Here’s what happened next for those who left the Brewers at the end of the season
NONE ARE, AS YET, PLAYING AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN BURTON
BURTON Albion were up against two “old boys” in Marcus Harness and Tom Naylor on Saturday, the pair having fine games for Portsmouth as Pompey won 4-2 at the Pirelli Stadium.
Harness made his boyhood club suffer with his second career hat-trick, while Naylor, although he scored an own goal and saw Burton’s other goal deflect in off his chest, pulled the strings in holding midfield for the club he now captains.
But what of the more recent “old boys” – the players who left Burton at the end of last season.
Well, none are playing at a higher level than the club they left. Here’s a rundown of how things are going for them.
SCOTT FRASER
It was an unexpected summer for Fraser in that he had been expected to be snapped up by someone as soon as his Burton Albion contract was up and the Championship seemed his likeliest destination.
The 25-year-old Scot, who put himself in the shop window with two successful seasons for the Brewers, claimed the Championship offers he got would not have suited his style and surprisingly ended up back in League One with MK Dons.
Admitting to lacking match fitness, he has had to ease himself in and his first of three appearances was as an 86th-minute substitute in a 2-1 home defeat to Lincoln City.
He came on at half-time against Crewe Alexandra with Dons 2-0 down and that was how the score stayed, before making his first start on Saturday in a 1-1 draw at home to Ipswich Town.
JOE SBARRA
It is fair to say that the most disapppinting departure for most Burton fans was that of midfielder
Sbarra, a local player who promised so much as he came through the academy. There is still a chance for him to build a successful professional career and he is aiming to do so with National League club Solihull Moors, where he had a successful loan spell previously.
Moors started their season on Saturday and Sbarra played the 90 minutes, collecting a yellow card in the last of them.
It looks as if he is rated as a key part of the Moors’ plans for a promotion push this season.
OLIVER SARKIC
Sarkic had some good moments in his one season with Burton after being released by Leeds United but also suffered a number of niggling injuries and left at the end of the season. He has gone to Blackpool, as did 13 other players so far in the summer, while 12 left.
Sarkic was an 83rd-minute substitute in Blackpool’s Carabao Cup exit to Stoke City, one of two of their players to have a penalty saved as they went out in a shootout after a goalless draw.
His one League appearance to
date was as a 71st-minute substitute on Saturday as they lost 3-2 at home to Lincoln City.
KWAME THOMAS
Former Derby County trainee Thomas barely featured in his short-term deal at the end of last season with the Brewers and was never likely to be offered a further contract.
Now 25, the 6ft 3in striker has his latest chance to build a professional career with Wrexham in the National League, where he completed 90 minutes up front alongside another former Brewer, Adi Yussuf, in their opening day 2-1 win over Boreham Wood on Saturday.
ETHAN VALE
Vale had been on the fringes of the Burton Albion first team squad and was loaned to Newcastle Town of Northern Premier League South East Division in December last season.
In January, the loan was extended until the end of the season and, when he was released by the Brewers at the end of the season, Newcastle, was his natural next step.
The midfielder has played five times this season and, still only 19, has the chance to build a career in football yet.
LOAN PLAYERS
The futures of several of Burton’s loan players from last season remain in doubt as the late-starting new season enters its second month.
Kieran O’Hara, whose seasonlong loan from Manchester United was cut short by suspension after he allegedly bit Peterborough United’s Sam Szmodics as they jostled for a corner at the Pirelli Stadium, was released by the Red Devils and has accepted an offer to rejoin the Brewers on a two-year deal.
Jamie Murphy, who came to Burton on loan from Rangers in January and sparkled with seven goals in 10 games, without Albion being able to win one of them, has again been loaned out by the Gers.
The 31-year-old winger is with Hibernian in the Scottish Premier and has made four appearances, Hibs winning two and losing two.
Nathan Broadhead, who looked such a promising player when he scored twice on his full debut for Burton on loan from Everton last season, is still with Everton but it has been suggested they will will listen to offers for him.
Niggling injuries made his first full season of senior football a difficult experience but there is surely a talented footballer in Broadhead.
There also looks to be a talented player in centre-half Richard Nartey but he was released by Chelsea in the summer after a season on loan with Burton.
Nartey, with Chelsea from age of nine, came through the ranks with Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham but the fact that their careers have advanced faster than his does not mean he is done.
He says he has no ill feeling towards Chelsea and has a strong family behind him.
Reports this week suggest that Nartey has been on trial with Burnley’s under-23s, which could prove to be a useful move for him if it comes off.
Many fans would like to see Conor Shaughnessy back. The defender or midfielder impressed on loan from Leeds United when he arrived in January and, at the time, the deal was with a view to a permanent move.
The pandemic put paid to that and while manager Jake Buxton is understood to have been in touch with Shaughnessy during the summer, he still appears to be on Leeds’ books.
At 24, you would would think he needs to be playing regular football for someone soon.