Dawn of the Warnock era
To quote from Rex Page's Albion history, "Wellington Street to Wembley", Neil Warnock, the seventeenth manager of Burton Albion "swept into Eton Park...like a Sahara sandstorm - tough, gritty and abrasive." Accustomed to the class and style of Ian Moore's period of management, Warnock's arrival as manager was like a slap across the face with a wet fish, and the new incumbent wasted no time in discarding some of the dead wood Moore had left behind, to build a team in his own image. After a shaky start, Warnock's men began to make steady progress. A respectable, if hardly spectacular, seventh position in his first full season as manager was followed by third the following year, and the Club's first significant piece of silverware for two decades. The Northern Premier League Cup was a long way down the list of priorities for Albion fans, but nevertheless provided a rare opportunity for the popping of Champagne corks in Albion's dressing room at Maine Road, Manchester, after they defeated Macclesfield Town 2-1, thanks to goals from Andy Harrison and ex-Macc lad Paul Fisher, in front of 2,538. Albion's "conveyor-belt" of talent continued to roll this season when young midfielder Richard Jobson was sold to First Division Watford for a then club record fee of £25,000.
Jim Kabia heads home in an NPL match against Macclesfield at Eton Park, August 1984
The following season saw a first FA Cup First Round appearance for a Warnock team, Isthmian League side Windsor & Eton denying Albion further progress, but in the following year's competition Albion would not only progress to the Third Round for only the second time in their history, but also hit the national headlines - and not for the reasons they'd hoped for....
Andy Harrison (centre), celebrates his goal in the NPL Cup Final against Macclesfield. at Maine Road (l-r) Ian Vaughan, David Vaughan, Harrison, Steve Dolby, Iain MacLain are pictured in front of an empty Kippax Terrace-19th April 1983
Classic early 80's programme cover