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September An early Cup exit...and an Eton Park goal drought...
The month begins with the nation in a state of mass hysteria following the death of The Princess of Wales. A minute's silence is held at Eton Park before the 0-0 draw with Halesowen, and the next home match against Hastings Town is switched to Sunday, along with most of the country's programme of football, to avoid a clash with the funeral. The growing discontent at Eton Park is not eased as the Brewers go down by a single goal - four games played and still Albion have not scored at home this season. Meanwhile Albion favourite Simon Redfern loses the club captaincy after missing two games to go on holiday with his wife. The Brewers next game takes place at another unusual time - the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round tie at Solihull Borough is brought forward because landlords Moor Green also have a home draw. Albion fans have become accustomed to early exits from the Cup in recent years but a chilly Friday night in suburban Brum in front of 373 shivering souls is not the best place to lose 2-0 to a Midland Division side. Solihull are a good side as shown by their subsequent run to the first round proper (where they lost in a replay, on penalties to Third Division Darlington), but a feckless performance from a Brewers team woefully lacking in ideas is hard to swallow as another Cup run comes to an end before it's begun. A crowd of angry Albion fans gather outside the away dressing room at the Moorlands to call for John Barton to resign. Meanwhile, in cyberspace... a new Burton Albion website called BrewersNet is unleashed on an unsuspecting world. The fledgling site, comprising a few basic pages of plain text- a news page, "A-Z guide" to the Dr. Marten's League (which never got beyond "N...for Nuneaton"!), and a links page, goes online for the first time at a Compuserve "Our World" address. Who could have predicted back then that such a mediocre effort would have grown to be "non-league football's premier website" by the end of the season?? Two more away league defeats at Dorchester (2-1) and King's Lynn (3-1) leave the Brewers languishing in 17th place and still without a goal for the home fans to cheer, when Sittingbourne are the visitors to Eton Park on 4th October...
Return of some familiar faces...Club rocked by tragedy... In an attempt to turn his teams fortunes around, John Barton ventures into the transfer market once more, and the match against Sittingbourne is the first chance for home fans to see the latest arrivals - yet more "Gresley rejects"! Striker, and Assistant manager at the Moat Ground -Andy Garner is brought in for £3,500 to try and end the Eton Park goal drought, whilst veteran goalkeeper Nick Goodwin, who for years was Albion's man between the sticks before a spell with Gresley, is brought out of retirement, and is immediately thrust back into first team action in place of the sometimes erratic Darren Acton. The shake-up appears to do the trick as the Brewers net -not one, but two goals. Tony Marsden bags the first, and Martin Devaney comes on as substitute to claim the second, to send waves of relief around Eton Park. New boy Garner opens his Albion goal account as the Brewers begin their defence of the Southern League Cup at Tamworth. Fellow ex-Gresley player Tony Marsden is the other scorer as Albion win 2-0 in the first round, first-leg match. Albion seem to have at last turned the corner as the victory over Sittingbourne is followed by three more victories to hoist the Brewers up the table. In the most impressive performance of the season so far, Albion come from behind to beat pace-setters Forest Green Rovers 3-1 at the Lawn, courtesy of two goals from Darren Stride and one from Micky Cotter - the Brewers striker's first of the season. The Gloucestershire side, newly promoted this season surprised everyone by racing straight to the top of the Dr. Marten's Premier Division, and their subsequent form proved they were no flash in the pan. Not for the last time this season, Albion fans were left pondering how their team could play so well against the top teams and yet so poorly against lesser sides. For the time being though, everything seemed to be going well. A 2-0 home victory against Worcester City stood Albion in good stead for the away trip to Bromsgrove Rovers, where another large travelling support turned up to re-aquaint themselves with ex-Brewers Grocutt, Payne and Skelding , and ex- Albion manager Brian Kenning, who had overseen Rovers' relegation from the Conference the previous season. A second half fightback saw the Brewers overturn a one-goal deficit to win 2-1, thanks to goals from Steve Spooner, and a first in Albion colours for Andy Garner. The Brewers received the acclaim of their travelling fans basking in the autumn sunshine at the Victoria Ground, and the overwhelming feeling was one of optimism -that we had turned the corner at last, and things were going to get better. However, the happy memory of that day would be tainted by the tragedy which would unfold over the next 48 hours...
Monday October 20th 1997- supporters are left stunned as news filters through of the tragic death of the club's longest serving player, Simon Redfern, at the age of 30. Redfern had been discovered at his home in Duffield, Derby, shortly after midnight the previous night, after apparently committing suicide. Redfern had made more than 450 appearances and scored 86 goals in more than a decade at the club. He had played in midfield and upfront, but had more recently been a consistent performer at the heart of defence. He had also the club captain until recently. No-one at the club is able to throw any light on why one of the most talented players in non-league football, and one of the most popular players at the club, should take his own life. Manager John Barton speaks for everyone connected with the club; "I'm in a state of disbelief and complete and utter shock", says Barton "No amount of words can express how anyone at the club feels at the moment." The players and management meet at Eton Park on Tuesday evening, and decide to go ahead with Saturday's scheduled league game at home to Cambridge City.
Players and officials observe a minute's silence before the match against Cambridge City. The Cambridge match is an emotional occasion. Supporters lay floral wreaths on the pitch before the game, which is preceded by a movingly observed minutes silence in memory of one of the club's great players. The number 8 shirt which Simon Redfern always played in is left unworn as a mark of respect, as it remains for most of the season. The team had expressed their desire to win the game "for Simon" but the events of the week take their toll, as the Brewers go down 3-1 to their "bogey team". Micky Cotter gives the Brewers an early lead but highly rated player Neil Harris is amongst the scorers as Cambridge take all three points. The result, however, is almost an irrelevance under the circumstances. Albion heroes past and present pack Duffield Methodist Church the following Friday for the funeral. Favourite songs from the team bus such as "Wonderwall" by Oasis are played during the service, followed by burial in Duffield Cemetery. Simon's coffin is draped in his trademark number 8 shirt for his final journey.
A young Albion fan lays a floral tribute to "Redders"on the Eton Park pitch
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