STEVE BRUCE FULL OF PRAISE FOR BURTON ALBION

BURTON Albion head to Villa Park on Boxing Day in search of their first away win of the season, but it will be an almighty task against Aston Villa.

Albion will be going into the game full of confidence after their recent impressive performances against Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United.

Villa manager Steve Bruce was full of praise for Nigel Clough’s team ahead of the Boxing Day clash.

He said: “They’ve done very well. Very very well. I’ve got the highest respect for Nigel. In the past they’ve had some very good managers. They’re a very well-run club. As I said, 10 years ago you wouldn’t have thought Burton Albion would be in the Championship. It just shows you with a bit of hard work, endeavour, a bit of stability and good management that they’ve succeeded and gone past everybody’s expectations. Their expectation is to stay in the league, ours is to get out of it. That’s the difference in the two clubs.”

Nigel Clough described Burton Albion’s last home game against Newcastle as ‘one of the biggest mismatches in English football’ and I’m sure he will be thinking something similar ahead of the Villa clash.

Steve Bruce recognises the hard work that the staff of Burton Albion have put in to get the club where they are today.

He said: “I think that’s the beauty of the Championship. And fair to play to Burton. It just shows you with a bit of good management and a vision from the Chairman that they’ve come to where they are. Burton Albion playing Aston Villa wouldn’t have been on anybody’s radar 10 years ago. Here it is. A full house on Boxing Day. They’ll enjoy it. Their players will enjoy the occasion too because it’s a huge occasion for them and, of course for us. We’ve not experienced or had a full house for a while, so we haven’t experienced it. So let’s go and enjoy it. The only way you can enjoy it is if you win.”