In contrast Burton Albion are a relatively new club, formed in 1950 from under the ashes of Burton Swifts (1871-901) and Burton Wanderers (1871-1901). They didn't enter the Football League until 2009 when they were crowned Conference Champions. United and the Albion have yet to meet competitively in the Football League pyramid system, however they have met thrice within the professional competitions.
The Brewers can boast a slightly better record in head to head terms against the Blades, they ahve met once in the Football League Trophy and twice in the League Cup. During Danny Wilson’s first season in charge (after the Blades had been relegated to League One), the Blades were drawn to face Burton at their Pirelli Stadium in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in late August 2011.
They were almost immediately knocked-out at the first attempt in this competition when Justin Richards (73 minutes) scored for the hosts, but United hit back and three minutes later midfielder David McAllister was wheeling away in celebration and substitute Erik Tonne (80) netted to end a frantic seven minutes of scoring. The Blades marched on with a 2-1 win and went onto dispatch Rotherham United (also 2-1) at Don Valley Stadium before being knocked-out by Bradford City on penalties at the Lane.
The League Cup drew the pair together again in August 2012 on the opening day of the season in the first round. This time United were drawn at Bramall Lane and a bumper 7,073 crowd owing the clubs open day saw the Blades eliminated early on but didn’t go out without a fight. Albion took the lead through Adi Yussuf (34) whilst the hosts were back within the game when Nick Blackman (51) scored a debut goal.
Neither side could force a winner and the game was taken into extra-time where the Brewers again re-took the lead, Cleveland Taylor (97) finding the net but again the Blades hit back, defender Neill Collins (105) netted a rebound after seeing his initial penalty saved but this came after Marcus Holness (101) was dismissed for his second bookable offence for the visitors.
In the shoot-out Collins made up for his early error, with no chance of scoring from a re-bound he dispatched cooll, as did Stephen Quinn, Kevin McDonald and Tony McMahon but Harry Maguire missed his opportunity and with Albion netting all five of their spot kicks were through to round two. Burton went onto beat Leicester City (4-2) before being defeated by fellow League Two outfit Bradford City (2-3). They met again in 2013 with Burton again dispatching two goals to one to see themselves through.
In contrast, this will be the fourth time in as many years that the pair have locked horns after they played out a friendly in Burton in July 2010...
20 July 2010 – Burton Albion 1 Sheffield United 0 (Friendly)
Sheffield United lost their pre-season friendly at Burton Albion, who are managed by former Blades striker Paul Peschisolido; the Brewers won by a single goal by Greg Pearson after a mix-up in the defence. They were however made to work for their win and fought off much endured pressure in the second half but United failed to capitalise on their chances.
Former Birmingham City defender Gregory Vignal was again given an opportunity to shine whilst on trial, he was given a starting role alongside new signings Robert Kozluk and Johnny Ertl in what looked a strong defensive back four. The hosts took the lead through ‘kamikaze’ defending when skipper Chris Morgan and fellow centre-half Ertl were caught out by a Jimmy Philips cross and from all of six yards Greg Pearson fired home past Estonian national Mihkel Aksalu.
After the half-time interval the Blades raised the stakes, but they didn’t bank on substitute keeper Kevin Poole pulling out all the stops at the ripe age of 47. Assistant manager Gary Speed said: "We thought we were the better team in the second half but Pooley at 47 was in good form and we just couldn't get it back."
30 August 2011 - Burton Albion 1 Sheffield United 2 (JPT)
Sheffield United kick-started their Johnstone's Paint Trophy campaign with a 2-1 victory over Burton Albion. The Blades were forced to come from a goal behind in what was a frantic seven minute spell in the second half which saw the Brewers first take the lead through Justin Richards before David McAllister and Erik Tonne's successful strikes handed the visitors the lead and the victory in their first professional outing at the Pirelli Stadium. Danny Wilson had made five changes from the side which faced Yeovil and settled for a 3-4-3 formation; Long, Mendez-Laing, Slew, McAllister and Philliskirk all started, whilst Simonsen, Jean-Francois, Quinn, Montgomery and Cresswell made way.
Albion saw the first bit of action come their way, McGrath fired over following the game's first corner whilst at the other end Collins headed over Flynn's delivery in what were equal opening exchanges. Maghoma, the hosts right winger saw plentiful of the ball early doors and a foul on him by Mendez-Laing which almost set about an early opener for the L2 side. McGrath's free-kick flew under the wall but Long was equal to it. The winger again caused problems for the Blades and after rounding Lowton his effort cannoned off the crossbar and following a challenge on Maguire - Richards was the first to go into the referee's notebook. Maghoma again saw his opportunity spurned, this time dragging wide as the hosts threatened once more. United sprung an attack which saw Philliskirk in the back of the net after his header from Mendez-Laing's cross bounced agonisingly over the crossbar.
Before the break there was still time for two more Burton attacks, Austin headed over Maghoma's free-kick and Phillips drive was saved by Long as the half ended goalless. Ellian Parrino was introduced at half-time for the Blades with Philliskirk making way with Wilson switching to a 4-4-2 formation. Referee Gibbs added McGrath into the bookings lists after a foul on Slew and following the change in formation United pegged back the hosts and was to be denied when Mendez-Laing and Doyle both saw shots blocked. Long required treatment after punching away a cross from the left wing which saw him with a bloodied nose
On 73 minutes his next job was to pick the ball out of the net, RICHARDS controlled after being put through by Yussuf and curled the ball into the top corner; 1-0. In reply Tonne was introduced for Mendez-Laing and this proved to be an inspiring substitution but only after McALLISTER brought the ball down on his crest before firing into the bottom corner of the goal. McAllister almost made it two when his effort deflected up onto the crossbar with the hosts struggling to contain their opponents. With ten minutes left on the clock Jordan Slew's pass found Norwegian TONNE who from 25 yards hit a shot hard and low and too hot to handle for Atkins as the ball cannoned into the bottom corner. As the game came to a knife edge United advanced further and almost took the game beyond Burton - McAllister flashed wide from distance and Slew fired across goal.
Burton Albion: Atkins, McGrath, Moore, Corbett, Richards, Zola (Yussuf 67), Austin, Phillips, Maghoma, Blanchett, Dyer.
Unused: Poole, Webster, James, Palmer.
Sheffield United: Long, Lowton, Mendez-Laing (Tonne 74), Doyle, Flynn, Slew, Collins, Maguire, McAllister, Porter (Harriott 88), Philliskirk (Parrino 45).
Unused: Simonsen, Conneely.
11 August 2012 - Sheffield United 2 Burton Albion 2
Just as Blades fans were beginning to erase the memories of Wembley in May, their enemy that is the penalty shoot-out struck again when this time Burton were victorious from the spot. United missed out on promotion at the national stadium three months ago against Huddersfield Town in the most cruellest of fashion, and the funny game that football is, the footballing Gods ensured United were put through fresh penalty shoot-out heartache in their first competitive action of the new season against Burton Albion.
Nothing could separate the two teams over 90 minutes, nor 120 minutes. United came from behind twice against ten-man Burton, who had a man sent off in extra time. The game finished 1:1 after 90 minutes, and then 2:2 after a further 30. United started the game with new faces Tony McMahon and Shaun Miller, and Danny Wilson also awarded Mark Howard his first team debut between the sticks. Yusuff fired the Staffordshire club into the lead with a fierce drive into Howard’s left corner from the edge of the box.
New recruit Shaun Miller then saw his header strike the post, meaning the Blades went in at half-time trailing to the League Two side. Nick Blackman appeared for the second half, just a day after signing for the club on a two year deal, and just six minutes into his Blades debut he fortuitously got his name on the scoresheet after flicking Flynn’s ball towards goal, but Burton keeper Atkins somehow couldn’t stop the ball from dipping underneath the crossbar, in a situation where you’d expect him to do better.
Nothing was determined after the original allotted amount of time, so the game went into extra-time, and it was Gary Rowett’s side who blinked first yet again when Taylor embarrassed the United left-back Williams and drilled a low shot right into Howard’s bottom right-hand corner. United were handed a lifeline back into this Capital One Cup tie, though, when McFadzean was felled in the area, leaving referee Trevor Kettle no option but to point to the spot.
It was quite a surprise when Blades fans saw centre-back Neill Collins stepping up to the spot to take the penalty kick, but then again he did score three out of three penalties last season. Atkins foiled Collins to his left, but the ball fell straight back to the feet of the defender who could convert the rebound to make it 2:2. Burton’s Marcus Holness was then dismissed for retaliation. His protestations to the referee went too far, meaning he was awarded a booking, and then just seconds later was dismissed for continuing with his frustrations to the official.
And to penalties it went, in front of an empty Kop, with spot-kicks being very much a nemesis for United. There was a real sense of “oh no, not penalties again” around the home areas of the ground, and this is how it panned out: Quinn – SCORED, Weir – SCORED, Collins – SCORED, Bell – MISSED, Maguire – MISSED, McCrory – SCORED, McDonald – SCORED, Webster – SCORED, McMahon – SCORED, Richards – SCORED, Doyle – MISSED, Taylor – SCORED.
Burton won 5-4 on penalties.
6 August 2013 - Sheffield United 1 Burton Albion 2
For the second successive year running Sheffield United were dumped out at the first stage of the League Cup by fourth tier Burton Albion. Overall it was poor game and a poor performance. We started well and knocked it about for the first 20 mins which was fine even if we did not create anything as I felt we were moving them about but sadly it just continued with the defence playing it across, the same for the midfield and then in the last third, totally clueless. We never looked like creating much at all never mind scoring. The keeper made maybe a couple of saves all night and these were weak efforts from Porter. McDonald’s passing was off and the front men were totally ineffective.
Sadly the team selection did not work. He was right to rotate some but Flynn and McFadzean did not convince and the defence were shaky (under very little pressure to be fair) all night. The football was pretty and neat but we were ponderous and as soon as we got to the final third never looked like scoring really. It was very slow and almost too patient. We had no penetration and often it just went side to side, to back, to side and I barely recall us getting wide or getting beyond them. They soaked up the pressure and then had as many chances as us. The goal they scored was a simple cross that Howard spilled and they tapped it. Porter went off and Taylor at least looked a threat before Doyle scored a cracker. I thought we may push on after this and whilst we were the better side we again huffed and puffed rather than really showing any quality. It looked destined for extra time when they broke, the winger got away from Williams and then crosses where the same man, Hussey, headed home unopposed as neither Collins nor Westlake reacted. That was it. Game over. Right on full time.
Overall, United were poor. They passed it around well but at such a slow pace and were utterly clueless in the last third. They missed the running of Brandy and Murphy and Porter was poor again. The midfield did ok but again just passed it sideways or back and no one in the team ran at players or committed people. So many players came back inside or played safe but we just went nowhere. Sadly it looked like some of poorer displays under Wilson last year when at times we did the same; kept the ball but teams just sat back and allowed us to knock it about knowing we lacked pace/genuine quality to create.
As bad as we were in the last third it is worrying that the defence were so poor when facing little in the Burton attack but whenever they attacked they properly looked like scoring. The full backs were not good enough defensively and when the ball came into the box the keeper and centre backs did not command. They had maybe 4 or 5 attacks all night and nearly scored from all of them. It was worrying that a League Two side dealt with us so easily and just sat deep and waited for the inevitable error and then came away with it. We were good Friday but tonight was really disappointing and it seemed Burton had looked at our formation and worked out without Brandy that they could see us off quite comfortably and so it proved. Better teams than Burton will play the same way, crowding the midfield and just waiting to pick us off then it moves into the final third (if it ever does – often it never did tonight).
Results
| 30 Aug 2011 | Burton Albion v Sheffield United | W | 1-2 | Johnstones Paint Trophy |
| 11 Aug 2012 | Sheffield United v Burton Albion | L | 2-2 (4-5) | Capital One Cup |
| 06 Aug 2013 | Sheffield United v Burton Albion | L | 1-2 | Capital One Cup |