Nigel Clough might be on course to secure his greatest achievement as a manager.

Burton Albion fans are just glad he is there guiding them through a first ever Championship adventure.

Clough takes to the technical area at the Amex today, where he last sat to watch his Derby County side beat Oscar Garcia’s Albion 2-1 in the early days of 2013-14.

He might easily have been elsewhere this afternoon.

Odds were short he would take over at Nottingham Forest, the club he served so well as a player, last month.

But a case of déjà vu was averted for Brewers fans and his aim is very much on maintaining Burton in the division.

A bit like Mark McGhee keeping Albion in the Championship at Withdean in 2004-05, staying in the second tier would arguably be an even bigger feat than getting there.

The Argus:

Nigel Clough meets Oscar Garcia on his last visit to the Amex, with Derby

Clough said: “If you’d have said that, after 30 games, we would have 31 points, we’d have probably taken that.

“A lot of people probably assumed we would be adrift and almost down by now.

“It’s good to be in there with a fighting chance at this stage.

“You always aim for the 50-point mark. It has been less than that in recent seasons but it could be one of those funny years when you need the 50 or just over.”

Clough believes Burton have arrived in the Championship at a time when it is better than ever, certainly in terms of strength in depth.

He said: “When you look at the teams down to halfway, they are all in with a shout.

“And look at the teams in the bottom half. You wouldn’t have said Villa would be in the bottom half.

“Ipswich have challenged for the play-offs, Wolves could have been there or thereabouts.

“Brighton and Newcastle I still think will be the automatic two. After that, it’s anybody’s guess.

The Argus:

Nigel Clough's late dad Brian watches his first game as Albion manager flanked by assistant Peter Taylor (smoking cigarette) and chairman Mike Bamber

“You can see the quality of the teams in the bottom half. Who would have thought Blackburn would have been in the bottom three?

“Wigan came up as champions last season.”

Indeed they did. But the Latics have parted company with boss Gary Caldwell this season are in deep relegation trouble.

Burton are looking a better bet to stay up. They started the season playing 3-5-2 and shocked Derby and Sheffield Wednesday but Clough was clever enough to change that when he felt they were being found out.

Michael Kightly and Lasse Vigen Christensen are quality recent additions out wide but they are still a bit short in defence, especially with John Brayford and Kyle McFadzean ruled out.

So far, so good, but fans were feeling that case of déjà vu when Forest came calling for one of their favourite sons – or grandsons, depending how you look at it. His dad Brian was short-lived Albion boss in the 1970s and famously took little Nigel to the dugout with him.

But he became an icon in managing Forest from the second division to the top flight, to the title, to being twice champions of Europe.

Having sacked Philippe Montanier, Forest first contacted Oscar as a potential replacement. So they did not exactly make a dash to Clough’s door. But they approached him. And he considered it.

Burton waited with bated breath. Two seasons ago, they lost Gary Rowett to Birmingham City after he had initially turned down the chance to join Blackpool.

Then, last season, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, having not been tempted by interest from Rotherham, found QPR to be too big a lure.

This time, though, things were different. Those close to the club believe Clough thought long and hard before making his decision.

But, like Oscar at Red Bull Salzburg, he ultimately decided the stable surroundings in which he was doing a good job was a better bet than what remains an unsettled backdrop at Forest.

And Burton fans breathed a sigh of relief.

Clough had left the club once before to take over at Derby but that was a step up of three divisions from the Conference high-flyers to the Championship.

From Burton to Forest last month would have represented a step up in league position of just one place.

So Clough kept his colours pinned to the mast of the division’s minnows.

He appreciates what that means by way of challenge.

“Chris Hughton has done a magnificent job at Brighton,” he said. “They have recruited well. I was a bit surprised when the figures came out and they lost about £26 million last year to reach the play-offs. That probably puts into perspective what the Championship clubs are doing.”