By theimps.tk
July 22 2009

Burton Albion have come into the Football League limping, only winning promotion on the final day of the season, but with many picking them for a battle against relegation, I'm not entirely sure that this is the case. If I was to base my prediction for Burton based on their final month or two then I would have had them finishing bottom of the League, however, many forget that they had to be a half-decent side to get into that position in the first place. The side broke the all time record for most consecutive wins in the top flight of the non-League with twelve straight three-pointers, not to also forget that they featured in the Playoffs some time just before that.

They were walking away with it but then Nigel Clough left for Derby County and their form, although not immediately, started dipping. A 4-0 walloping at Stevenage in the FA Trophy was the beginning of the struggle and despite winning their next two games, they were never quite the same after that. Their lead, which had been nearly twenty points, was down to a mere handful on the final game and they could have been overtaken by Cambridge United. Burton travelled to Torquay United, they themselves needing a win to secure the Playoffs, whereas Cambridge had the seemingly easy task of Altrincham at home .

Despite taking the lead down at Torquay, Burton surcome to the Gulls and it was all down to Cambridge. Burton waited nervously but they were promoted as Cambridge failed to even score against Altrincham, meaning the title was Burton Albion's. The replacement manager was sacked and replaced with Paul Peschisolido, a man who once rejected a move to Sincil Bank as he said he had, nor would he ever be interested, in participating on any level in League Two. With "Pesch" having no management experience and Burton's end to the season, the Brewers were placed as favourites for relegation by many, but I'm not entirely convinced.

Yes, they nearly threw away promotion but to almost throw it away means that you had to be a good side to be in the position to give it away (I hope that made sense). You don't become a bad side overnight (unless you're Lincoln) and although I don't think Burton will set the world alight in League Two by any stretch of the imagination, I certainly can't see them ever being in the slightest danger of relegation.

Peschisolido has certainly brought in a few decent names, including Richard Walker, a proven scorer at this level, as well as Shane Redmond from Forest and Robin Shroot from Birmingham. They join what was already a half-decent side which includes ex-Imp Greg Pearson, veteran Kevin Poole and Darren Stride, a man described as "Mr Burton Albion".

As mentioned, I don't think Burton will struggle, but I don't think that they will do particularly well either. I think 18^th is respectable for a team coming up from the Conference, especially as the majority of Champions coming up finish lower than that.

18th : Burton's battling Brewers

Discussion started by theimps.tk (IP Logged), 22/07/2009 23:29

theimps.tk
22/07/2009 23:29

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I Blame Paul Mayo
25/07/2009 10:48

i think they will do ok, the players they have brought in are FL standard easyily.

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