Match day thread - Burton Albion v NUFC

[Toondes]

As ever , courtesy of NUFC.com

Burton Albion (a)


Newcastle break new ground on Saturday, with a first ever competitive game against Burton Albion and their senior debut at their Pirelli Stadium.*

Kick-off is at 3pm and United's 1,600 allocation of terrace and stand tickets is sold out, although the Brewers still had standing places for sale on Friday.

Capacity here is officially 6,912 (although additional media places may have reduced that) and to date their largest Championship crowd is the 6,746 who watched the visit of Derby County in August.

Saturday's attendance should be the smallest we've played a league game in front of since 5,872 saw us beaten 2-5 by Oxford United at the Manor Ground in February 1992. The smallest crowd in the 2009/10 Championship season was 8,921 at Scunthorpe.

* The stadium was used to stage a reserve game against Aston Villa back in November 2013.

Where: Pirelli Stadium DE13 0AR (6,912)
Nearest railway station: Burton-on-Trent (1.7 miles)
Return mileage from SJP: 343 miles

Team: No new injuries, with Jesus Gamez and Rolando Aarons unavailable. News on Jack Colback and Grant Hanley's availability is awaited.

Depending on the outcome of next week's FA hearing, this could be the last time we see Jonjo Shelvey in action for some time.

Stats: Founded in 1950, Albion were admitted to the Football League in 2010. Their current ground was opened in 2005 to replace the adjacent Eton Park, subsequently demolished to build houses on.
Newcastle previously faced both Burton Swifts and Burton Wanderers in Football League matches in the 1890s, incurring their record loss of 0-9 on a visit to Wanderers back in April 1895.

That defeat took place at the Derby Turn ground, which no longer exists but occupied a site between Derby Road and the main railway line. This is on the route from the station to the current ground, with a Londis shop and office buildings now built close by.

(The Swifts used to play at Peel Croft nearer to the centre of Burton and this is still in existence as the home of Burton Rugby Club).

BAFC: Defender Ben Turner is suspended.

The Brewers lost 0-1 at home to Huddersfield Town on Tuesday, meaning that it's now just one win for Nigel Clough in their last seven league games.

On home turf this season they've won five, drawn two and lost three: Bristol City, Brighton and Huddersfield leaving the Pirelli with all three points.

Some steadfast defending though has seen them concede just seven times at home - a record bettered only by Derby (5) and Brighton (6). We've let in 11.

Referee: Lee Probert - Select Group referee who was sidelined for the whole of the 2015/16 season through injury and has been confined to League One and Two games plus cup ties this season so far.

This will be his first scheduled Championship game of the season and we last had him for a 1-2 defeat away at QPR during May 2015.

UK TV: None

Overseas TV: None

UK Radio: None

Local Radio: Live on BBC Radio Newcastle.

The official NUFC website now has free worldwide streaming of Radio Newcastle match commentaries.

This weekend's Championship fixtures:

Friday 16th December 2016
Norwich City v Huddersfield Town (7.45pm)

Saturday 17th December 2016
Blackburn Rovers v Reading (3pm)
Bristol City v Preston North End (3pm)
Cardiff City v Barnsley (3pm)
Fulham v Derby County (3pm)
Leeds United v Brentford (3pm)
Nottingham Forest v Wolves (3pm)
Sheffield Wednesday v Rotherham United (3pm)
Wigan Athletic v Ipswich Town (3pm)
Birmingham City v Brighton & Hove Albion (5.30pm)

Sunday 18th December 2016
QPR v Aston Villa (Noon)

[bodacious benny]

Toondes 3-0.

[TJR]

7-0 win. Been a while since we've hammered someone, reckon this will be the game we do.

[Remember Colo]

Burton deserves credit for being in the Championship at all. Good for them! Now those plaudits said, I hope we smash them this weekend!

[Chappy]

7-0 win. Been a while since we've hammered someone, reckon this will be the game we do.

Love the optimism.

[The Deluded Pablo Diego Jose Francisco]

This is going to be a very difficult game for sure.

No doubt Burton will see this as a cup final and will be up for this, especially as they have beaten some of the top sides at home as well.

[bodacious benny]

This is going to be a very difficult game for sure.

No doubt Burton will see this as a cup final and will be up for this, especially as they have beaten some of the top sides at home as well.

Probably the biggest match they've had in a long time and will be right up for it. That said, a lot of their good form came early in the season and we should be winning this by a couple of goals really

[The Deluded Pablo Diego Jose Francisco]

This is going to be a very difficult game for sure.

No doubt Burton will see this as a cup final and will be up for this, especially as they have beaten some of the top sides at home as well.

Probably the biggest match they've had in a long time and will be right up for it. That said, a lot of their good form came early in the season and we should be winning this by a couple of goals really

We should yes.

But over recent years we've seemed to have made a habit of losing these types of games.

[MultipleJesuses]

I started a career with Burton Albion on, I think FIFA 12. Whenever they first got promoted to League 2 anyways. Stayed with them until the game automatically retires you. They're my second favourite team because of that

[ALF]

We should win comfortably, so we might not win. Surprised it's not on tv as it's the game the whole Premier League was talking about in the summer.

[Toondes]

Got to love the pessimism from our fans.
Top of the league
Best goal difference
Most goals scored
The leagues infividual top scorer
Best away record in top 4 divisions

And people are worried we will struggle almost every game haha

[Aldridge Prior]

Probably the biggest match they've had in a long time and will be right up for it. That said, a lot of their good form came early in the season and we should be winning this by a couple of goals really

We should yes.

But over recent years we've seemed to have made a habit of losing these types of games.

You're right there mind, I get that feeling too.

So they've got a pretty decent back four judging by those stats. Can imagine us drawing a blank, much to our chagrin.

0-0 draw I reckon.

[Holystone...]

Got to love the pessimism from our fans.
Top of the league
Best goal difference
Most goals scored
The leagues infividual top scorer
Best away record in top 4 divisions

And people are worried we will struggle almost every game haha

...
Agreed. To think they were non league till 2009, they've done well but this promotion team we have is on a different level and projectory.

[UlversToon]

Should be winning this game very comfortably so I'm going for a nervy 1-0 win for The Toon!

[Chappy]

Got to love the pessimism from our fans.
Top of the league
Best goal difference
Most goals scored
The leagues infividual top scorer
Best away record in top 4 divisions

And people are worried we will struggle almost every game haha

This has been built in over years of following Newcastle and being let down. I can't help it. I do think we'll win today tho.

[Seagull]

Can't deal with their mascot.

SpoilerShow

[MultipleJesuses]

Got to love the pessimism from our fans.
Top of the league
Best goal difference
Most goals scored
The leagues infividual top scorer
Best away record in top 4 divisions

And people are worried we will struggle almost every game haha

Yeah, reading through some of the match days has been really depressing especially when we win 2-0 or something and 99% of the comments are like "We're definitely, 100% gonna lose"

[biggeordiedave]

If they score:

[Tsi]

Can't deal with their mascot.

SpoilerShow

[bodacious benny]

Can't deal with their mascot.

SpoilerShow

Good to see that Harry Redknapp has found work.