Nigel Clough, son of my personal footballing hero Brian Clough, has transformed Burton Albion from Dr Martens mid-table material to a solid-looking Conference side pushing for Football League status, whilst off the pitch Albion have been shrewdly preparing themselves for higher climates. Their Pirelli Stadium home, which opened in 2005, boasts revenue-making facilities such as conference and banqueting suites, a new training pitch and restaurant, whilst a hotel is encompassed within the project's second phase.
Clough joined The Brewers, established in 1950, during September 1998, hoping to re-inflate the moderate success Albion experienced in the eighties under Neil Warnock and Brian Fidler, which included an FA Trophy Final appearance.
Gradually success came Burton's way with two minor cup competition wins, although promotion to the Conference was naturally the priority. Joyously, following two seasons as Dr. Martens Premier League runners-up, Burton enjoyed the most successful campaign in their history. After geographical restructuring they commenced the 2001/02 season in the Unibond Premier League, and Albion took it by storm. They hit top spot in September and were never moved, taking the title at Vauxhall Motors after a 4-1 victory. The Brewers also scored 106 goals into the bargain, giving their supporters a season to remember, and a sustained spell of Conference football.
However, in the three campaigns following their Championship win The Brewers struggled to finish beyond the bottom half of The Conference and, in 2004/05 finished sixteenth, with the poorest home record outside the bottom three. Nevertheless, seven away victories proved they were more than useful on the road. An FA Cup appearance against Oldham in front of Sky TV cameras boosted financial coffers though and, coupled with the extra income Conference football brings, the club announced plans to move to the Pirelli Stadium.
2005/06 proved more successful though, especially following the acquisition of midfield dynamo Keith Gilroy and former U's legend Gary Rowett, who was coaxed out of retirement to bolster the back-line.
They opened the campaign poorly and, with only two wins in the opening ten matches and Albion spending time at the foot of the table, pressure was surprisingly building on Clough.
Splendid form in the second-half of the season, which included just five defeats after Xmas, propelled The Brewers to a conclusive ninth place finish, whilst their eight away wins were only rivalled by the top three. The club also enjoyed two FA Cup encounters with Manchester United, catapulting them into the national spotlight.
Clough did not tamper with his squad too much going into last season, although the shrewd capture of goalkeeper Kevin Poole, allied with Rowett's equal Premiership experience, ensured a solid back wall throughout the campaign. The sturdy figure of Lee Fowler, a recruit from Scarborough, ran the midfield engine-room admirably together with Paul Carden, (a recent U's representative) who was strangely released by Peterborough after becoming their Player of the Year. Out wide the aforementioned Gilroy supplied plentiful crosses for Daryl Clare, who subsequently snapped up seventeen goals by the campaign close.
Nevertheless, it took Burton five games to record an away win, whilst the home crowd were not rewarded until mid-September when celebrations at The Pirelli Stadium came on the back of the 2-1 victory over our Mighty U's. Albion then entered a fine spell of six wins and three draws in nine games and, culminated in fourth spot after a televised win over Exeter. Frustrating inconsistency ensued after Xmas though, with Clough's charges losing an unacceptable ten League matches which ultimately cost them a play-off place.
This season has been one of improved solidity though, with The Brewers having lost just three games thus far. Furthermore, Jimmy Quinn will be fully aware that these three losses have all come at home, meaning The U's will have to be on their mettle if they wish to continue their own good form.
Five wins have come on the road - Weymouth, Northwich, Droylsden, Exeter and last Saturday at Stafford by a handsome 3-0 scoreline - whilst a miserly ten goals conceded on their travels is only bettered by Grays, thanks to the consistency of the evergreen Poole and his defenders Aaron Webster, Andy Corbett and talented youngster John Brayford. Daryl Clare has again been amongst the goals, with his eleven recorded to date ably backed up by fellow striker Shaun Harrad, who sits on ten. The goals have again been supplied by winger Keith Gilroy, with former Republic of Ireland U-21 international John McGrath providing ample support.
Since the U's returned home from The Pirelli with a 2-1 win on 23 November [report], Albion have remained unbeaten in the League, with a 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Barnet their only blip alongside last Saturday's aforementioned victory at Stafford, a 2-1 Setanta Shield home triumph over Tamworth and FA Trophy success at Colwyn Bay. Furthermore, the healthy 1-1 draw against in-form Forest Green Rovers proves that reversing their undulating form of last season may be the key to success this time around.
Previous Meetings
Today marks the 25th competitive encounter between Cambridge United and Burton Albion in fixtures dating back to the early 60s. However, with the U's having recorded thirteen wins to date, compared to four for The Brewers, Nigel Clough's men will be looking to improve their tally on Saturday afternoon.
A Southern League Division One clash at The Abbey on 5 March 1960 saw us convene for the first time; goals from Driver and Basted sealing a 2-1 success for Alan Moore's U's in front of 2,553. The return match six weeks later at Burton's former home, Eton Park, produced a 1-1 draw. The following season United were romping to their runners-up spot, and a double over The Brewers helped towards the points tally.
A five year gap ensued before we reconvened for a Midland Floodlit Cup encounter in December 1965, the contest ending in a 3-3 draw, with a 2-1 home success for United in the same competition following in March 1966. 1966/67 commenced with both teams residing in the Southern League Premier Division. Roy Kirk's U's lit up The Abbey on Guy Fawkes night with a handsome 5-2 win over Albion, thanks to Dave Bennett's hatrick, whilst a 3-0 home win, one of seven across the years, came three weeks later in the MFC. A further 1-1 MFC leveller unfolded in February 1967, prior to a more excitable April League match in Staffordshire. Wes Maughan grabbed a double for United, which was accompanied by an own goal and Dave Bennett strike, but The Brewers hit back to clinch a 4-4 draw.
1967/68 served up two low-scoring draws as Burton escaped relegation due to Stevenage's resignation from the league, with 1968/69 producing a United double as they galloped to the Championship. The following season produced five encounters; Bill Leivers' charges emerging triumphant in four of these. A 1-0 away loss in the Southern League Cup kicked things off on 19 August, but United turned the tables eight days later with a 2-1 return win. Bill Cassidy and Dennis Walker wrapped up the 2-0 Southern League victory in September and, completing the fourth clash in just over month, a 1-0 success was then recorded by Leivers' men at Eton Park in the SLC replay. Our last match for more than thirty years resulted in a 1-0 away League success for United in January 1970, with Albion relegated and The Fenmen elevated to Football League status.
United dropped into the Conference in May 2005 and, on 27 September of that year faced a Burton side sitting just one point above the drop zone; Rob Newman's men perched in 14th having won a mere three of eleven outings. The U's started brightly but, Albion took the lead through Dale Anderson, an advantage Nigel Clough's men held until the interval.
Nevertheless, just eighteen seconds into the second-half Onibuje rose majestically to head in the equaliser and, after resultant non-stop pressure, United then took the lead via a swerving 25-yarder from Courtney Pitt. However, despite countless chances to make the game safe, winger Keith Gilroy netted for Albion on 70 minutes to make it 2-2, and Clough's charges immediately battened down the hatches to successfully protect their point.
The return match saw Burton triumph 2-0 at their new Pirelli Stadium home, whilst The Brewers completed a double over United last season, during which they pocketed their solitary win at The Abbey. The last fixture on 23 November this year saw Jimmy Quinn's men fall behind to a Sean Harrad strike, before goals from Scott Rendell and Stephen Reed sealed a fine 2-1 away win.
Doug Shulman
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