AT THE RIVERSIDE LAURI COX and SAM LOUGHRAN introduce tonight’s opponents... BURTON ALBION www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk Ground Name The Pirelli Stadium | Capacity 6,912 | Nickname The Brewers 21 Hope Akpan Position: Midfielder Nationality: Nigerian DOB: 14.08.1991 Born in Childwall, Liverpool, Akpan made his competitive debut for Everton against BATE on 17 December 2009 in the UEFA Europa League. He came through the youth ranks at Everton and later played for Hull City (on loan), Crawley Town, Reading and Blackburn Rovers. Following his release by Blackburn, Akpan signed a one-year contract with Burton ONE TO Albion in July 2017. WATCH Though born in England, he represents Nigeria at international level. 43 Manager Nigel Clough Born in Sunderland and raised in Derby, Clough is most notable for his time as a player at Nottingham Forest, where he played over 400 times in league, cup and European matches in two separate spells, mostly under the managership of his father and Boro legend Brian, and scored 131 goals throughout his career, making him the second highest scorer in the club’s history. He subsequently had spells with Liverpool, Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday before moving into non-league football at the age of 32 when he became player-manager with then Southern League Premier Division side Burton Albion in 1998. Over the next decade, during half of which he continued to play a regular role on the field, Clough took Burton up from the seventh tier of the English football league system to the brink of promotion to League Two before leaving halfway through the 2008–09 season to follow in his father’s footsteps and take over at Derby County, where he served for four years until September 2013. He would go on to resurrect Sheffield United’s season, pulling them out of the relegation zone and taking them to FA Cup and League Cup semi-finals. Clough returned to Burton Albion for a second spell as manager in December 2015. career at Brentford, having 1 Stephen Bywater Stephen Bywater previously been on the books Position: Goalkeeper at Chesham United and Notre Nationality: English Dame Fighting Irish, the latter DOB: 07.06.1981 whilst studying at the University He has made appearances for of Notre Dame. He spent two and thirteen clubs, most notably for a half years at Brentford, before Derby County, where he played joining Wycombe Wanderers in over 150 games and won the in June 2008. In June 2010, 2007 Championship play-off final, joined Stevenage on a two–year and for West Ham United, where contract. Mousinho left Stevenage he spent eight seasons, made and joined Preston North End. In over 60 appearances and won the his final season at the club, he was 2005 Championship play-off final. loaned to Gillingham and back to He is also a former England U21 Stevenage before being released international. Bywater has worn and joining Burton in June 2014. the number 43 shirt in memory of his mentor and coach, Les Sealey, 5 Kyle McFadzean who died aged 43 in 2001. Position: Defender Coventry City, Bradford City, Nationality: English 3 Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Stephen Warnock D.O.B: 20.02.1987 Bolton Wanderers, Leeds United, Position: Defender Derby County and Wigan Athletic. Born in Sheffield, McFadzean Nationality: English Joined Burton in June. was a member of Sheffield D.O.B: 12.12.1981 United’s Academy before being Has been capped by England given a squad number for the 4 John Mousinho twice and was part of the squad 2005–06 campaign. He signed for at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Position: Defender Conference North club Alfreton South Africa. Warnock previously Nationality: English Town on a free transfer in July played for Liverpool, from where D.O.B: 30.04.1986 2007. McFadzean signed for he was an Academy graduate, Mousinho began his professional Conference Premier club Crawley 44 A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY Albion are the third team from Burton to play in the Football League. Burton Albion gained promotion to the Football League for the first time in 2008/09 after clinching the Conference title. The Pirelli Stadium has hosted an England ‘C’ international and a UEFA U19 international along with several UEFA U17’s matches featuring England, Italy, Sweden and Malta. The formation of Burton Albion Football Club at a public meeting on 6th July 1950 brought senior football back to the town of Lukas Akins in Burton-Upon-Trent after a ten action at Hull year absence. on Saturday. in August 2010 and in June 2014 He is a product of Crewe for Northern Ireland six times at for Milton Keynes Dons. He signed Alexandra’s Academy, for whom U21 level. for Burton Albion in July 2016. he served as club captain prior McFadzean gained England C to joining Leeds. Left Leeds for 10 Lucas Akins recognition in September 2009. Burton Albion in January this Position: Striker year, on loan until the end of the Nationality: English 6 season, re-joining Burton on a Ben Turner D.O.B: 25.02.1989 season-long loan for the 2017-18 Position: Defender season. Akins started his career at Nationality: English Huddersfield Town, progressing D.O.B: 21.01.1988 through the club’s Academy 8 Matty Lund Born in Birmingham, Turner before making his first team came through Coventry City’s Position: Midfielder debut in April 2007. During the Academy ranks. Had loan spells at Nationality: English 2007–08 season, he was loaned Peterborough and Oldham, before D.O.B: 21.11.1990 out to Conference National side joining Cardiff City permanently Lund began his career with Stoke Northwich Victoria. Akins then in 2011. Had a loan spell with City in the Premier League. He joined Hamilton Academical in Coventry, and moved to Burton made his senior debut while July 2008. In January 2009, he Albion in 2016. Has represented on loan at Hereford United in was loaned out to Partick Thistle England at U19 level. November 2010. Further loan and was released when his spells took Lund to Oldham contract expired in May 2010. 7 Luke Murphy Athletic and Bristol Rovers (twice) He subsequently signed for and Southend United. In July 2013, Tranmere Rovers. In August 2012, Position: Midfielder Lund made a permanent transfer Akins joined Stevenage for an Nationality: English to then League Two Rochdale undisclosed fee. Joined Burton in D.O.B: 21.10.1989 after being released by Stoke City. 2014. Lund has played internationally US v THEM: Games won: 1 Games drawn: 0 Games lost: 1 45 Charlton Athletic and then Derby 11 Lloyd Dyer County. He made over 200 league Position: Midfielder appearances, and scored his 50th Nationality: English career league goal, and career D.O.B: 13.09.1982 first top-flight goal, in the Premier Dyer began his senior career with League, with a 76th-minute strike West Bromwich Albion, and had against Fulham on his debut for loan spells with Kidderminster Blackpool. He then moved to Harriers, Coventry City and Portsmouth and Leeds, followed Queens Park Rangers before by a loan, which was made joining Millwall. After half a permanent with Blackburn. Two season, he moved on to Milton loan spells with Ipswich turned Keynes Dons, where he spent into a permanent move in 2016, Tom two years. In 2008, he signed for before moving to Burton in 2017. Naylor Leicester City, where he played for six seasons, and joined Watford 17 Marvin Sordell in 2014. He spent the latter part 2010 League Two play-off final. In Position: Striker of the 2014–15 season on loan June 2012, he signed a two-year Nationality: English at Birmingham City. After being deal with Burton Albion, helping D.O.B: 17.02.1991 released by Watford, Dyer signed them to the League Two title in for Burnley in February 2016 until 2014–15 and then to promotion Sordell started his career with the end of the season. He joined out of League One in 2015–16. He Fulham prior to joining Watford for Burton Albion in July 2016 on a has won international caps for his a two-year scholarship in 2007. one-year deal. country at U18 and U19 levels. He made his professional debut for the club during the 2009–10 season, and also had loan spell 13 Connor Ripley is on loan 15 Tom Naylor with Tranmere Rovers. After 27 from us for the remainder of the Position: Midfielder goals in 81 games for Watford season and under the terms of Nationality: English in two-and-a-half years, Sordell the agreement is ineligible for D.O.B: 28.06.1991 moved to Bolton Wanderers tonight’s game. Made his debut for Born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, in January 2012. He spent the The Brewers in last Wednesday’s Nottinghamshire, Naylor started entirety of the 2013–14 season 3-2 Carabao Cup win at Oldham his career with Mansfield Town, on loan at Charlton Athletic. He where, last season, he was named signing his first professional deal returned to the Premier League Young Player of the Year while in March 2009, and made his first with Burnley for the 2014–15 on loan. team debut against Altrincham season. He went on to join in the penultimate game of the Colchester United, and at the end 14 Damien McCrory 2008–09 season. Had loan spells of the season Coventry City. He at Belper Town, Alfreton Town joined Burton in January 2017. Position: Defender and Derby, before moving to the Sordell has represented England Nationality: Republic of Ireland latter permanently in 2012.