ZELI Ismail says that the Brewers fans are one of the reasons he was so keen to return to the Pirelli Stadium.
The winger has re-joined the Brewers on loan from Wolves after enjoying an impressive first spell at the club under former boss Garry Rowett.
After looking sharp on trial in the pre-season encounter with Leicester City, Ismail has now been snapped up by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as he puts together the final pieces for his League One squad.
Ismail says: “After being here two seasons ago I know the club well and I have a great connection with the fans. They have been unbelievable to me and I got a great reception against Leicester City the other night.”
Ismail enjoyed his first spell at the club after arriving on loan from Wolves in January 2014 but was frustrated in the way it ended as Albion pushed for promotion.
“I was on a good roll but I got an injury and that killed me for the play offs really - but there’s not much I can do about that, these things happen in football.”
Since then he has followed Burton Albion’s rise to League One with interest.
“I always followed the results and kept in touch with some of the boys so I never lost contact.”
Now he’s delighted to be back.
“When Wolves told me that Burton Albion were interested, from that moment I was really happy to come here, get the deal sorted and get cracking.
“I’m here to try and get in the team, to put in good performances and, hopefully, I can impress.”
“They are very good bunch of lads who stick together. You can tell from last year when they won the league, you only do that through togetherness and teamwork. They are a really good group.”
Now Hasselbaink wants Ismail to impress Albion fans again.
The winger says: “They want me to pick up where I left off last time really. They want me to be positive, run at players, hopefully score goals and make them.”
And he believes Albion have nothing to fear in League One.
“I think we will do well in League One. I have played there for Wolves and Notts County, there’s a little bit of a difference to League Two but with the squad we have got we are more than capable of doing well.”