3 Burton Albion Players Who May Benefit From Martin Paterson Appointment
Burton Albion's month long search for a new manager came to an end with the appointment of former Burnley striker Martin Paterson.
It was a long search but Burton Albion finally have a new manager.
Former Burnley striker Martin Paterson was appointed on Thursday and will look to be the first Burton manager to last two full seasons at the club since Nigel Clough.
The Burton Albion job is Paterson’s first as a manager and many supporters have voiced their displeasure that chairman Ben Robinson has trusted another inexperienced coach to lead the club. Brewers fans will hope that Paterson goes on to replicate Gary Rowett’s success and not Jake Buxton’s.
In terms of style, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe described Paterson as “a real grafter” in an interview with the Lancashire Telegraph in 2011 so fans can expect The Brewers to continue the hard-working mentality established under caretaker Gary Mills.
Paterson’s coaching experience has seen him work in Florida with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Inter Miami before joining Michael Duff at Barnsley and Swansea City. Duff’s teams attempted to play an attractive, high-octane style of football which will be welcomed at the Pirelli Stadium.
So, which Burton Albion players will benefit from a change in manager and style?
3 Burton Albion Players Who May Benefit From Martin Paterson's Appointment
Mark Helm
After a promising preseason, Mark Helm’s campaign has never really got going. The former Manchester United academy player is an attacking midfielder who is often forced out wide due to a combination of his lack of size and Burton’s defensive setup.
Helm only managed 2 goals and 2 assists in 17 League One games before getting injured after scoring in Burton’s cup game against Wrexham on December 5th. It speaks for the lack of creativity in The Brewers’ squad that no Burton player has more League One assists than Helm this season.
The 22-year old should be back in action during Febuary and may benefit if Paterson decides to play a more attacking style including a midfield three. This would allow Helm to play alongside Deji Oshilaja and Joe Powell and give him less defensive responsibility.
Rekeem Harper
Arriving from Exeter City in the summer, Rekeem Harper was supposed to finally find his footballing home at the Pirelli Stadium. However, after only managing 6 League One starts, the former West Brom midfielder may be among a handful of players leaving the Pirelli Stadium in January.
Deji Oshilaja and Joe Powell have been preferred to Harper in midfield and when given a rare chance from the start against Blackpool, the 23-year-old failed to impress. Harper lost all 3 of his ground duels and only completed 76% of his passes.
Although he’s struggled to show it so far, Harper has some untapped potential that may be worth holding on to in January. He’s tall, strong and has shown a calmness on the ball that may be better suited to a more attacking style of play. Under Martin Paterson, Harper may get a chance to prove his worth.
Mason Bennett
Brewers fans would be forgiven for thinking Mason Bennett had made the step up from League Two rather than the step down from The Championship when watching him this season.
The 27-year-old was never much of a goalscorer for former club Millwall but Victor Adeboyejo shone when moving from the Championship in 2022 and similar was expected from Bennett. Instead, the former Derby County man has managed just one League One goal in 20 games.
The team’s poor form and injuries seem to have killed Bennett’s confidence but Paterson’s arrival will see every player given a clean slate. A fresh start may see the 27-year-old rediscover the form that has seen him play 9 seasons in the Championship.