Burton Albion manager Gary Bowyer lauded Nigel Clough’s historic achievements with the Brewers as his side prepare to host Mansfield Town this weekend.

One of the main conversation pieces that comes with this match is the legacy Nigel Clough left behind at the Pirelli Stadium. His success with Burton is still heavily celebrated and acknowledged by fans, players and staff.

After becoming the club’s manager in 1998 at just 32 years of age, Clough started laying the foundations for what would become the club’s most successful chapter in their history.

“There’s obviously the return of Nigel Clough. We were all sat here today talking about Burton Albion as a Football League club because of him, it’s as simple as that,” Bowyer said in his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Stags on Saturday.

Gary Bowyer, Manager of Burton Albion, applauds fans before the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Boreham Wood and Burton Albion at Mangata Pay UK Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

placeholder image — Gary Bowyer, Manager of Burton Albion, applauds fans before the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Boreham Wood and Burton Albion at Mangata Pay UK Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Burton were in the Southern Premier League when Clough first arrived at the club. After years of consistency, the Brewers cracked the Conference and then eventually the Football League for the first time ever. In the 2008/09 season, Burton achieved their dream as Clough took them to the brink of promotion.

However, their eventual celebrations would be without the influential manager, as he had departed the club for Derby in the January. He left Burton 13 points clear of their closest rivals and on a record run of 11 straight victories.

When Clough returned in 2015, with Burton then in League One, he guided them to the Championship only seven years after they were playing non-league football.

“To get a club of this size, fanbase, budget, into the Championship, it’s an unbelievable achievement,” Bowyer continued. “It probably still doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. It certainly does from our supporters because they had a wonderful journey, I bet. It’s phenomenal what Nigel and his staff did.”

Clough spent another five years with Burton before agreeing to step down due to financial struggles during the Covid-19 pandemic. Later in 2020, he joined Mansfield Town and got to work on pushing to make their promotion dreams happen as well.

Clough’s pedigree as a manager does not go missed by others who come up against him. Bowyer had a lot of praise for the Stags boss and admitted he is surprised he hasn’t been approached for another job in the Championship by now.

“Nigel is very good with me. Whenever I feel like I need someone to bounce something off, I can give him a call. I’m amazed – and I mean this respectfully to Mansfield – that he’s not recently been poached and taken back up to the Championship,” Bowyer said.

“The way his teams play and how hard they work, it’s very similar to us. He’s a top, top manager and I dread to think how many games he’s had now.”