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Massive news for Burton Albion with new financial takeover getting fans excited for the future

There was massive news announced for Burton Albion this week with a new financial takeover getting fans excited for the future.

Burton Albion’s long-standing chairman, Ben Robinson, has transferred his majority ownership of the club to the Nordic Football Group.

His daughter Fleur Robinson has been appointed as the new chief executive after serving in the same capacity at fellow League One club Wrexham.

Ben Robinson Jr, the chairman’s son, will continue to play a crucial role in the club’s operations.

Taking over from the Burton chairman is Ole Jakob Strandhagen, with Tom Davidson, Bendik Hareide, and Kevin Skabo from NFG also joining the board.

What a legacy Robinson with Burton, moving them into the Pirelli Stadium in 2005 and achieved promotion to the English Football League in 2009 under Nigel Clough’s management.

The chairman briefly left the club in 2016, then returned to guide the Brewers to the Championship. After a brief stint in the Championship, a promotion that stunned everyone, Burton returned to League One in 2018, where they have since remained.

STATEMENT FROM CHAIRMAN

Dear Supporter

In February 2025, it will be 50 years since I first joined the Board of Burton Albion Football Club. It has been an amazing journey for me and my family, filled with countless memories that will last forever. The move from Eton Park to the Pirelli Stadium, the FA Cup ties against Manchester United, promotion to the Championship and the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City are just a few of the highlights that stand out for me. The Club has seen a spectacular rise since our non-league days, while I have also been fortunate to witness the continued growth of our Community Trust along the way.

 

Throughout these years, Burton Albion has always remained a family-friendly and community-minded Football Club. It has always been extremely important to me to maintain the strong sense of community values we have worked hard to build, and for the Club to continue being at the heart of the community. We should be proud that our Trust now engages with 14,000 people each week and delivers over 40 projects annually. Following the COVID-pandemic, the Pirelli vaccination centre was established, delivering over 750,000 COVID and flu vaccinations to date.

I began my journey at Burton Albion in 1975 and with my 80th birthday approaching next year, I have been thinking for some time now how I can best protect the Club’s legacy and future. After careful consideration, I have decided that now is the right time to sell my controlling interest in the Club to the Nordic Football Group UK Ltd.

This presents a fantastic opportunity to bring new investment into the football club and I am confident that the new owners will develop and continue to build a financially sustainable Club moving forward. Furthermore, NFG has an excellent football and commercial pedigree and importantly, they are aligned with the Club’s values and ethos. They are people who share the same core values of integrity, honesty and respect, which have helped Burton Albion get to where it is today. NFG have an inspirational vision of how they would like to take the Club forward and they understand the importance of working with, and supporting the local community, which is high on the agenda.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of Burton Albion’s story so far – our Board Members, Staff, Sponsors, Supporters and the Football Managers and Players who have produced so much success on the field of play.

While I am selling the Club, I am delighted to share with you that I, along with Fleur, who is returning home from Wrexham to be the Club’s CEO, and Ben Jr., will continue to be an integral part of Burton Albion. I am very thankful that NFG has provided me and my family with the opportunity for us to work together for the foreseeable future.

Our Club faces an exciting time ahead and I am looking forward to working with NFG to ensure a seamless transition under the new ownership. Together, we will look forward to welcoming you all back to the Pirelli Stadium for what I am sure will be another eventful season in our history.

Yours faithfully

Ben Robinson MBE, DL

STATEMENT ON NEW ERA

TODAY marks the beginning of an exciting new era for Burton Albion Football Club after the EFL cleared the sale of Chairman Ben Robinson’s entire majority ownership stake to Nordic Football Group (NFG).

An open letter from Ben confirming this news can be viewed here.

Although there has been a change in ownership, Ben’s near 50-year association with Burton Albion is certainly not coming to an end. NFG has appointed Robinson as Honorary Chairman of the Club and he has also accepted a role to remain in an advisory capacity working alongside the new owners.

Furthermore, the Robinson-family connection will be strengthened with Ben Robinson Jr. remaining an integral part of the Club’s operations and Fleur Robinson returning to Burton Albion as Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 July, after having held the same role at Wrexham for the past three years where the team enjoyed back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One.

The Club’s newly formed Board of Directors sees Ole Jakob Strandhagen appointed as Chairman, NFG’s Founder and CEO Tom Davidson as Deputy Chairman, Bendik Hareide as Sporting Director, while Kevin C. Skabo will take up the role of Commercial Director.

Commenting for the first time as the proud new owners of Burton Albion, NFG wish to share this message with the fanbase:

“We are privileged and grateful for this torch to be passed on to us, and we take this responsibility of being the custodians of your football club extremely seriously. Over time, we aim to earn your respect and friendship through our execution of this responsibility. This opportunity means a great deal to us, and we understand that the future progress and performance of Burton Albion Football Club now rests squarely on our shoulders, as they have on Ben’s until today. We can assure you that we are committed to doing everything in our power to help move this football club forward as effectively as we possibly can, and to be proud ambassadors for the town and people of Burton upon Trent.

“We fully understand that for the supporters, it has been a frustrating and uncertain time lately because there has been such little official news since the end of the season. This is why we are so pleased to finally be able to officially communicate with you all now, and we intend to follow an approach of being accessible and engaged. This is very important to the way we wish to operate.

“Our gratitude goes to Ben Robinson. His unwavering love for this football club, the people, and the town of Burton upon Trent has been evident throughout our conversations, and he continues to underline just how important Burton Albion and the Community Trust is to him and everyone throughout this town.”

“He has profoundly shaped what Burton Albion is today, epitomising what a football club should stand for: unity and belonging through a proud and rich history, a devoted fan base, dedicated staff, and a strong sense of connection with its community. These are characteristics we highly value, and we are committed to building upon this strong foundation.

“Every club has its own rich history, but we love Burton’s underdog story. We feel it is unique – coming from non-league football to climb the divisions against all odds through stable leadership and financial sustainability while maintaining its strong local connections.

“The prospect of being part of the broader Burton family and community was incredibly compelling for us. We believe that if everyone with a passion for Burton Albion can come together in this next chapter, we can achieve great things for the Club, town, and people of Burton upon Trent. We are committed long-term to helping develop the Club and all it can bring to the community.

“While NFG has strong experience across the Nordic region, running an English football club is unchartered territory and the town, people and culture of Burton upon Trent is new to us. Therefore, it is crucial to have the Robinson family by our side, leaning on their immense expertise, experience, and ethos. We are thrilled to be working together with Ben, Fleur, and Ben Jr. as we enter this exciting new phase in the Club’s history.

“We are already thinking ahead to next year and the 75th anniversary of the Club’s formation. We are looking forward to meeting with the fans and all key groups to work on how we can mark this significant milestone and ensure we build the best possible foundations for another 75 successful years for the football club. We’re also excited to celebrate Ben’s remarkable 50-year association with Burton Albion.

“We like to think that the Burton family just got a little bigger, too, and we can now welcome a new group of potential fans from across the Nordic region as we prepare for the new season and beyond.

“As an ownership group, we are ambitious, but we are not seeking to implement radical change nor risk the Club’s future for short-term success. We want to invest in all the key assets associated with the Club, including exploring ways to enhance the stadium experience for fans and supporting the remarkable work of the Burton Albion Community Trust, an inspirational organisation in creating positive and life-changing impact on the local and surrounding communities.

“On the pitch, we want to develop teams that the fans and town can be proud to have represent them. It is about seeing a team perform in a way that people can enjoy watching every weekend, and obviously, we want to win! We want that success to come through being sustainable. This is about year-on-year growth and using the expertise, resources, and network of NFG and the wider Burton family to drive an increase in revenue, which can then be invested back into the Club.

“We are committed to player development, to create a destination where young players feel they can really improve and prosper. We want to develop a high-performance culture not just for the men’s team but also for continuing the success of the academy to produce talented local players and build a competitive women’s team in the same way. It is a crucial part of our overarching vision that we create a pathway for girls to get involved in the game just like the boys do.

“Our ideas and plans will take time, and nothing will be carried out without input from the fans and stakeholders of both the football club and the town of Burton upon Trent. Your contribution to our efforts and progress moving forward will be invaluable.”

“We believe there is a lot to look forward to, and that includes announcing plans for our new coaching setup in the near future.

“For us, it is vital that we carry on Ben’s incredible work by running this club on a stable footing and, more than anything else, continue to instil the values that Burton Albion stands for.

“Over the coming weeks, we will make further announcements about organising supporter activities, and we look forward to getting to know many of you then.”

For more information on the new Board of Directors, their bios are available to view on the Burton Albion website.

 


For all media enquiries, please contact:
Simon Felstein
Mobile: +44 7917 042990
Email: simon@wearetsa.com

About NFG

Nordic Football Group UK Limited (NFG) is the new majority owner of Burton Albion Football Club. NFG comprises a management team, advisors, and investors from Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, and Finland.

The group is led by the management team of NFG, which includes CEO and Founder Tom Davidson, who will serve as Deputy Chairman of BAFC; Ole Jakob Strandhagen, Head of Finance at NFG and Chairman of BAFC; Bendik Hareide, Sporting Director for NFG and BAFC; and Kevin C. Skabo, Commercial Director for NFG and BAFC.

NFG believes in the values, passion, and power of football, recognising its important role as a positive force in the community and society as a whole.

NFG aims to honour the legacy, standards, and principles of Burton Albion, building on the successful, caring, and sustainable work established by Ben Robinson, while simultaneously progressing the Club in all aspects.

This commitment is reinforced by the recognition that BAFC belongs to the fans, the people, and the town of Burton upon Trent, both now and always.

Twitter users reacted to the massive news for Burton Albion with a new financial takeover getting fans excited for the future…

@TomBAFCjarvo: Thanks for everything Ben I always knew new you would keep the club in safe hands enjoy your well earned retirement

@dylzyy1: Thanks for everything Ben. Top bloke who cares about the club

@AJayS319: I hope there will be an opportunity for the fans to thank Ben. This last few years have been hard on everyone and that undoubtedly transferred up to Boardroom level but it is not unrecognised by anyone just where we’ve been and how integral Ben has been to where we are now.

@Haushinkadaz: Thank you for rescuing the club and keeping a tight ship, Ben. Fleur was always a natural successor, and knowing that your shrewd teachings will be carried forward is a comfort. Glad you’re still involved, but hope it means you can start to relax a little now 💛🖤

@Goonyella_: Thanks for everything Ben, nothing lasts forever but keeping Burton healthy and moving forward will always be remembered and appreciated!

@SAM1950BAFC: Thank you Ben for everything you have given this club 🖤💛

@craigj_thomas91: Welcome, NFG! I look forward to a new era. For me, the most important part of this transaction is that Ben stays as an Advisor. The job he has done is remarkable with the club going from non-league to as high as the Championship! Thank you, Ben! 🟡⚫️

@Andybettridge1: End of an era – the move to the Pirelli Stadium, guiding the club from the non-league to the Championship, taking Manchester United to a replay, cup ties against Liverpool, Manchester City etc. Lots he can be proud of.

@R1chW4tto: Up the Nordic Brewers

@markwighty6: There isn’t many better Chairmen around than Ben Robinson! 🙌🏼 Can’t put into words what he’s done, not just for #bafc but the whole of Burton-on-Trent, genuinely remarkable! Exciting time to be a Brewer! 🍻 Thanks for everything Ben!👏🏼

@jackyp97: Very exciting times ahead. What Ben has done for the club cannot be understated and glad to hear he’s staying and Fleur is coming back. Up the Scandi Brewers 💛🖤

@jonesniall94: Not many better Chairmen in the EFL than Ben. Some incredible memories over the years and the club is totally unrecognisable from the Eton Park days

@LYelland_90: Wow, absolutely massive, barely any of us know the club without Ben at the helm, exciting yet nervous times ahead. The main thing to be said is thank you Ben Robinson, to him we owe it all #BAFC

@DavidBastin12: Huge news at Burton. Ben was the man at the helm from the days in the Northern Premier all the way until the Championship.

@RMcCarthy98: Another club getting investment while we’re at a complete stand still and don’t invest in our best manager in last 10 years. But at least we do a lot in the community and are getting a stand finished hey

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