Pirelli's calendar highlight

Burton v Man Utd: Nigel Clough has put his minnows on the map, and today can be the greatest day in their history. Ronald Atkin reports

On my last visit to Burton Albion, announcing an appoint-ment with Nigel Clough, I was asked by the lady in the social club which doubled as reception desk at the decrepit Eton Park ground: "Are you our new striker?" Things have looked up since then for Burton. There's a smart new stadium, for one thing, and the fact that they can spot a real footballer when they see one has propelled a club celebrating their 50th anniversary towards this afternoon's highlight of that half-century, an FA Cup third- round home tie against Manchester United.

This is, providentially, the sort of occasion Albion paid nearly £7 million to build the Pirelli Stadium for, wiping out the small outstanding debt and offering an introduction to the mass television audience of the lovely little Conference club assembled with faith, hope and sweat by Clough and the chairman, Ben Robinson.

Having joined the board in 1975 as a 29-year-old and become chairman two years later, Robinson is entitled to his joyous, one-word description of what has been happening in the last few hectic weeks since the draw was announced as "fantastic". As someone who runs an insurance business in Burton, Robinson is reaping the rich policy dividend of his ability seven years ago to persuade Clough to take the job of player-manager in the game's lower reaches after a career with Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Manchester City and England.

The fact that Nigel is a devoted family man with a home only a dozen miles away helped. As it still does. The Son of Brian's contentment with the set-up sees him regularly accused of lack of ambition. But the 39-year-old Clough doesn't care, which perhaps accounts for the permanent look of cheeriness carried around by Robinson.

"Nigel has put the team and the town on the football map," said Robinson at the conclusion of a hectic day last Thursday on which urgent attention to a dodgy, poor-draining pitch had been a priority. "He has taken us to another planet and made local people identify with their club. This has happened because he came. If he hadn't been here we wouldn't have our new stadium. Before he came the average gate was 460. Now it's 1,600."

And today it will be a jam-packed 6,500 for a match which would have had no trouble attracting 35,000. In the old days, of course, Burton could simply have switched the tie to Old Trafford to benefit from a massive attendance. New regulations insist that if the police are happy with the safety of a home ground the game should be played as drawn, and Burton's bright new stadium, opened only two months back, guaranteed this.

The businessman in Robinson ensures a sparkle in the eyes at the thought of his team being watched by 67,000 in a replay at the Theatre of Dreams. Offered the scenario of Burton leading this afternoon's match 1-0 and United being awarded a last-minute penalty, he says he would be happy with a draw for himself, but not for the players, though the captain, Darren Stride, a one-club man with 500 appearances and a century of goals for Albion, when asked if he would swap the hundred for a winner against United, said: "We've been told to go for a draw but it would be nice to score."

Being a realist, Clough admitted: "Although the Cup throws up quirks, we would need a huge slice of luck for things to go in our favour. We have to work a bit harder, hope they have an off-day and we get the luck. With those three ingredients we might not get thrashed." He feels that United's embarrassing home draw with Exeter in last season's tournament will guarantee a positive attitude, which is confirmed by the fact that United, alerted by Albion's record of one defeat in their last 15 matches, have sent scouts to all of Burton's recent games, departing with videos.

"I don't think they will want their pride dented as it was last season, and that will probably work against us, just as them getting knocked out of Europe will, too," Clough said. "And because of Chelsea, if they want some silverware it will have to be the FA Cup or League Cup."

As for winning in memory of his father, Nigel points out: "It would be stretching it a bit for us to win, but if we did it would be for Burton Albion, because everyone will be talking about this game for the next 30 years." Though he does think, tongue in cheek, that Clough Snr "has had some influence on the draw".

The death of Brian Clough in October 2004 cancelled Burton's plans to have him open the new stadium. Instead, Nigel wrote to Sir Alex Ferguson asking if he would do them the honour instead, a request which was answered with the provision of a United team of youngsters, beaten 2-1, and the presence of Ferguson himself to perform the opening ceremony.

Nigel's admission that he will be "relieved" when today's match is over so that he and his players can concentrate on Tuesday night's Birmingham Senior Cup quarter-final at Stourbridge underlines Robinson's opinion of his manager. "You couldn't wish for a more honest and honourable guy who is not motivated by money and has strong principles and values.

"The situation with us and Nigel is quite simple. If and when he gets the offer of a job and wants to take it, he will go with my blessing and grateful thanks for what he has achieved for us, because we have benefited from the fact that he has decided to give priority to his family."

Nor does Nigel see things changing at the moment. "I have no urgent desire to move on. I love taking my two children to school and picking them up, and whatever the Cup game brings it will not bring as much pleasure as that. It might be different when they are 12, 13 or 14. But they're five and seven. These are special times. And when people say I lack ambition I say I'd rather pick my kids up from school."

WELCOME TO BURTON-ON-SANDS

THE PITCH BATTLE: Old Trafford's turf has plenty of critics, but the Brewers' new £7m Pirelli Stadium has had 50 tonnes of sand dumped on to it due to drainage problems. Should United recall Eric Cantona from his beach-football retirement?

THE MAN TO DENY VAN NISTELROOY: Saul Deeney, 22, the former Notts County keeper. Has nine brothers who are coming over from Ireland; all support United, but Saul is a Celtic fan and fears a family feud.

THE MAN TO MARK ROONEY: Darren Tinson, at 36 the oldest player. Almost 300 games for Macclesfield, then captained Shrewsbury, taking both up into the League. Seeking something to tell the grandchildren, perhaps soon given his age.

THE MAN TO TROUBLE RIO: Jon Shaw, as a trainee at Sheffield Wednesday, played against Rooney in his last game for Everton's youth team; now 22, he was leading scorer after arriving last season. Watch out, Rio Ferdinand.

THE MANAGER TO OUTWIT FERGUSON: Nigel Clough, 39, the former Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Manchester City and England midfielder who lost an FA Cup final with Forest. Can he employ a few of his late father Brian's nuggets of wisdom to win the psychological battle?

THE BITTER TASTE OF DEFEAT: Local firm Bovril produced a special jar to mark the game (pictured). Ferguson has a complex about United being loved or loathed, like Bovril's rival Marmite. Bovvered?

Andrew Tong