Heroes & Villains – Burton Albion
Hero – Nigel Clough
Burton Albion was where Nigel Clough ended his playing career and started his managerial campaign.
Clough became player-manager at Burton for ten years between 1998 and 2008. He guided them to the top of the Conference and masterminded a 0-0 draw against Manchester United in the FA Cup.
Burton Albion undertook a massive transformation during Clough’s first time at the club. They left their Eton Park home for the Pirelli Stadium and established themselves in the Conference.
In January 2006, reigning Premier League champions Manchester United visited the Pirelli for an FA Cup Third Round tie. The match finished goalless, a fantastic result for the Conference club.
United won the replay at Old Trafford convincingly, beating Burton 5-0.
Clough left the club for Derby County in January 2009, having won 11 games in a row and leaving Burton 13 points clear at the top of the table.
He returned to the club in 2015 after spending four and a half ears at Derby and 17 months in charge of Sheffield United.
He guided Burton up to the Championship, the highest position in the club’s history. They stayed up in their first season in the second tier, but went down in their second campaign.
Clough is still managing Burton and they currently sit 12th in League One.
Villains – Derby County
This isn’t a rivalry as such, more “a friendly association” according to Nigel Clough, who has managed both clubs.
Many Derby fans would go and watch Burton if Derby weren’t playing at home. The “friendly association” has also occured with several players moving between the clubs and Nigel Clough leaving Burton for Derby in 2009.
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