Shrewsbury Town manager Paul Hurst has revealed his "respect" for Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough ahead of Saturday's pre-season friendly between the two sides.

The Brewers travel to Montgomery Waters Meadow on Saturday for their penultimate pre-season friendly fixture of the summer before the start of the 2017/18 campaign next weekend on August 5 against Cardiff City.

It's been a mixed bag of results for Albion over the summer, with combinations of academy and first-team squads playing teams of different calibres.

Thursday night's 9-0 romp against Arnold Town of the East Midlands Counties followed a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Premier League's West Bromwich Albion at the Pirelli Stadium on Wednesday night.

With just Saturday's Shrewsbury test and Tuesday night's Leicester City encounter to come before the big kick-off at the Pirelli on Saturday week, these matches against league opposition will give Brewers boss Nigel Clough the chance to pit his charges against a similar standard they will face week in, week-out.

Shrewsbury will certainly fancy their chances, as the League One side have already beaten Wolves, Aston Villa, and Cardiff City this summer.

And boss Paul Hurst, who spent the latter part of the 2008/09 season with the Brewers on loan from Rotherham United, has spoken of his "respect" for Clough's non-league background before the two sides meet.

Clough took the former Grimsby Town manager on loan from the Millers after he was sent out in a bid to regain his fitness, and extended his loan after he became a regular in the side.

Paul Hurst in action for Burton Albion
Paul Hurst in action for Burton Albion

But for Hurst, it speaks volumes about Clough's character that he dropped down into the non-league pyramid and earned his stripes at the foot of the game.

“I respect him for that,” Hurst told the Shropshire Star .

“He obviously had his dad and for some people he (Brian) is right up there with one of the best managers ever.

“Brian had a different style than most but had a fantastic career. To have to follow in his footsteps brings its own difficulties but he’s done fantastically well.

“It’s nice that someone of that name, and with his own playing career, was willing to start so low down. I have total respect for people like that.

“Some people are fortunate, they get chances straight away at a high level.

“If they take it, then fair play. But he got his hands dirty, he looked after himself, he would play in reserve games from time to time.

“For me he’s learned his trade. It’ll be nice to see him again.”

The Brewers will be hoping to follow Thursday night's 9-0 thrashing of Arnold Town up with a victory against Shrewsbury
The Brewers will be hoping to follow Thursday night's 9-0 thrashing of Arnold Town up with a victory against Shrewsbury

Hurst also pointed to Burton's survival act last season as something for other teams to aspire to and emulate.

“I think they give so-called smaller clubs hope.

“I guess I was at a club in Rotherham where we weren’t the biggest team.

They’ve come down to League One now and are a different animal but in Championship terms they were still one of the smaller clubs.

“For Burton to stay there last season was a great achievement against the opposition with far bigger crowds and budgets.”