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Wednesday 2nd July 2003

On the move!

The Brewers look set to move into an exciting new chapter in their history after it was announced today that the club will be moving to a new purpose built stadium across the road from their current Eton Park home. It's been the subject of rumour and speculation for many months but finally the club have confirmed that a deal has been struck for the purchase of land between Derby Road and Princess Way currently occupied by Pirelli Sports & Social Club, for the construction of a new 6,000 capacity, 2,000-seat stadium, with construction work planned to commence as early as December this year.

Satellite image showing the current Eton Park ground (bottom left) and the site of the proposed new stadium (shaded blue)

The announcement is the culmination of months of secret talks between Albion chairman Ben Robinson, bosses of the tyre plant in Derby Road and it's head office in Milan. In a statement issued by the club, Robinson described the scheme as "an exciting prospect" but stressed that there were a number of issues to be resolved before the project received the green light. Not the least of these is planning permission, although the signs seem to be good on this front, with newly installed council leader Alex Fox giving his backing to the scheme: "The club is an important part of the community of Burton and the rest of East Staffordshire and the borough council will do all it can to assist the club to achieve it's objectives within the planning process," said Cllr Fox.

Goodbye to this - the Popside's days look numbered

The location of the proposed new ground would seem to be ideal in that the club will remain in the area of town it's occupied for the past 53 years, while hopefully alleviating some of the problems which local residents have complained about in the past, a point the Brewers chairman drew attention to in his statement: "We are sure a new stadium will be welcomed because of a reduction in noise and light pollution, a larger car park and improved traffic flow as a result of the ground having entrances both off Princess Way and Derby Road," said Robinson. "The existing ground is extremely restrictive for us to be able to improve it further and create the kind of facility which is now really needed for the benefit of our supporters."

For their part, the current owners of the site in question have welcomed the deal, describing it as part of "Pirelli's commitment to the future prosperity of the town" and hailing it as "an excellent platform for Burton Albion to continue it's extensive community involvement." An additional boost to the Brewers ambitious plans is their links with construction giants Bison, joint sponsors of the club, who according to Robinson have already carried out preliminary work on the project free of charge. The company which has it's headquarters in the Centrum 100 development at Branston has an unrivalled pedigree when it comes to stadium design, having been involved in the construction of such projects as the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff, Derby County's Pride Park Stadium, and the development of Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium.

Brewers boss Nigel Clough meanwhile has spoken in support of the plans, hinting that the new development could signal the dawn of a new, full-time, era for the club: "The prospect of a new ground is a demonstration of our determination to progress on all fronts on and off the field," Clough told the Burton Mail. "It will be a huge boost for existing players who we want to keep at the club and it sends exactly the right signal in terms of ambition to people we might want to sign now or in the future." "It might also bring forward the day when we can seriously consider becoming a full-time club if we can maximise the benefits of a new stadium to provide sufficient revenue."

Hopefully the new stadium will offer a better view than this.    pic: brewersnet.com

The new stadium, which the club hopes to see completed in time for the start of the 2004-2005 season, would be the third home the club has had in it's 53-year history, having moved to Eton Park, itself constructed from scratch on the site of a former shoe factory, from it's original Wellington Street home, in 1958. Eton Park has been the subject of considerable improvement work in the past six years, including doubling the size of the main stand, adding a roof to the Derby Road End terrace, a new club shop and office, and new flodlights. Up to £1 million has been spent on the old ground to bring it up to Conference standard, with more work due to earn it a Football League grading, but restrictions both in terms of funds available and space mean that the move to a new stadium, which would be financed by the sale of the old ground for housing, seems like the logical and necessary step for the club to progress.

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Thursday 19th June 2003

Seaside start for Brewers

The Brewers have been handed a series of trips to Britain's coastal regions to kick off the 2003-2004 season, in the Nationwide Conference fixtures released today. Albion begin with a long trek to Kent to take on Gravesend & Northfleet when the new season begins on Saturday August 9th, and that's followed by visits to Scarborough on 23rd and Morecambe on 30th August respectively. Meanwhile the Brewers' first appearance in front of their home fans sees them take on newly relegated Shrewsbury Town, who make their first visit to Eton Park on Tuesday 12th August, Stevenage Borough are the visitors on 16th August, and as for last season, Barnet provide the August Bank Holiday Monday opposition at Eton Park. As expected, the Brewers have a mouthwatering double header with Tamworth over the Christmas period, with the newly promoted Lambs visiting Eton Park on Boxing Day, and Albion making the return journey on New Year's Day. Click here for the full fixture list...

2 0 0 3 - 4   f i x t u r e s c l i c k  h e r e   for the full list of Brewers fixtures in the Nationwide Conference this season...     Cool blue - Darren Stride and fans model the Brewers' new away kit pic: ian leech/ bafc official

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Monday 26th May 2003

Blues come to town

Albion have announced their full list of pre-season fixtures, with a prestige home friendly against Birmingham City topping the bill of the Brewers' build-up to the 2003-2004 Conference season, which kicks off on August 9th. Blues boss Steve Bruce has promised to include some of his side's Premiership stars when they visit Eton Park on Saturday July 19th en-route to a tour of the Far East. The other fixture of note is the visit of old adversaries Gresley Rovers to Eton Park for the final fixture before the big kick-off - the first meeting between the two former Dr. Martens League rivals since the 'Millennium Cup' games three years ago.

P r e - s e a s o n   f i x t u r e s J u l y Mon 14 Corby Town (a) Tue 15 Rocester (a) Sat 19 Birmingham City (h) Tue 22 Rocester (a) * Sat 26 Hucknall Town (a) Tue 29 Nottm Forest (h) * A u g u s t Tue 5 Gresley Rovers (h) * = Bass Charity Vase

The remaining fixtures see the usual combination of trips to local Midlands non-league sides, beginning with a trip to Corby Town on 14th August, and Bass Charity Vase fixtures. Nottingham Forest and Rocester provide the opposition in that competition, while the Brewers also travel to Phil Starbuck's Hucknall Town, whom they last met en route to winning the UniBond League title the season before last.

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Monday 12th May 2003

Shrimps man signs

Morecambe full-back Lee Colkin has become the second piece in the jigsaw of Nigel Clough's mission to rebuild his side's defence. 28-year old Colkin, an attacking left-back with Football League experience and five years of Conference football under his belt, has been a favourite with Shrimps fans since joining the club two years ago, but is one of several players to have been released by boss Jim Harvey. He follows Nuneaton defender Barry Williams in pledging his immediate future to the Brewers. Colkin began his career with Northampton Town, and spent six seasons with the Cobblers, notwithstanding a three-month loan spell at Leyton Orient, before moving on to then Conference side Hednesford Town in 1998. He left the Keys Park club in the wake of their relegation to the Dr. Martens League in May 2001 to join Morecambe, and quickly established himself at Christie Park, being named 'players player of the season' by his team-mates in his first season at the club.

Lee Colkin - latest addition to the Brewers squad, after joining from Morecambe    pic:  christies reds

Colkin's decision to join the Brewers on a one-year deal may have been partly influenced by his local connections - he was born in Nuneaton and lives in Hinckley - and his arrival provides a further boost to Nigel Clough's team rebuilding plans, with the Brewers having found the left-back position a difficult one to fill over the years. "We're delighted to have Lee on board because he's been in the Conference for a few years and knows what it's all about," Nigel Clough told the Burton Mail, "We are signing good, solid players who will strengthen us, and if we can get Darren Wassall and Glen Kirkwood fit and John Howard signs, it will be like having a new team." Hereford defender Ian Wright is believed to have already agreed terms with the Brewers and is likely to be the next new signing to be unveiled, while Clough also reveals in tonight's Burton Mail that he's also considering signing a striker.

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Tuesday 6th May 2003

The revolution begins!

Nigel Clough has begun his rebuilding for the Brewers' second season in the Conference with the signing of Nuneaton Borough defender/ midfielder Barry Williams. Williams, 30, is the first of what promises to be an influx of new arrivals at Eton Park as Clough embarks upon a wholesale team rebuilding programme which threatens to eclipse the one which saw him dismantle most of John Barton's squad during his first year at the club. The Brewers boss has announced in the past week that no fewer than twelve squad players are surplus to requirements, including some familiar names and more recent Clough signings. Long serving defender and former player of the year Mark Blount, who's been with the club since crossing the Trent from Gresley in the Summer of 1997, finds himself transfer listed along with left-back Paul Talbot, who helped the Brewers to the UniBond League title last season, but has looked out of his depth in the Conference.

Barry Williams - 30-year old defender is the first new arrival of the close season, joining the Brewers from just-relegated Nuneaton Borough    pic:  boro official site

Also listed are two more recent signings in central defender Stuart Reddington, signed from Mansfield Town last October, and Craig Dudley, who's goal against former club Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup will be remembered for many years to come.

Mark Blount (top) and Neil Glasser - fans favourites on their way out of Eton Park    pic:  bafc official

The list of players who won't be offered new contracts is headed by midfielder Neil Glasser, who became a terrace favourite for his consistent performances in the Dr. Martens and UniBond Leagues, but who's season has been hampered by a recurring back injury and the logistical problems of travelling from his home in Hampshire. Meanwhile striker Sean Farrell is to retire because of injury, Jason Kavanagh won't return from his extended loan spell at Mickleover Sports, and recent signing Ben Petty has also been shown the door. To add to the mass exodus, youngsters Craig Swinscoe, Paul Wraith, Sean Gummer and Steven Gough are all casualties of Clough's decision to operate without a reserve team next season, while at the other end of the age spectrum veteran defender Colin Hoyle must decide whether he wishes to stay at Eton Park after being told he won't be offered a new contract, but may be employed on a month-by-month basis. Clough admitted that the decision to dispense with the services of so many players was "the hardest... me and Gary (Crosby) have had to take since joining the club."

Clough, speaking to the Burton Mail, continued: "But it has to be done for the sake of the club and our supporters because we don't want to have to go through another season like the one we've just had, finishing one result from relegation." "We're the eighth best supported team in the Conference and we believe we can get even higher if we put together a squad the fans deserve and one that is capable of challenging for a place in the top five.

"That's our aim next season and unfortunately that means we have to make changes that are more drastic than we anticipated at one stage. We've waited for 42 games watching us lose twice to the likes of Leigh and taking some terrible beatings against Hereford, Yeovil and Morecambe, and we are not prepared to let that happen again." Such revolutionary changes will necessitate an equally dramatic influx of players, of which Nuneaton's Barry Williams, a long-term transfer target for the Brewers, is just the first. The 30-year old, who can play at right back, in central defence or in midfield, made more than 300 appearances in an eight-year Manor Park career in which he helped Boro to promotion to the Conference in 1998-99, but was unable to prevent their return to the Dr. Martens League with relegation on the final day of this season. Nigel Clough has made defence the priority of his rebuilding job, with Hereford United defender Ian Wright and Morecambe left-back Lee Colkin likely to be the next two pieces in the jigsaw. Clough has meanwhile been rebuffed in his attempt to sign Hereford full-back Matt Clarke, who has opted to join Telford United instead.

Stuart Reddington (top) and Craig Dudley - two recent Clough signings no longer required by the Brewers boss    pic:  bafc official

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