself is that I want to score every game and I’m disappointed if I don’t. As long as I avoid injury, there are plenty more goals to be had.

“There are always going to be critics who say it’s easy because I’ve dropped three divisions by coming to Kelty, but people probably thought that about the American league, too, 100 years ago.

“Believe me, though, there are four or five teams in the Lowland League who are better than most part-time teams in Scotland, as the recent results in the Scottish Cup show.

“I knew from the first training session that the standards here are high and my ambition is to help get Kelty established in the divisions above.

“If there are some personal achievements along the way, great, but I’m not chasing them.”

Stark emigrated with his family from Maryhill to New Jersey in 1911 and broke into the American Soccer League with New York FC before moving to Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.

Teams in the ASL attracted European talent, including dozens of Scots – some expats, some nearly-men who didn’t make the grade at home and others who wanted a taste of football on foreign fields.

Another to chance his arm was Tewfik Abdullah, Cowdenbeath’s legendary Egyptian forward who signed for the Blue Brazil from Derby County in 1922 before heading to the States.

But Stark – later capped by the US – was the best of the best. In 1924-25, he scored 67 goals in 44 league games plus a further three in two cup ties and there were eight hat-tricks along the way too.

Stark’s tally was a global top-division record until Lionel Messi hit 73 for Barcelona in 2011-12 – though the Argentine needed 60 games to do it.

Austin’s own hot streak began with a hat-trick against Dalbeattie Star in July and also features a four-goal haul versus Gretna and three trebles against Vale of Leithen. He scored 29 in 19 league games and nine in five cup ties.

McBookie spokesman Paul Petrie said: “To score 37 goals before Christmas is just ridiculous.

“Barring injuries, Austin versus Stark looks like it’s going to go right to the wire.”

Dunfermline Athletic striker Bobby Skinner once held the British domestic record with 58 goals in 1925-26, though it was short-lived with Ayr United’s Jimmy Smith notching 69 in all competitions in 1927-28 – the same year Everton’s Dixie Dean scored 67.

In the modern era, Celtic’s Henrik Larsson scored 53 in 2000-01 and Ally McCoist notched 49 for Rangers in 1992-93, while ex-Aberdeen striker Mitch Megginson piled up 99 goals in Cove Rangers’ last two seasons in the Highland League.

Austin was on the mark again in Kelty’s 3-1 win over Gretna 2008 at Raydale Park on Saturday.

Dylan Easton and Ross Philip also scored to ensure the Fife side remain two points ahead of Bonnyrigg Rose at the top of the Lowland League.

Picture: SNS Group. Kelty Hearts frontman Nathan Austin has scored 38 goals so far this season.