Brewers boss Paul Peschisolido beat off competition from other League 2 clubs to snap up former Rochdale defender Nathan Stanton today and the influential defender admitted that the manager was a key factor in his decision to move to the Pirelli Stadium.

"The manager impressed me a lot" admitted Nathan, "Also the way that the team play. I played against them twice last season for Rochdale and they beat us both times and obviously the facilities are second to none and that was a major factor but I am just very pleased to be here."

"I am 29 years old now and I was looking for a two year contract. Unfortunately Rochdale couldn't offer me that and so I thought it was time to move on. I had four good seasons there and I wanted a new challenge anyway, a bit closer to home and here I am."

Nathan could have gone elsewhere after leaving Spotland but felt that Burton would be a good move for him.

"There were other clubs interested." he said, "I got three contract offers but I just felt that Burton was the right place for me so I am delighted to be here."

I could see from the games against Burton last season that they are a progressive club. They caught us by surprise both times and you can never underestimate a side that has just been promoted. They were a well organised team and that give me a challenge ahead of me that I am looking forward to."

After four years at Rochdale and seven years before that at his first club, Scunthorpe United, Nathan has plenty to offer the Brewers and with a number of younger players in the squad he hopes to be a good influence on his team mates and drive them on to improve on last season's hugely respectable thirteenth place finish. Nathan expanded on what his main qualities are and when he will bring to the Brewers team.

"I have got a fair amount of pace and good leadership skills to hopefully use with the younger lads in the squad so I am looking forward to having the chance to work with them" Nathan explained, " I have been promoted three times now so I know what it is all about. This is a tricky league to get out of. You need to go on good runs and you need to be good at home as well as getting results away from home. There are a lot of energetic young lads here at the club and I see no reason why we can't at least make a play-off place."

There is the mouthwatering prospect of Nathan linking up in a brand new central defensive partnership at the Pirelli Stadium and that opportunity is not lost on Albion's new man.

"I am really looking forward to working with Darren Moore" confessed Nathan, "I have followed his career. He is not getting any younger but he has been a good servant to football and I am sure that he has got a lot to offer Burton Albion. I believe that a partnership between Darren and myself can definitely work. Darren has got vast experience and as far as I am concerned you are never too old to learn new tricks and I hope I can learn things from him."

One thing that Nathan was slightly more reticent to talk about was his goalscoring record. In over eleven years as a professional and with over 400 senior career appearances to his name, Nathan has only got himself on the scoresheet once. The centre back netted for Scunthorpe against county rivals Lincoln City in the play-off semi-finals at Sincil Bank in 2003 but ended up on the losing side but Nathan is more concerned with his main role in the side, stopping the opposition from scoring.

"Every time I go anywhere I get reminded of the fact that I have onyly scored once in my career. I would rather keep goals out and that is always my main objective." he concluded.

From experienced defender to promising young striker and the Brewers also sealed the capture of Liverpool Academy starlet James Ellison. The 18 year old has overcome a back injury to get his football career back on track after joining the Liverpool set-up at the age of eight and earning his first professional contract when he turned seventeen.

Now James is comfortable with his decision to turn his back on his boyhood club and seek to make a name for himself in the lower leagues in the hope of scoring some goals and getting recognised at the top level again.

"This is a great opportunity for me" said James, "I feel that I am at an age now where I need to be getting some first team experience under me and I just want to show people what I can do and hopefully get noticed."

"I was at Liverpool from the age of eight so it was a difficult decision to move on from there but I realise now that it is the best decision I could make because it was going to be very hard to make a breakthrough at Liverpool at first team level so this should be a good move for me."

"It is very hard being there from such a young age and then seeing people just getting brought in and played ahead of you. It is frustrating but for them it is a business isnt it?"

James is one of a growing number of young players seeking to establish themselves in the lower English leagues although the step up in quality from Academy football to senior professional football remains a challenge. One that James is more than ready for. Such is his committment to his new challenge that he is moving down to the Burton area to help him settle in quicker at his new club.

"It is important that I get used to playing mens football rather than academy football because I want to make a success in the senior game." he acknowledged, "If I can get used to it now and adapt to it then my skills can come out and hopefully I can produce better football because I am used to the pace of the game."

"I really want to challenge and look to get myself in the first team as soon as I possibly can. If I can get into the side then I want to make sure I am scoring goals and I believe I can score goals for the club"

A major factor is attracting the young striker to the club was the fact that his new manager was a striker of quality and that meant a lot to the teenager.

"It was a huge compliment for me when Paul came in for me" James said,  "For a striker like him, with his background, for him to tell me that I have got something and that he wanted to sign me, I thought it was a great opportunity and I wanted to sign for him so when he offered me a contract I took it."

"I think that when I was playing for Sheffield United in the reserves last season was when Paul spotted me. They knew that I was leaving Liverpool and they wanted me to go there for a week on a trial but when Paul saw me play he phoned my agent quickly afterwards and said he wanted to have a closer look at me and possibly sign me."

Brewers fans should have their first chance to see Nathan and James in action when Albion play their first pre-season friendly at Ilkeston Town's New Manor Ground on Saturday afternoon (3.00pm kick off)