Football Season Review

Burton entered the season cautiously hoping for a swift return to the Championship, but it quickly became apparent that this was an unrealistic goal. As most relegated sides do, the Brewers let numerous players go over the summer. So many players left that Nigel Clough was left to work with a threadbare squad and, with numerous players frequently battling injuries, there were several games in which the Brewers' boss was unable to name 18-man squads. Burton spent the majority of the first half of the season inside the bottom half of the table but gradually improved over time. They showed flashes of true brilliance and eventually finished ninth, but their revival came too late for them to push for a play-off place. The highlight of their season was certainly their League Cup run, which saw them reach the semifinals where they were easily beaten by Manchester City. It was the first time in the club's history that Burton managed to get past the last 16 of a major domestic cup. The Brewers are an interesting club, having been both in the Championship and League Two not that long ago. One could see them battling for both promotion and against the drop next time around and a lot depends on their transfer activity during the coming summer.

Player of the Season: Lucas Akins