View From Burton

Blades 0-1 Burton

“their fans didn’t sound happy.”

“To save you the bother, I’ll summarise what the numpties are posting on their forum:
It was Clough’s team and it’s still his fault that they are losing.
Burton are shit.
Burton only took 500 fans. And are shit.
Clough is shit. Sheffield United are only shitter because Clough used to be the manager. 
Burton controlled the game. But not because they were the better team, but because Adkins is shit. 
Adkins is called Nigel and all Nigel’s are shit.
United have lots of fans, even though they boo a bit, they are still fans.
Look how many fans we have got. Burton are shit.
Brayford is shit. Clough brought him. He was disinterested. Even though we have no idea what the correct definition of disinterested actually is. Anyway, knowing the actual meaning of words I like to use, even if I use them in completely the wrong way, is shit.”

“unsurprisingly, the Blades forum is in meltdown. The manager must be sacked, or walk etc. Burton aren’t that good, but the Blades are worse. It warms the cockles of your heart
We only won 1 0, but won at a canter, with a superb all round performance. Controlled the game in midfield. The defence were solid, and as ever Beavs a total menace to them all night.”

“another Goliath felled and it’s everyone else’s fault but theirs but I suppose when you’ve never had it (ie. ourselves) I suppose it’s hard to understand, as a club used to much bigger things, how you would react to the fall from grace.
I would hope that Brewer’s fans who have only been around for the last fifteen years or so, would be as realistic as those who have been around for 40 to 50 years and take the attitude of enjoy it while it’s there but don’t see our current position as a given right forever.
Otherwise when times get harder which at some point they inevitably will, you risk heading down the same self destructive path as these other “big clubs.”
However, last night was a joy to be savoured on so many levels; 626 away fans making all the noise on a Tuesday night, which visibly lifted the team’s spirit.
An excellent venue with almost 18,000 fans in and a Brewer’s team very clearly “up for it” from the off.
Nigel returning to the last club to fail to recognise his early success and then further fail to give him a chance to take the club forward from the firm basis he had built for them and showing just what they could have had, given another season or so. Mind you they wouldn’t have wanted it because we were crap and it’s only because of Nigel that they’re saddled with 43 useless players…yeah right!
On the pitch, we produced almost the perfect away performance, exposing Sheffield’s limitations by pressing them high up the pitch and forcing them into long balls and shots from outside the 18 yard box.
We withstood a great number of somewhat agricultural challenges that went completely ignored by the referee, in fact in some cases given completely the opposite way. I suppose no one told us the refereeing would get any better the higher you go!
There were several performances of note but apart from Beavon, Akins and McLaughlin who were outstanding, it would certainly be unfair to criticise anyone.
This time Lucas was genuinely man of the match, with a tireless performance against a full back who seemed more interested in pushing, pulling and attempting to remove his shirt, than trying to legally tackle?
And one moment of sublime skill to pick up the ball just outside the box and race in, to calmly slot what became the winning goal, into the keepers far left corner. Cue delight amongst the 626.

As an ex amateur keeper though I must mention John’s fantastic rush and dive to smother the race into the box by Done in the early part of the first half. He timed it to perfection and claimed the ball superbly and the disgraceful play acting by the attacker was rightly ignored by the referee. Rubber stamped by the fact that one he realised he’d been sussed, jumped up like the proverbial spring lamb and lo and behold he was all of a sudden better…it’s a miracle!
Shame we couldn’t turn the undoubted dominance into more goals on the night but for those who didn’t make it last night, that was more like the sort of performance we hope for from the lads and with so many outside factors going in our favour again, it would appear that the belief is back in the fans, the players and the management team.
Great scenes at the end and lovely cameo of Andy Garner looking a little bit pleased at coming back to steal the points from those who really didn’t deserve them! (Double meaning totally intentional!)
He’s got no hair but we don’t care!”

“Bit disappointed not to have got two or three more goals against that bunch. Joke of a club.”

“Great performance, thought we were excellent first half, Lucas took goal brilliantly, impact of substitutions was to highlight our lack of strength in depth but the depleted team hung on for well-deserved 3 points. Sheffield Utd performance was probably worst I’ve seen this season… they looked overweight and lacking cohesion.”

“Like taking candy off kids tonight, such a dominant 1-0 without ever looking like scoring more than 1.
I think they chose the wrong Nigel”

“We were in control throughout. There was not one real chance on our goal in the second half. We wanted the ball more than they did and deserved our victory. It was interesting to see Brayford against us.(We sold him to cheaply to Crewe) Although he played well,he was in a team that lacked belief”

“Was surprised at John Brayford last night, didn’t look overly interested (to be fair none of their team did), didn’t look that fit, made a few mistakes and was outplayed by both our wingers.
3 ex Brewers turned out for the Blunts last night, none of them would get into our team at the moment.
Oh and how can it possibly be that a Blunts side do not play in stripes. What a shambles.
Oh and apparently that was the highest League attendance Burton have ever played in front of. An interesting fact which puts into perspective what is happening here.”

“Probably our greatest ever league result. You have say that was brilliant BUT we still need options AND I hope Cloughie/Ben can risk getting in a couple in. Why don’t we score 2?! Agree with above Sheff Utd should be playing in their classic red/white stripe kit.”

“Very pleased for Nigel Clough tonight. Deep down I reckon he’ll see that as two fingers up to people on both sides of the fence considering all the shit he came in for after Saturday. Shame he’s barely getting any credit for a huge result. If it was our former manager in charge there’d be pom poms and bunting galore.”

“Come to Daddy, yet another massive 3 points, so pleased “our Nige” !”

“Andy Garner was giving it some big licks, Cloughy, dignified as ever strolled down the tunnel…”

“Garner absolutely lamped a ball intensely up into the air on the full time whistle, his chagrin towards his former employers (and enjoyment in beating them) was there for all to see, fair play.”

“Another perspective on tonight, attendance of a shade under 18,000 must mean matchday revenue of about the fee we took for El Khayati… different kettle of fish in so many ways yet we continue to take these bigger clubs in our stride.”

“What is the crack with Sheff Utd? there is literally no reason for them to be so shit.”

“Despite the shite form the blades are hardly out of the play off race. Just need a 1-0 ugly win to stop the rot and arrest the slide”

“We don’t score many but we know how to hold on to what we have. Well done lads.”