Will Albion have a whole spine of side to replace?

BURTON Albion may have quite a lot of last season's squad left but supporters looking ahead to the new campaign are concerned about the importance of those they have lost - or may yet lose - and whether the club will be able to replace them adequately.

- By COLSTON CRAWFORD

A quick look back shows that 13 of the 18-man match-day squad from the last game of last season, away to Charlton Athletic, are still with the club.

Of those five no longer here, only goalkeeper Max Crocombe was offered the chance to stay and chose not to.

The figure is 12 out of 18 from the previous match, at home to Wigan Athletic, when Ryan Sweeney, who also chose to leave, was still playing.

The concern, perhaps, is how many of the 12 or 13 still here might not be first choices: Tomas Kalinauskas, Harry Isted, Julian Larsson, Josh Taroni and Jack Newall for instance.

And the picture does not look so good when you add up the departures, loans and otherwise, from the team which competed so well in the second half of the campaign.

Much is said about the "spine" of a side but Crocombe, Sweeney, Owen Dodgson and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is close to it.

And then there is the ongoing speculation about the future of striker Rumarn Burrell.

The closest the club have come to an official comment was to concede that they have turned down an offer for Burrell which did not meet their valuation.

The rumour which has followed was that Plymouth Argyle, the club thought to be chasing him, have come back with a bigger bid.

Burrell's continued absence was genuinely but also, let's be honest, rather conveniently explained by the later break afforded to him after his Jamaica international duties extended into June.