Post by Norah on Jun 15, 2015 9:34:55 GMT
This is what the Burton Mail thinks..
Transfers at Burton Albion – who has shone in the past at the Pirelli Stadium
By Burton Mail | Posted: June 15, 2015
BILLY Kee (right) delivered the goods up front for the Brewers following his signing from Torquay United.
SCORES of players have arrived at and departed from Burton Albion since the Brewers won promotion to the Football League.
Here, Tom Sloan looks at the successes among the permanent signings the club has made since 2009, picking a star from each of the previous six seasons.
RUSSELL PENN
When Burton Albion reached the Football League, they had relied on the central midfield axis of John McGrath and Michael Simpson.
The duo complemented each other perfectly and were a proven, solid unit in front of the back four.
"The usual suspects" was how ex-boss Nigel Clough would refer to them.
The arrival of a 23-year-old Penn from Kidderminster in a club record deal looked like it would break the partnership up – but it never really happened, especially after Adam Bolder arrived in 2010-11.
Penn often played out of position wide on the right, where he was not able to influence the game as much.
Despite being out of position, though, Penn proved a solid signing and went on to make 91 appearances for the Brewers, netting seven goals as the club established itself in the Football League.
There was the sense Albion never got the best out of a player who has gone on to play for Cheltenham and York.
VERDICT: HIT.
ADAM LEGZDINS
He may only have spent a season at the Pirelli Stadium, but Adam Legzdins is still regarded by many fans as the best Burton Albion goalkeeper of the Football League era.
Current No 1 Jon McLaughlin may have something to say about that, but Legzdins was certainly a quality goalkeeper.
When he joined the Brewers from Crewe, he was an unfulfilled talent who had been let go by Birmingham City after loan spells at Halifax, Oldham Athletic and Macclesfield.
Things had not worked out at Crewe either.
But a season with Burton in 2010-11 got things moving in the right direction.
After a few early errors, Legzdins grew in confidence and was snapped up the following summer by Derby County.
He left the Rams last summer looking for first-team football at Leyton Orient – he could easily have stayed – and is now looking for another club having left Brisbane Road.
VERDICT: HIT.
BILLY KEE
There is something Roy of the Rovers about Billy Kee with his knack of scoring goals from nothing at vital times.
His record in front of goal for Burton Albion was excellent and would have been even better were it not for a series of injuries which hit him after an explosive start at the Pirelli Stadium.
Who can forget the great hat-trick he scored to beat Barnet 6-3 back in October, 2011?
That season, 2011-12, showed what a fully fit and firing Kee could do when on song.
Then came the groin injury and 14 goals in 49 appearances the next season.
Still a decent haul, but Kee never quite scaled the heights of his blistering opening for the Brewers and you are left wondering what might have been.
Still, goals continued to come in clumps until he was sold to Scunthorpe to fund the Stuart Beavon deal from Preston North End.
Now, 10 months after his departure from the Pirelli Stadium, he is a free agent and still only 24.
Surely someone will take a punt on Kee?
VERDICT: HIT.
ZANDER DIAMOND
When Burton Albion picked up former Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond in the summer of 2012, it looked like the coup of the decade.
The 27-year-old had played in the UEFA Cup for the Dons and was once considered one of the brightest young talents in Scottish football.
He became something of a talisman at the back for the Brewers as they went from strugglers in the bottom half of the League Two table to play-off qualifiers.
Diamond scored some crucial goals and was a massive hit with the fans.
Things soured for the popular defender in his second season at the Pirelli Stadium, with Ian Sharps taking his place in the side.
He was loaned out to Northampton Town, for whom he later signed a permanent deal, but he still got to play in the play-off final just over a year ago.
While Albion's defence did not become as watertight as manager Gary Rowett had hoped with Diamond's signing, he will be remembered as a good defender and also a popular captain at the Pirelli.
VERDICT: HIT.
ADAM McGURK
THE striker or winger has been one of Burton Albion's biggest stars on his day in the last two years.
McGurk has scored 19 goals in 83 appearances for the Brewers, not at all a bad record for someone who is not recognised as an out-and-out No 9.
Albion's fans have not really warmed to the Northern Irishman, which is a shame as he has genuine ability and a habit of performing in the big games.
His brace to beat eventual champions Chesterfield two seasons ago and strike to beat Wycombe Wanderers two months ago in a crunch promotion battle were golden.
Despite his inconsistency and the sense he is capable of so much more, McGurk has to be seen as a success at the Pirelli Stadium.
The Brewers are currently waiting to see if he will resign with his contract coming to an end.
VERDICT: HIT.
LUCAS AKINS
THERE was a real buzz about the signing of Lucas Akins as Burton Albion paid a small fee to Stevenage for the in-demand winger last summer.
It was the first transfer fee they had paid since shelling out £20,000 to sign fans' hero Billy Kee from Torquay United.
Akins started with a bang, netting the winner on his debut last season.
The goals, and bursts of pace down the right wing, continued to come despite a nasty hand injury.
Eventually, an ankle problem forced the 26-year-old onto the sidelines for two months.
He looked understandably rusty upon his return but started to look back to his best in the run-in as he finished the season with five goals in seven appearances – a crucial contribution to the Brewers lifting the League Two title
Much is now expected of Akins, with pace and power to burn, in league One.
VERDICT: HIT.
Read more: www.burtonmail.co.uk/Transfers-Burton-Albion-ndash-shone-past-Pirelli/story-26694947-detail/story.html#ixzz3d7ar2RDZ
Follow us: @burtonmailnews on Twitter | BurtonNews on Facebook
Transfers at Burton Albion – who has shone in the past at the Pirelli Stadium
By Burton Mail | Posted: June 15, 2015
BILLY Kee (right) delivered the goods up front for the Brewers following his signing from Torquay United.
SCORES of players have arrived at and departed from Burton Albion since the Brewers won promotion to the Football League.
Here, Tom Sloan looks at the successes among the permanent signings the club has made since 2009, picking a star from each of the previous six seasons.
RUSSELL PENN
When Burton Albion reached the Football League, they had relied on the central midfield axis of John McGrath and Michael Simpson.
The duo complemented each other perfectly and were a proven, solid unit in front of the back four.
"The usual suspects" was how ex-boss Nigel Clough would refer to them.
The arrival of a 23-year-old Penn from Kidderminster in a club record deal looked like it would break the partnership up – but it never really happened, especially after Adam Bolder arrived in 2010-11.
Penn often played out of position wide on the right, where he was not able to influence the game as much.
Despite being out of position, though, Penn proved a solid signing and went on to make 91 appearances for the Brewers, netting seven goals as the club established itself in the Football League.
There was the sense Albion never got the best out of a player who has gone on to play for Cheltenham and York.
VERDICT: HIT.
ADAM LEGZDINS
He may only have spent a season at the Pirelli Stadium, but Adam Legzdins is still regarded by many fans as the best Burton Albion goalkeeper of the Football League era.
Current No 1 Jon McLaughlin may have something to say about that, but Legzdins was certainly a quality goalkeeper.
When he joined the Brewers from Crewe, he was an unfulfilled talent who had been let go by Birmingham City after loan spells at Halifax, Oldham Athletic and Macclesfield.
Things had not worked out at Crewe either.
But a season with Burton in 2010-11 got things moving in the right direction.
After a few early errors, Legzdins grew in confidence and was snapped up the following summer by Derby County.
He left the Rams last summer looking for first-team football at Leyton Orient – he could easily have stayed – and is now looking for another club having left Brisbane Road.
VERDICT: HIT.
BILLY KEE
There is something Roy of the Rovers about Billy Kee with his knack of scoring goals from nothing at vital times.
His record in front of goal for Burton Albion was excellent and would have been even better were it not for a series of injuries which hit him after an explosive start at the Pirelli Stadium.
Who can forget the great hat-trick he scored to beat Barnet 6-3 back in October, 2011?
That season, 2011-12, showed what a fully fit and firing Kee could do when on song.
Then came the groin injury and 14 goals in 49 appearances the next season.
Still a decent haul, but Kee never quite scaled the heights of his blistering opening for the Brewers and you are left wondering what might have been.
Still, goals continued to come in clumps until he was sold to Scunthorpe to fund the Stuart Beavon deal from Preston North End.
Now, 10 months after his departure from the Pirelli Stadium, he is a free agent and still only 24.
Surely someone will take a punt on Kee?
VERDICT: HIT.
ZANDER DIAMOND
When Burton Albion picked up former Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond in the summer of 2012, it looked like the coup of the decade.
The 27-year-old had played in the UEFA Cup for the Dons and was once considered one of the brightest young talents in Scottish football.
He became something of a talisman at the back for the Brewers as they went from strugglers in the bottom half of the League Two table to play-off qualifiers.
Diamond scored some crucial goals and was a massive hit with the fans.
Things soured for the popular defender in his second season at the Pirelli Stadium, with Ian Sharps taking his place in the side.
He was loaned out to Northampton Town, for whom he later signed a permanent deal, but he still got to play in the play-off final just over a year ago.
While Albion's defence did not become as watertight as manager Gary Rowett had hoped with Diamond's signing, he will be remembered as a good defender and also a popular captain at the Pirelli.
VERDICT: HIT.
ADAM McGURK
THE striker or winger has been one of Burton Albion's biggest stars on his day in the last two years.
McGurk has scored 19 goals in 83 appearances for the Brewers, not at all a bad record for someone who is not recognised as an out-and-out No 9.
Albion's fans have not really warmed to the Northern Irishman, which is a shame as he has genuine ability and a habit of performing in the big games.
His brace to beat eventual champions Chesterfield two seasons ago and strike to beat Wycombe Wanderers two months ago in a crunch promotion battle were golden.
Despite his inconsistency and the sense he is capable of so much more, McGurk has to be seen as a success at the Pirelli Stadium.
The Brewers are currently waiting to see if he will resign with his contract coming to an end.
VERDICT: HIT.
LUCAS AKINS
THERE was a real buzz about the signing of Lucas Akins as Burton Albion paid a small fee to Stevenage for the in-demand winger last summer.
It was the first transfer fee they had paid since shelling out £20,000 to sign fans' hero Billy Kee from Torquay United.
Akins started with a bang, netting the winner on his debut last season.
The goals, and bursts of pace down the right wing, continued to come despite a nasty hand injury.
Eventually, an ankle problem forced the 26-year-old onto the sidelines for two months.
He looked understandably rusty upon his return but started to look back to his best in the run-in as he finished the season with five goals in seven appearances – a crucial contribution to the Brewers lifting the League Two title
Much is now expected of Akins, with pace and power to burn, in league One.
VERDICT: HIT.
Read more: www.burtonmail.co.uk/Transfers-Burton-Albion-ndash-shone-past-Pirelli/story-26694947-detail/story.html#ixzz3d7ar2RDZ
Follow us: @burtonmailnews on Twitter | BurtonNews on Facebook