Burton Albion

Burton Albion v Stafford Rangers
Burton are likely to be without the injured Andrew Ducros for the local derby with Stafford on New Year's Day. Darren Tinson and Danny Holmes are also doubts after missing the game against Cambridge on Saturday, so Keith Gilroy is on stand-by to start the match. Stafford Rangers could have Dean Williams' back, with the keeper having recovered from a head injury. Nathan Smith (knee) and Kevin Street (ankle) are long-term casualties and will definitely miss out.

Carden opts to stay with Brewers
Burton Albion's promotion hopes have been boosted by Paul Carden's decision to stay with the Brewers. Carden looked set to make a transfer-window move to Bury after training with the Shakers. But no contract was finalised and the 27-year-old midfielder has agreed to stay at the Pirelli Stadium until the end of the season. Carden joined Burton in October on loan from Burscough, although he never played for the UniBond League side.

Burton boss satisfied with point
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough was satisfied with Tuesday night's 0-0 draw at Kidderminster which keeps the Brewers in the play-off zone. He said: "In the context of the other results this is a good point, with Exeter and Gravesend both losing. "We could have done with York and Stevenage drawing. "Kidderminster really needed three points to keep themselves in it and get themselves back into the picture. One or two are starting to slip away."

Burton see play-off hopes fading
Boss Nigel Clough believes Burton may need to win all their remaining games to make it into the play-offs. A 3-1 loss at Southport on Monday made it a blank weekend for the Brewers, who are four points off a play-off spot. Clough told his club's website: "It's backs to the wall now to try and win four on the spin. "Having lost two on the bounce to win four on the trot is unlikely but we'll give it a go and you never know if other results can go our way a bit."

Clough aims for late Burton surge
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough hopes to take his side's promotion challenge to the last match of the season after picking up a vital win against Halifax. Marc Goodfellow's late winner took the Brewers to within two points of the play-offs, with two games to go. "It's just nice to put a bit of pressure on the sides above us," Clough told his club's website. "Our aim all along is to make the last game against Rushden matter and we are still hoping that is the case."

Clough hopes pressure will tell
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough hopes pressure will play its part and help his side sneak into the play-offs. The Brewers could claim fifth place in the Conference if they beat Rushden & Diamonds in their final game and either York or Exeter slip up. "There is more pressure on York and Exeter," Clough told the club website. "Don't forget we still have to go and win that last game but if we can do that it heaps the pressure on at least one of those above us." "York are at home to Oxford which won't be easy and Exeter have to play Southport and funny things can happen on the last day of a season."

Burton will offer Clare new deal
Nigel Clough hopes to keep Burton Albion's top scorer Daryl Clare at the Pirelli Stadium, and "keep the nucleus of the squad together". He will also offer new deals to long-serving captain Darren Stride and influential midfielder Paul Carden. Brewers boss Clough told the Burton Mail newspaper: "We want to try to add three or four quality players and see where we go from there." But midfielder Lee Bell, 24, is not being offered a new deal to stay on. Bell joined the Brewers from Crewe in January, while Clare arrived in March 2006 after a spell at Crawley.

Curry becomes Brewers youth boss
Burton have appointed their former striker Mick Curry as their new youth development squad manager. Curry, who played for the Brewers in the 1990s, will move from his current job as assistant boss of Unibond First Division side Gresley Rovers. Meanwhile, the Brewers have announced details of four pre-season friendlies. They will host Ipswich Town (10 July), Rotherham United (25 July), a Birmingham City XI (28 July) and Walsall (4 August).

Burton snap up Weymouth's James
Burton Albion have signed defender Tony James from Conference rivals Weymouth. The former Hereford man, 30, has agreed a two-year deal with the Brewers after ending a 12-month stay at Weymouth. James becomes the first summer signing for boss Nigel Clough, who also wants to bring the Tamworth's John McGrath and Jake Edwards to the club. Clough's squad has also been boosted with utility man Andy Corbett, key midfielder Paul Carden and striker Jon Shaw agreeing new deals.

Clough targets midfielder Greaves
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough has targeted Boston United's Mark Greaves as his latest summer signing. Clough wants to bring Greaves, 32, to the Pirelli Stadium to plug the gap left by midfielder Paul Carden's departure to Accrington Stanley. He told the Burton Mail: "Mark can play right-back or centre-half but we see him as a replacement for Paul Carden because he is such a combative player." Greaves has started more than 150 games for Boston since signing from Hull.

Clough thrilled with Burton win
Boss Nigel Clough was delighted to see his all-or-nothing approach pay off as ten-man Burton Albion scored three late goals to beat York City 4-3. "Normally when we go down to ten we go to a 4-4-1 but we decided to go three at the back and leave two up front and it paid dividends," Clough said. "We got a bit fortunate with the winning goal because it ricocheted through but I think we deserved that. "It has really lifted us," Clough told the Brewers website. "Facing one point from six going into the Oxford game all of a sudden we have four points and the lads will be flying on Sunday."

Burton boss hails veteran Poole
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough paid tribute to veteran goalkeeper Kevin Poole after he helped the Brewers to a 1-0 win over Farsley Celtic. The 44-year-old saved a first-half penalty before Keith Gilroy's goal gave Burton their second successive win. "It wasn't the most convincing of clean sheets but nobody deserves one more than Kevin Poole," said Clough. "He could not have played any better than he has done in the first four or five matches."

Burton keen to land new signings
Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough is hoping to beat the transfer deadline to bolster his injury-hit squad. Clough is currently without injured Darren Stride, Ryan Austin and Tony James and utility man Andy Corbett. "We desperately need to bring in a couple of new faces before the weekend," Clough told the Burton Mail. "We have an array of players in mind and, with a bit of luck, we'll have a couple on board by the time we go to Crawley on Saturday."

Clough happy with Burton's start
Burton boss Nigel Clough is delighted with his side's early season challenge after they beat leaders Torquay United 3-1 to move up to fourth in the table. "It's still early days but the signs are positive if we can keep everybody fit and playing the way we are," Clough told his club's website. "We're probably slightly better off than we thought we'd be at this stage. "The top half of the table has sorted itself out very quickly and is very strong indeed." Clough added: "There are probably about 12 sides in with a good chance of the play-offs this season so the longer we stay in there the better it is for us."

Clough hints at start for Taylor
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough is pleased with the impact of striker Ryan Taylor after signing the teenager on a month's loan from Rotherham United. Taylor, 19, came off the bench in Burton's 2-0 win over Woking and could make a full debut on Tuesday night. "Ryan did well and is in with a good chance of starting the match at Droylsden," said Clough. "Physically he won't be fazed by it and, with Jake Edwards ill, we need him around," Clough added.

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