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May Brewers blag Bronze...and Blount is top man.
Salisbury players celebrate after securing their Premier Division status in a 2-1 win at Eton Park on the final day of the season Salisbury City are the visitors as the curtain comes down on another season of up's and down's at Eton Park. Salisbury need points to make sure of their Premier Division survival, whilst the Brewers also want the win, to seal their third place finish in the Dr. Marten's League- equalling the club record set in 1994-95- John Barton's first full season as manager. In the event, the match is a disappointment, as the Brewers go down 2-1. Mark Thompson's opening goal for City is equalised by an Andy Garner penalty -his 18th goal of the season, making him the Brewers top scorer this season. However, Dave Bright, provider of the first goal for Salisbury, scores the second with a simple finish on the stroke of half time. There are no further goals in an uneventful second half, and the final whistle is greeted with jubilation from the visiting players and supporters, as their Premier Division survival is secured for another season. There's also good news for Albion though- results elsewhere mean they hang on to third place- a creditable acheivement bearing in mind the bad form and bad luck which has afflicted the Brewers throughout the season.
Mark Blount with the supporters Player of the Season award In the now traditional after-match presentations, Mark Blount wins the Supporters Player of the Year award in his first season at the club. Since signing from Gresley in the close season, the classy central defender has hardly put a foot wrong and richly deserves his accolade. Steve Spooner, another consistent performer is rewarded for the hard work he puts in in midfield, with the runners-up award. The Simon Redfern Trophy is also presented for the first time, to the most promising young player at the club. The award will be presented every year from now on, as a lasting memorial to a player who remains in the thoughts of everyone involved with Burton Albion Football Club.
Steve Spooner receives the runner-up prize in the supporters Player of the Season (left), whilst (right) James Benfield receives the inaugural Simon Redfern award for most promising young player at the club- presented by Simon's widow Helen, and (obscured) Simon's mother, Mrs Joan Redfern.
Until next season... After all the hype and transfer activity of the pre-season, anything less than the Dr. Marten's League shield itself was bound to be a disappointment for the Brewers success-starved supporters. However, third place is a creditable acheivment for John Barton's team, after a season in which the Brewers have been beleaguered with bad luck. Injuries, lack of form and of course the death of Simon Redfern all took their toll in denying Albion the consistency required by a Championship winning side. More new arrivals will be checking into Eton Park during the close season as Barton seeks to add the final pieces to a team which, on occasions this season - the games against Forest Green, Merthyr and Crawley in particular- have shown great potential. More ground improvements are also in the pipeline, so we should be grateful for having a board with ambition, determination and (let's not forget) cash! Of course, money cannot buy success - Forest Green's championship winning side was one of the most inexpensively assembled in the league this season. Drive, determination and team spirit are what is required to get out of this league. Let's hope that the coming season will bring better luck for the Brewers, and that we supporters can have some real success to cheer at last. As BrewersNet moves into it's second season of existence, let's hope that we can have some good news to report here in this corner of cyberspace next season. I'd like to say thanks to everyone who's visited the site since it launched in September, and especially those who signed the guestbook- a few words of praise or encouragement can make the hours of toiling over a hot PC worthwhile, so if you haven't already, why not sign there now- follow the link above. And to the Gresley supporter who wrote that we were "shitey weasels" who should "go back to the salt mines", thanks also for your feedback - and for visiting the site every week since!! That's all. Enjoy the World Cup, have a great summer and don't forget to come back next season! Up the Brewers!
Some people are on the pitch...they think it's all over...erm...it is now!
1997-98 results and final league table Back to previous page Back to season 97-98 index
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