The agonising feeling of Burton Albion's relegation from the Championship may never completely disappear for Nigel Clough.

A week has now passed since the Brewers' against-the-odds two-year stay in English football's second tier came to a dramatic end at Preston North End.

It meant a first relegation in 41 years for Albion and the first of Clough's 20-year managerial career.

Many had written any faltering Burton hopes off with four games to go of the campaign when they found themselves seven points adrift.

Three straight wins gave the Brewers a shot at survival on the final day
Three straight wins gave the Brewers a shot at survival on the final day

But five minutes of the 46th and final game were ultimately all that stood between Clough's side and arguably the greatest achievement in the club's 68-year history.

And bouncing back from such a disappointment was never likely to happen overnight.

"It's not getting any better at the moment," said Clough.

"We had no choice but to start moving on with things like this (offering new contracts and finalising the retained list), planning for next season.

"But the feeling won't go away. I don't know if it ever really will.

"We were never favourites going into the Preston game.

"But when you get back to 1-1 and you hear the score (at Bolton Wanderers), you're looking at your watch and there's over 85 minutes gone, you just have a little thing of hope that it might turn out all right.

"And then just to have it snatched away, as it was.

Nigel Clough looks dejected as Burton Albion are relegated to League One

"We were still trying to score that second goal, we knew we wanted to win.

"We were trying to score, and you think about the opportunities we had - the save made from Marvin Sordell, Tom Naylor's free header and situations around the penalty area.

"We weren't sitting back, we were trying to get a goal to try to win the game.

"But Preston are the seventh best team in the league, unfortunately."

The Brewers look dejected after Preston's late winner
The Brewers look dejected after Preston's late winner

Before the Preston game, Clough had said he would not allow himself to consider how he would feel if the Brewers pulled off their great escape.

Inevitably, though, the odd positive thought crept into Clough's head as time ticked down at Deepdale and in Bolton's clash with Nottingham Forest, where they were trailing 2-1 until the 87th minute.

While there were plenty of turning points throughout an up-and-down season for Burton, their fate was sealed at that latest of stages.

Liam Boyce's face says it all as Burton Albion are relegated

"A fraction, yes," added Clough when asked if he allowed himself to imagine survival late on against Preston.

"You try not to and you're looking at your watch.

"We've got people at the Bolton game and we know the score.

"'Is everything okay?' 'Yes it is, yes, Bolton are putting a bit of pressure on but nothing to suggest anything.'

"Then all of a sudden it's 2-2 and you think, 'okay, it's still 2-2, come on, if we get a goal (it will not matter).

"So we are trying to score. And then for them to get one straight away again, it's just complete despair.

"We only conceded the goal because we went silly at the end, but we'd have got 10 points from the last four games - and it wouldn't have been enough.

"Obviously you look beyond that and the previous 42 games, and there were plenty of opportunities we had to pick up points.

"But you'll never get away from it coming down to that last few minutes."