[SHEP_HTAFC]

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN v BURTON ALBION

SAT 1st APRIL.....K.O 15:00

SEASON SO FAR

So it's back to 'proper' football after the International break.....which no team really wants at this stage of the season.
Town's returns to league footy after the International breaks this season are not good ones generally.... in Sept we came back to face Dirty L666s away.
We won thanks to this beautiful strike from Aaron Mooy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc4qmaJh1Kg

However the next two International breaks both resulted in losses. In Oct we lost 0-1 at home to Sheff Wed. And in Nov we lost away to Cardiff 3-2.

Our overall form is nothing short of fantastic though. In the last 12 league games, we have won 9 of them. We have also drawn away v Barnsley and lost at home to Newcastle and away to Bristol City.
It is going to be interesting to see if we can bounce back from a bit of a hiding at Bristol City last time out. Our 4-0 defeat was very much deserved and could have been more.
The top teams in any division are ones that can quickly bounce back after a bad result.

With only 8 games left of the regular season after the Burton game, it looks fairly certain that Town will be involved in the play offs at least.
We still have to play Norwich(H) who lie 8th, Nottm Forest(A){20th}, Preston(H){9th}, Derby(A){10th}, Fulham(H){7th}, Wolves(A){16th}, Birmingham(A){18th}, and finally Cardiff(H){13th}. It looks like a decent run in on paper.


Burton come into this game after a 3-5 defeat at home to Brentford. They were leading the game 3-1 at halftime....but late goals from Brentford denied even a point.
Overall their form in the last 12 games has been pretty decent, losing only 4 of them...Cardiff(A), Fulham(H), Brighton(A) and Brentford.
They have drawn 4 also......Derby(H), Blackburn(A), Bristol City(A) and Sheff Wed(A).
So the mathematicians reading this will realise they have also won 4.....QPR(A), Wolves(H), Norwich(H) and Nottm Forest(H).
They currently sit just 1 place and 1 point above the relegation zone, so they will be fighting for their lives. Many people had Burton down to finish bottom this season, so they have been surprising a few 'experts'. Huddersfield too have surprised a few 'experts'.

We have played each other only once before in any competition, the 1-0 away win on 13th Dec. Nakhi Wells scored in the 85th minute for a crucial win that kept us 4th in the league....a full 9 points and no game in hand on Brighton. How things have changed since.



HISTORY, FACTS & FIGURES

Burton's rise from non-league footy is remarkable.  
1987-2001 Southern League Premier Division (level 6)
2001-2002 Northern Premier League (6)
2002-2009 Football Conference (5)
2009-2015 Football League Two (4)
2015-2016 Football League One (3)
2016- Championship (2)

They have risen 75 places in the football pyramid in the past 15 years after winning the 2001/2 Northern Premier League.
Burton Albion were only formed in 1950. This is their first ever season in the 2nd tier of English football.


I would go into a brief summary of them, but theo's reverse thread for this fixture is an absolute belter. Worth another read :-
http://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/thread-4823.html



LINKED TO BOTH

Colin Wanker


Lionel Ainsworth
Lucas Akins (Huddersfield born) who plays for Burton.
Craig Armstrong
Gary Clayton
Gary Crosby
Lee Fowler
Mark Robins


TEAM NEWS

Burton Albions' last game v Brentford....this is how they lined up:-

1 Jon McLaughlin (ex Bradfud who played in League Cup Final)
3 John Brayford  
5 McFadzean
6 Ben Turner (scored equaliser in League Cup final for Cardiff v Liverpool).
2 Flanagan
9 Marvin Sordell  (remember him? Picked for GB in the 2012 Olympics over Jordan Rhodes).
24 Lasse Vigen Christensen (on loan from Fulham)
30 Luke Murphy (on loan from L666s)
36 Jackson Irvine (Socceroos teammate of Aaron Mooy)
28 Michael Kightly (ex Wolves)
12 Woodrow



Town will be missing Izzy Brown for this game. He has posted online that he has had an injury setback, but I can't find out what the injury is or how long he will be out.
Jonathan Hogg fractured his spine in the loss to Bristol City, and he will be out for the rest of the season. I take that back....he's been re-assessed and looks likely to be back training this week. Great news.

And we had a few Town players called up for international duty in the past week or so.
Elias Kachunga was named on the bench for DR Congo in Kenya but did come on in the 78th min. DR Congo lost 2-1.  
Aaron Mooy played v Iraq and had a hand in the Aussie goal. However the game ended 1-1. Mooy was booked in the game therefore missed the 2nd game v UAE. He has returned early to Huddersfield.
Danny Ward sat on the bench for Wales v Rep of Ire.
Philip Billing was the only winner in the international window. Picked for Denmark U20's v Czech Republic, they won 2-1.
Denmark U20's also played Romania U21's....and won 2-0. Billing also played in that game.
Jon Gorenc Stankovic was an unused substitute for Slovenia U21's. They lost 3-0 to Croatia. However he damaged his left knee in training, and has an ACL injury. That'll keep him out for 8-10 months.
Let's hope he can come back fitter and stronger...good luck Jon.



SHEP's TEAM

With Aaron Mooy coming back early after a gruelling trip to Oz, and only playing 1 game, surely David Wagner will start him.
Hogg's absence is a big loss for Town, however Dean Whitehead should slot into the role. Only until Hoggy is back though.

WARD

SMITH  SCHINDLER  HEFELE  LOEWE

KACHUNGA  MOOY  WHITEHEAD  VLP

PALMER

WELLS

[jjamez]

Think palmer is still out so jack payne may get a run of games, doubt he'll try billing up there and doubt he'll try wells in the hole either.

Against burton at home, I wouldn't be surprised if billing and mooy both started in the centre of midfield either

[SHEP_HTAFC]

I did put Payne in place of Palmer before I posted the thread.....but it didn't seem to take my changes.

[WakeyTerrier]

A win here will surely guarantee of play off spot and if we should climb closer to the top 2 then all well and good.
I expect a tough game from Burton who for 45minutes played us off the park down at Burton

[Lord Snooty]

Nice one, Shep.

Big week for Town this. Two home games, if we take six points it'll be another big statement, just like the last time we had two home games in a week, Brighton and Leeds.

Although all the players will be raring to go, I expect a few more squad players will start this with Norwich coming on Wednesday. Wagz is a genius at rotation, so don't be surprised if likes of Hudson, THD, Cranie are playing. Also maybe a welcome return for Scanz.

[theo_luddite]

Nice one SHEP and a free link too. I'd tug my forelock sir if I still had one. It disappeared at a rate of knots during Mick Buxton's years, who, according to the Yorkshire Post is an honoured guest of Deano at many a game. Burton are no mugs, though they will admit themselves they struggle on their travels. We all know what teams with their arrises on the trap door start to do at this time of the season so let's hope Brizzle was our final wake up call this season. I've had two nosebleeds this week. Not sure if it's som'at to do with Town or the weather.

[jjamez]

Anyone want to fill me in on what a forelock is before I get the wrong idea about someone tugging one?

[theo_luddite]

This fella has a very obvious one.

[Lord Snooty]

No Ben Turner for Burton tomorrow. He's been given a 5 match ban for racially abusing Brentford's Nico Yennaris.

[Lord Snooty]

No Ben Turner for Burton tomorrow. He's been given a 5 match ban for racially abusing Brentford's Nico Yennaris.

Burton are appealing this decision, so he's available to play today.