CLOUGH PLEASED WITH HOW PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE IS SHAPING UP

NIGEL Clough feels Burton Albion's pre-season schedule will be the right kind of test for his squad ahead of the 2019/20 season.

Though the 2018/19 campaign is yet to officially close, The Brewers have so far confirmed five away pre-season friendlies with one home fixture.

Matlock Town will be our first test at the Proctor Cars Stadium on July 13, followed by the visit of Premier League side Sheffield United to the Pirelli Stadium just a few days later on July 16.

Trips to Solihull Moors (July 23) and Chesterfield (July 27) follow, as well as games against Mickleover Sports (July 24) and Nuneaton Borough (July 29) in which a Burton Albion XI will compete.

The Chesterfield fixture falls a week before the scheduled start of the Sky Bet League One season, and Clough feels the schedule will set Albion up nicely for the new season.

"We know Sheffield United will bring a lot of supporters, I think it's their first (friendly) back as a Premier League club," said Clough.

📅 Mark the dates in your diary, #Brewers - we can confirm our away pre-season friendlies ahead of 2019/20!

We will take on @Matlock_TownFC, @SolihullMoors, @ChesterfieldFC, @MickleoverSFC and @NuneatonBoroFC this summer!

More here 👉 https://t.co/bqnzpmO8YI #BAFC pic.twitter.com/jLfFIGNssP
— Burton Albion FC (@burtonalbionfc) May 16, 2019

"It's great for them to come down. You play them and then just as difficult will be Solihull and Chesterfield, in their own way.

"I think Chesterfield the weekend before the season starts is a brilliant game for us, a brilliant game.

"(Then) the earlier ones, two or three weeks before the season starts - Solihull, we know how hard it was from going their last year, and they were very close to getting into League Two.

📅 We can confirm our first home pre-season friendly for the 2019 summer period - we will take on newly-promoted @SUFC_tweets on July 16 (7.45pm kick-off) at the @PirelliStadium.

More here 👉 https://t.co/SFYPIjTVLG #BAFC pic.twitter.com/0Xksu3z0Cw
— Burton Albion FC (@burtonalbionfc) May 17, 2019

"Chesterfield are a big club and they will be a very hard game, just the sort of test we need.

"We've obviously cut it down this season, I don't know if we'll do the two 45s (and split the teams) at Matlock, there might even be people playing a little bit more.

"So it will be fewer games, we've just changed it a little bit this season.

"But I think everyone will come back in a completely different frame of mind come July 1st (the first day of pre-season) this year."

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