Football Season Guide

The Championship

England

The Championship

2016/2017

Burton Albion

In

Jackson Irvine (midfielder, Ross County), Ben Turner (defender, Cardiff), Lee Williamson (midfielder, Blackburn), Lloyd Dyer (midfielder, Burnley), Chris O'Grady (attacker, Brighton, loan), Kyle McFadzean (defender, MK Dons)

Out

Robbie Weir (midfielder, Leyton Orient), Shane Cansell-Sherriff (defender, Manly), George Taft (defender, Mansfield), Timmy Thiele (attacker, Carl Zeiss Jena), Dean Lyness (goalkeeper, released), Anthony O'Connor (defender, Aberdeen), Nathan Ferguson (midfielder, Port Vale)

Burton are probably the lowliest ranked side in the Championship in terms of stature or resources and very much underdogs for survival. Their promotion last season was remarkable especially after losing Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to QPR midway through. But Nigel Clough, the club's former manager, returned and steered the Brewers towards the second tier. It will be a tough ask just to stay up but Clough has signed experienced Championship players Ben Turner, Lee Williamson, Lloyd Dyer, Chris O'Grady and Kyle McFadzean while also snapped up Ross County midfielder Jackson Irvine. Burton will look to upset one or two of the big boys but they know they will have a tough season and hope to make up for their lack of skill with team-spirit.

Target

Staying up will be almost as big an achievement as promotion itself.