Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson has praised the tireless efforts of the Brewers staff on and off the pitch after the club's annual accounts showed Albion made a record operating profit of more than £1million during an unforgettable debut Championship campaign.

The accounts for the last financial year, released today, show the club to have made a pre-tax and post-depreciation profit of £1,344,038, with the commercial benefits of featuring in English football's second tier having a telling impact.

Albion's cost of sales, which includes wages, were up to £7,858,517 from £3,049,067 the previous year, with an increased budget included to ensure Nigel Clough's team were able to compete in such a fiercely competitive division where Burton's resources were far outweighed by those of their rivals.

But that was more than offset by a huge increase in turnover from £4,240,834 to £11,442,662.

Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium
Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium

That included a commercial income of £9,888,956, more than three times the corresponding sum from the previous 12 months.

Unsurprisingly, gate receipts also rose as a result of the Brewers playing at the highest level in their 67-year history, with £1,553,706 taken, up from £1,089,452.

On top of those figures, Burton Albion's continuing development and growth is seen in the fact that the number of club employees rose from an average of 226 in League One to 254 last season.

"It was an important year for the club, with the challenges and opportunities presented by playing in the Championship," said Robinson.

"For a club of our size, competing against former European champions, and in a division where the vast majority of clubs have been in the Premier League and some still receive parachute payments, it's not a level playing field.

"Therefore, it was important to maximise resources.

"We need to congratulate the manager, his coaching staff and the players for the 'miracle' of keeping Burton Albion in the Championship on what were limited resources compared with all other clubs.

The Brewers survived in the Championship in 2016/17
The Brewers survived in the Championship in 2016/17

"That we were able to achieve our primary aim of avoiding relegation was down to the manager's ability to make maximum use of the playing budget, and the commitment shown on and off the pitch.

"I would also like to praise all the club staff who have had to step up to the standards and workload expected for a Championship club and who have worked wholeheartedly to help us achieve our aims.

"Having survived relegation, the club needed to be in a strong financial position heading into our second season in the Championship."

With the account figures relating to the year June 1 2016 to May 31 2017, the pre-tax profit does not include the club-record transfer fee received for Jackson Irvine in August, or the substantial amount the Brewers made from the Carabao Cup third-round game at Manchester United last month.

Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson

As ever, Burton Albion are a club intent on moving forward - and Robinson knows they are well placed to continue doing just that.

"Our charity, Burton Albion Community Trust, is making an ever-greater impact," added the Albion chairman.

"Following on from the completion of our 3G community all-weather pitch at the Pirelli Stadium, we will soon be opening the new building at the facility which will be another key part in the Community Trust's development.

"We continue to be proud of BACT's achievements in the community, recognised by the EFL Awards as Midlands Community Club of the Year 2017.

"Off the field, we also continue to explore new ways of generating non-matchday revenue, such as our Club Albion business network, which not only brings in income, but also allows other firms to exploit the powerful brand of a Championship football club.

"All this means we are in a good position going forward, with a solid base to make strategic investments in line with our performance on the football field."