Burton Albion defied the odds with a second successive promotion booking their place in the Championship next season.

After Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink lead the Brewers to the top of League One, Nigel Clough came in and took them over the line.

A goalless draw against Doncaster on the final day of the season secured second spot and promotion to England's second tier.

The target for next season will undoubtedly be staying up. There are very few players in the Burton squad with Championship experience. The budget is minimal. Survival is therefore the priority.

Burton were an effective tight-knit unit last year but they might need to use more squad players in the Championship.

Young players are not a huge part of Burton Albion but perhaps they ought to be given more chances as Albion prepare to step up a level.

Here are THREE youngsters that Nigel Clough needs to give opportunities to next year.......

 

Matty Palmer

Academy graduate Matty Palmer has over 100 appearances for Burton despite being just 21 years of age.

The tidy central midfielder fell out of favour last year and was farmed out on loan to Oldham.

During his time at Boundary Park he was rated extremely highly but was recalled by Burton for the end of season run-in.

Next season he needs to be given his chance in the first team so that he can show what he is capable of.

 

Nathan Ferguson

Nathan Ferguson joined Burton last December from non-league Grays Athletic.

The former Dagenham and Redbridge youngster joined the Brewers ahead of Fleetwood Town, Reading and Millwall and hopes that he will get a first team chance next year.

The 20-year-old is an exciting box-to-box workhorse in central midfield and could provide the energy that Burton will need to be effective with hardworking, disciplined performances.

 

 

Callum Reilly

This Burton Albion squad severely lacks experience at Championship level. Callum Reilly is one of the rare few who can offer that experience.

Despite only being 22 years of age, the central midfielder has played 60 league games for Birmingham already before joining Burton last summer.

He has since failed to nail down a regular starting spot but still has time to develop his game.

Now that he is back in a Championship side, he can show the rest of the team how to play in the league if he works hard this summer.