88-cap international defined the term cult hero for Leeds United at Elland Road | OneFootball

FLW look back in time at Rudy Austin's Leeds United career, including some of his best moments and goals.

Rodolph Austin had more than a few ups and downs at Leeds United, but he left Elland Road as more of a cult hero than anything else by the time he was released.

Leeds fans had their fair share of strange signings, but they were usually a fairly good judge of character as they lost their patience over the course of 16 years in the wilderness outside of the Premier League. One player that was hard to put your finger on in the early stages of his career, though, was Austin.

His career began in Jamaica with Portmore United, where he won domestic titles, before moving to Norway in 2008 to join SK Brann. He quickly became a key player, impressing with his physicality and versatility in midfield. His performances in the Tippeligaen earned him a move to Leeds in 2012.

Austin was initially handed the No.8 shirt at Leeds, which signified the likelihood that he would be an all-action midfielder. He had a distinguished career, especially for his country, but was a regular for Leeds in a difficult period for the club.

Rodolph Austin's Leeds career and long-range strikes

At Leeds, Austin became an interesting figure but, due to his combative nature and leadership on the pitch, he was well liked despite a lack of technique at times. Appointed captain in 2013, he was central to the midfield, offering a tireless work rate and physical presence.

His ability to win tackles and disrupt opposition play was complemented by his proclivity for long-range efforts, scoring memorable goals from distance on numerous occasions, which is perhaps what earned him cult-like status above all else.

A memorable goal came against Premier League side Everton, and a free-kick against Cardiff City was also particularly high-quality, but his best moment came against Watford, with a goal that took the Goal Of The Season award at Leeds' official end of 2014/15 season awards ceremony.

However, as Leeds rattled through managers and struggled to threaten even the top-half of the Championship, Austin drifted through his eventual 112 appearances for the club for the most part. He picked up 22 yellow cards and two straight red cards in his 101 Championship appearances, though, which summed him up well.

In many ways, that was not often a negative. Austin's robust nature and ability to stamp his physical authority on a game was useful. Although Leeds struggled for consistency during his time, Austin's bite in midfield was a much-needed ability, proving to be a key figure in the squad even with his lack of technical ability.

Despite managerial changes and ownership turmoil, he remained a reliable presence in the team until his departure in 2015. He was captain for a period, but Brian McDermott chose Ross McCormack instead, which didn't seem to affect Austin as a professional, either.

After excelling in Norway with SK Brann, Rodolph Austin’s move to Leeds in 2012 brought a dynamic, no-nonsense midfielder to Elland Road. Known for his tenacity, Austin quickly became a cult hero in a Leeds side that was often searching for more stability.

His box-to-box energy, fierce tackling, and powerful running made him the heartbeat of the team’s midfield. He was not afraid to get stuck into challenges, but it was his thunderous long-range strikes that truly captivated the Leeds faithful. Under Neil Warnock, Austin was given freedom to surge forward and impact games without relying on his lack of vision and passing ability in the build-up phase.

His leadership qualities earned him the captaincy in 2013, which was a role he perhaps embraced with too much determination, often getting into situations for being over enthusiastic, although it also brought out the best in his distance shooting of simply thundering shots with plenty of venom towards goal.

Austin's physicality, at its best, could be vital in breaking up opposition play, his knack for scoring spectacular goals made him a memorable figure at Leeds during a dark time for the club. Though the team lacked consistency during his time, fans appreciated his fight and passion, and he was perhaps a little underrated and underappreciated at Elland Road.

Rudy Austin's career post-Leeds

Leeds released goalkeepers Alex Cairns and Stuart Taylor that summer in 2015, while midfielders Zac Thompson, Michael Tonge, and Aidy White were also let go alongside Austin upon the expiry of their contracts. Midfielder Kalvin Phillips, then 19, was offered a new deal after making two starts this season, which was evidently the better choice than retaining Austin at that stage.

Leeds, who finished 15th in the Championship, let go of their former captain, who went on to enjoy spells in Denmark with Brøndby IF and back in Norway with Esbjerg fB. His career took him across Europe, but his grit and occasional moments of brilliance during his time at Leeds ensured he mostly remains fondly remembered by the supporters, even if they had hoped for a more complete profile who could zip the ball around with greater success on the deck.