JAKE Buxton says that he is looking forward getting the season underway after the 2018/19 fixtures were announced yesterday.
The Brewers skipper believes that Albion can make a good start to the season, but is under no illusions as to the quality of opposition that League One has to offer. Buxton says that the team will be relishing the challenge as they prepare for the new season.
He said: “As soon as the fixtures are announced you start to home in on preparation. You work week by week, game by game. So, as soon as you see the fixtures you basically plan your life around that. It is a nice feeling to get the fixtures and know where we are at.
“The thing that stands out to us is the tough run-in at the end, If we are competing in and around that top six, the atmosphere will be good at home, as it has been. It is important that we get that home form back to how it has been for the last 10 years.
“I think that the first three or four fixtures are good fixtures for us. To play our first game of the season at home (against Rochdale) will be good for the supporters and it will be good for us to get the season underway, hopefully we can get a good result.
“Doncaster have been League One regulars for a while, as have Bradford, so we will be pitting ourselves against some of the good sides in the division and find out where we are at.”
October sees the Brewers travel to Wycombe Wanderers only two weeks before Nigel Clough’s side face Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth away from home in a matter of days.
Buxton knows that travelling long distances in such a short space of time is not easy for supporters, but knows the fans will continue their support of the Brewers on the road.
He said: “I think it is a tough ask for the supporters to find the money to get down to Plymouth and Portsmouth in the same week. We also have Luton just before Christmas as well, which is a tough ask for supporters.
“They have followed us well over the last couple of seasons, we played Reading away just before Christmas last year and they were supporting us, we put in a performance and got a decent result. We are hoping to get the same following to those away games if we can and hopefully the players will put on a decent performance for them.
“You look at Barnsley, Doncaster and Bradford, they aren’t a million miles away, we have some tough away fixtures against Charlton, Southend, Plymouth and Portsmouth, but we have a few local clubs within a reasonable distance for the supporters to come and follow us.”