Striker Moult is a quality addition to squad
PERHAPS the most stronglyrumoured of potential Burton Albion summer transfers came to fruition yesterday when striker Louis Moult’s arrival was announced on a two-year deal.
Moult brings great experience to the Brewers’ front line, with the decent career tally of 102 goals from 285 career appearances.
Take out the substitute appearances and there have been 208 starts, so the 29-year-old is almost at a goal every two games.
His last six years have been spent, three each, with Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League, then Preston North End in the Championship, although he did not play last season as he first recovered from a cruciate ligament injury and then could not force his way back into the Preston team. He was an unused substitute in April.
“He’s a good striker and we’re really pleased to get him in,” said manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
“We were looking for more goals, we’re looking for more competition and we think Louis can provide that.
“We think he can work really well with Kane Hemmings and we’re delighted to get him in the building.”
“I’m buzzing! I’m really happy to be here,” Moult told ifollow Brewers.
“I was really keen get it over the line pretty soon, as were the club and the gaffer when I spoke to them.
“I’ve always kept an eye on Burton Albion. I’m from Stoke and I know some of the lads, like John Brayford.
“They showed their interest pretty early and I was flattered by it. For me, I just want to concentrate on my football now so the earlier I got it done for me and my family, the better.
“I remember the manager playing and how good he was as a striker. I told him I want to learn and pick up pointers from him and that’s why I was interested to come here.”
Moult is not quite Kane Hemmings 2, probably not exactly the same type of striker, but the parallels are similar.
Burton have been able to snap him up now because the player wants to be closer to home, Stoke, in his case. It is not always all about money, especially in the lower divisions.
Like Hemmings, Scotland has provided the most prolific chunk of his career, with 49 goals in 98 games for Motherwell.
Hemmings is 30 and his figures (and he did not have a season out) are 329 games and 131 goals, 59 of them in Scotland. The goals-tostarts ratio from starts is very similar.
Moult began his career just up the A50 with home town club Stoke City, making three senior appearances and spending loan spells with Bradford City, Mansfield Town, Accrington Stanley and Alfreton Town.
Following a spell with Northampton Town, Moult dropped into nonleague football with Nuneaton Town in 2013 and then Wrexham in 2014, scoring 17 and 16 goals with each respectively, before going to Motherwell.
Moult’s time with Preston includes a significant moment in the Brewers’ history, as he scored the winner on the last day of the season in May 2018, Preston’s 2-1 win ensuring Burton’s relegation from the Championship.
He had joined them in the January window, having hit 13 goals in the first half of the season for Motherwell.
Moult’s time with Preston became frustrating, however, as he did not get the game time he would have liked.
In the 2018-19 season, three of the four League goals he scored were after coming off the bench and he played only twice in 2019-20, scoring once, before sustaining his injury.
When he returned at the end of last season, the manager who had signed him, Alex Neil, had left, to be
replaced by Frankie Mcavoy, and he was on the bench for two games but then not in the match-day squad for the last five games of the campaign.
His final tally was eight goals in 44 appearances for North End, 24 of which were as a substitute, and while he says he felt no bitterness towards the club, he admitted the lack of game time frustrated him.
In an interview with Scotland’s Not The Old Firm podcast last month he said:
“It’s been a frustrating 18 months with injury and then even before that, really, I didn’t get the game time that I felt that I deserved and the game-time I wanted.
“I think for myself and for my career it was the right move. Sometimes you’ve just got to move on and go and try and enjoy your football somewhere else. I think that’s where I’m at really.
“That’s where I was at when I spoke to Preston. I remember sitting down with the gaffer at the time, Alex Neil. I didn’t feel I
had a fair run in the team, whether that was through selection, injury or performances.
“I think I only played three games on the bounce once in my whole three-and-a-half years there. I was flabbergasted when I heard that.
“I needed a run of 10 games. There were times I was ready to do that but the manager rotated. I didn’t sulk. I think I scored a fair amount of goals in comparison to the minutes I played and that’s all you can do.
“There were times where a wide player would play up front and I always thought ‘I’m ready, give me a run of 10 games and I’ll score.’
“But I have no bad blood, Preston treated me very well. I’m really thankful for the time I had.
“There were some good times, for sure. It’s gone now, so I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my career.”
That chapter will be at Burton and with the greatest respect to Mike Fondop, released at the end of the season, Moult represents a significant step up in the Brewers’ striking options.