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| October 1998 News | |
Saturday 31st October 1998 Brewers scrape through in grim struggle FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round: Morpeth Town 0 Burton Albion 1 It was billed as the biggest match in Morpeth Town history, and the Northern League side came close to pulling off an upset at Craik Park - a ground with the appearance of a rundown dog-track, who's location and windswept nature provided little comfort for the Brewers after an epic journey to one of football's Northernmost outposts (see it for yourself in next week's Grandstand "Football Focus" feature on Nigel Clough). This rural, picturesque county town might not be your stereotypical North-East "football hotbed", but their team's presence in this stage of the competition for the first time in it's history, combined with the new found "glamour appeal" of the Brewers' new manager, and swelled by 200 visiting supporters - drew the club's biggest crowd for years. Full Match Report... Tuesday 27th October 1998 The power of Clough! FA Umbro Trophy First Round Replay: Grantham Town 0 Burton Albion 3 Nigel Clough got his managerial career off to a winning start, as the Brewers overcame a potentially difficult FA Trophy hurdle with a thoroughly commanding performance amidst the wide open spaces of Grantham's rain-soaked South Kesteven Stadium. Clough - appointed as Brewers boss last Friday - was taking charge of team affairs for the first time, and wasted no time in remoulding the team Steve Spooner and Andy Garner had guided to only one defeat in six games. Full match report... Saturday 24th October 1998 Clough to take charge for Trophy replay FA Umbro Trophy First Round: Burton Albion 0 Grantham Town 0 After all the hype and publicity over the appoitment of Nigel Clough as the Brewers' new manager, this match was something of an anti-climax. The press photographers spent most of the first half with their lenses trained on Clough and his assistant Gary Crosby up in the stand, and there certainly wasn't much going on on the pitch to distract them. A disappointingly small crowd huddled under cover to escape the atrocious conditions - only the superior quality of the Eton Park turf and the sterling work of the groundstaff had allowed this game to go ahead. Full match report... Friday 23rd October 1998 Clough Jnr takes Eton Park reigns Nigel Clough has been sensationally apointed as the new manager of Burton Albion. Clough, 32, a player at the top level of the English game with Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Manchester City and England, and son of Brian Clough - one of the most successful managers in English football history- will watch from the stands for Saturday's FA Trophy First Round tie against Grantham Town, along with the man who will be his Eton Park assistant - former Forest teammate Gary Crosby. The pair will take over team affairs from current caretaker manager duo Steve Spooner and Andy Garner from Monday. Clough has signed a three year contract at Eton Park. His appointment comes one month after the departure of John Barton as Brewers boss. The appointment of Clough as manager will provide a major boost to the profile of the club. Despite the fact that Clough - who parted company with Manchester City just three weeks ago - has no management experience, Chairman Ben Robinson believes his vast experience as a player will be a huge asset to the club in their drive for success. Comparing the appointment of Clough to that of former big-name Brewers managers such as Peter Taylor (who went on to partner Nigel's famous father at Derby and Forest), and Ian Storey-Moore, Robinson - speaking on BBC Radio Derby - said "This is a great opportunity for Burton Albion, and also for Nigel to start in football management at grassroots level." As well as taking care of management duties, Clough and Crosby are also expected to take their place in the team as players at some point - an exciting prospect for Brewers fans. Asked why he had chosen Burton to start his managerial career, Clough cited the examples of Jim Smith and Martin O'Neill - as examples of top managers who started out in non-league football. His assistant Gary Crosby has experience of the non-league game, having played for Grantham Town - ironically the Brewers opponents in Saturday's FA Trophy game- before joining Forest, and for Lincoln United in the Unibond League this season. But Clough stressed that his time at Burton would be part of a learning process - "We're going to learn our trade in the managerial game, get a good grounding and a feel for (management)." Speaking on BBC Radio Derby, Clough said that he had consulted his father before taking the Albion job, and the response of Clough Snr had been very positive. He also stressed that he and Crosby were as ambitious as the club's board, and when asked how he could assure the club that he was committed to acheiving success with them, Clough replied "By signing a three year contract!". Whilst asserting his desire to eventually manage at the highest level, Clough added "hopefully this will be a long way down the line". With Grantham in the Trophy on Saturday, and Morpeth Town in the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round the following week, the new manager will be immediately immersed in the cut and thrust of knockout competition. "Our first priority" said Clough "is to win some cup matches for Burton." The longer term objective, he said, was to take the club into the Conference. Speaking about the current team, Clough said that he was taking over a good squad of players, but that fixing the Brewers' leaky defence would be a priority. Speaking in the Burton Mail, he said "one thing that does concern me is that they (the Brewers) have not kept a single clean sheet in the league this season and that is seomthing that needs to be adressed quickly." Nigel Clough becomes the 26th manager of Burton Albion Football Club. Can Cloughie Jnr emulate Cloughie Snr? - BrewersNet Forum Tuesday 20th October 1998 "Howay the lads" - Brewers head into the unknown In stark contrast to Saturday's home derby clash with Nuneaton, the Brewers travel into uncharted territory in the next round of the FA Cup. A long trek to the North East awaits Albion in the Fourth Qualifying Round, where they will face Morpeth Town of the Arnott Insurance Northern League. The Northumbrians defeated North West Counties league side Prescot Cables, 1-0 in tonight's re-arranged Third Qualifying round match. Morpeth play in the Arnott Insurance Northern League Division One, along with such famous Cup names from the past as South Shields and Billingham Synthonia, and are currently in fourteenth position. Situated approximately ten miles North of Newcastle, this represents the Brewers longest trip North for many years. Morpeth, who - like the Brewers play in yellow and black - have only been members of the Northern League for four seasons - joining Division Two for the 1994-95 season, and gaining promotion to the top flight of the famous old league the following season. This tie should on paper offer Albion a good chance of progressing into the First Round proper, but whoever is in charge for the match a week on Saturday will no doubt stress the importance of not underestimating the opposition. The fact that Albion have to travel so far, and the fact that we know little about the opposition will make this a very tricky encounter. Here are the other ties involving Dr. Martens Premier League sides...
Matches to be played Saturday 31tst October 1998 In the rather less glamorous climes of the Birmingham Senior Cup, the Brewers played Interlink Express Alliance side Stratford Town at Eton Park tonight. A largely inexperienced side - including highly rated youngsters Ruben Francis, Daniel Davidson and Aaron Webster could only draw 0-0 in front of an estimated 150 hardy souls. A replay will now be played on a date to be arranged. Saturday 17th October 1998 Brewers battle through in Cup thriller FA Cup Third Qualifying Round: Burton Albion 2 Nuneaton Borough 1 Albion fought their way through to the Fourth Qualifying Round with a backs-to-the-wall performance against Dr. Martens League rivals, and current league leaders Nuneaton. Foul weather meant that the attendance - 1,894 - was some way lower than expected, and made playing conditions difficult, but the blustery wind and drizzly rain couldn't dampen a hot-blooded FA Cup derby clash on and off the pitch -several Nuneaton supporters were marched from the ground by police after minor scuffles at the Albion end of the ground, as tempers frayed during an explosive second half. Full Match Report... Saturday 10th October 1998 Tony's Twerton trauma as Brewers droop Dr Martens League Premier Division: Bath City 2 Burton Albion 0 Tony Marsden was sent off at Twerton Park as Albion fell to their first defeat under caretaker managers Steve Spooner and Andy Garner. The Brewers midfielder was dismissed after 37 minutes of Saturday's game, with the scores still level - for a second bookable offence - and now misses the FA Trophy match at home to Grantham Town a week on Saturday. Marsden's dismissal was followed two minutes later by a goal for Bath - scorer Martin Paul - with ex-Welsh international Paul Bodin killing off Albion's second half rearguard action with a second six minutes from time. With the Brewers now slumped in 13th place, the Cup action of the next two weeks may provide some welcome relief from the hard slog of the Dr. Martens League - Nuneaton Borough come to Eton Park on Saturday in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round, with Grantham Town providing the opposition the following week in the FA Trophy First Round. Wednesday 7th October 1998 Boro' Cup clash faces Brewers Albion face a huge FA Cup clash with local rivals Nuneaton Borough in the next round of the competition - after Boro' beat Atherstone United 3-0 in tonight's Second Qualifying Round replay, in front of a 3,000 crowd at Manor Park. The visit of old adversaries Nuneaton should attract a big crowd to Eton Park a week on Saturday, for a mouthwatering fixture. The Brewers booked their passage to the next stage of the competition with a 1-0 victory at Rocester on Saturday (see below). In other ties involving Dr. Martens Premier clubs, Gresley travel to Halesowen. Ilkeston Town will play King's Lynn after they overcame fellow Doc Martens Premier side Bromsgrove in a replay, and Grantham Town travel to Glossop North End - who disposed of Cambridge City on penalties. Worcester and Gloucester have home ties against Falmouth and Sudbury respectively, and Crawley entertain Billericay Town. The Brewers' league opponents next week - Bath City are away at Walton & Hersham, Salisbury travel to Hungerford Town, and Tamworth visit Brigg Town. Rothwell Town - 4-0 victors of Stapenhill Swans at the weekend - will have a Northants derby with Raunds Town if they can beat Nantwich. Finally, Weymouth are "rewarded" for their victory at Merthyr with a trip to Welling United - making them the only Dr. Martens League side to face Conference opposition in the Third Qualifying Round. All matches to be played Saturday October 17th Saturday 3rd October 1998 Brave Romans run Brewers close FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round: Rocester 0 Burton Albion 1 The long road to Wembley, twin towers, magic of the Cup...blah blah...There are many cliches about the football world's oldest cup competition, but it's appeal remains as strong as ever here in the lower reaches of the football pyramid. A crowd five times their average gate provided Rocester with a lucrative pay day, and the Interlink Express Alliance "high-flyers" proved themselves a match for their more illustrious East Staffordshire neighbours in every area of the field. Full match report... |
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