FACTS and figures relating to tomorrow’s away game at Wigan Athletic from Tony Bentley.
ON THIS DAY - MARCH 29
Burton Albion last played a Football League game on March 29 in 2014, when they made the trip to Bootham Crescent to face York City. A crowd of 3,988 witnessed a goalless encounter, with the York side containing former Albion midfielder Russ Penn, and current England and Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope.
We then have to go back to 1997 for the previous time Albion played on this date. Then it was a home game against Atherstone United in the Southern Premier League at Eton Park. A crowd of 911 saw Steve Spooner score the Brewers goal in a 1-2 defeat.
In 1986 Albion travelled to Gateshead for a Northern Premier League game on this date. A crowd of 286 saw Burton Albion fall to a 2-0 defeat.
It was a happier occasion on March 29, 1983, when Neil Warnock’s Brewers travelled to Grantham in the second leg of the Northern Premier League Cup. Already leading 3-0 from the first tie, a brace from Andy Harrison completed a 2-0 win and a 5-0 aggregate victory. Albion went on to beat Macclesfield Town 2-1 in the final, at Manchester City’s Maine Road stadium.
It was another semi-final on March 29, 1975. The Brewers travelled to Causeway Lane to face Matlock Town in the first leg of the FA Trophy Semi Final. A crowd of 5,123 saw Frank Corrigan score the only goal of the game to give Albion an advantage going into the home leg. We know it wasn’t to be though, as Matlock won 2-0 at Eton Park in front of 5,453 fans, before lifting the trophy at Wembley in the final.
WIGAN ATHLETIC
Albion’s last visit to Wigan came on Saturday October 30, 2021. A crowd of 9,020 saw James McClean give Wigan a 9th minute lead, before Jonny Smith was harshly sent off by referee Carl Brook in the 15th minute for a raised boot. Today Smith will be part of the Wigan squad. Curtis Tilt made it 2-0 with a thunderbolt in the 51st minute to secure all three points for the home side.
There were no fans present when the two sides met on Saturday, April 24, 2021. Joe Powell put Albion ahead, curling in a 20-yard free kick. The home side drew level through Will Keane in the 37th minute to earn a share of the points.
It was a Championship meeting between the sides on Saturday, October 15, 2016. That day the Wigan side contained defenders Stephen Warnock and Jake Buxton, who would both join the Brewers the following summer. A goalless draw was played out in front of 10,430 fans.
It was a battle between two sides who would be promoted to the Championship come the end of the season in the 2015/16 season. Tuesday, November 24, 2015 saw Nasser El Khayati score the winning goal for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s side in the 74th minute to earn all three points in front of 8,117 fans. Future Burton midfielder Chris McCann was in the Wigan side that night.
