THE road to the 2019/20 Sky Bet League One season starts here - and with less than two months to go until pre-season fixtures return, Burton Albion can confirm our away friendlies this summer!
The Brewers will open their pre-season campaign with a trip to Matlock Town's Proctor Cars Stadium on Saturday, July 13th (3pm kick-off). The Gladiators recently appointed a new manager in Steve Kittrick, who is to be assisted by Chris Bolder, brother of former Brewers midfielder Adam.
There follows a trip to Damson Park, home of National League side Solihull Moors, on Tuesday, July 23 (7.30pm kick-off). Under Tim Flowers, The Moors narrowly missed out on a first ever promotion to the EFL, finshing three points shy of champions Leyton Orient following an absolutely incredible season in the top tier of non-league football.
Albion midfielder Joe Sbarra spent the final few months of the season on loan at Solihull, making six appearances up to the end of the season.
The Brewers will also visit Chesterfield this pre-season, heading to the Proact Stadium on Saturday, July 27 (3pm) - one week before the EFL season is scheduled to begin. The Spireites finished 15th in the National League last term and this friendly could see us come up against our former midfielder Robbie Weir, who made 184 appearances for The Brewers between 2012 and 2016 and has just signed a new deal at Chesterfield.
Burton Albion will also send an XI to take on Mickleover Sports, player-managed by former midfielder John McGrath, on Wednesday, July 24 (7.45pm). Under McGrath, Sports successfully avoided relegation from the Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division on the final day of the 2018/19 campaign.
A Burton Albion XI will also head to Nuneaton Borough on Monday, July 29 (7.30pm). The Brewers also played at Liberty Way last season in the Birmingham Senior Cup in a thoroughly entertaining game that finished 4-3 to the hosts.
Further friendlies, as well as ticket details on those and the games above, will be announced in due course.