Liam Boyce: Hearts transfer from Burton Albion still 'frustrates' Nigel Clough

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough has reiterated his disappointment at losing main striker Liam Boyce to Hearts last month.

The Jambos snapped up Boyce for a fee believed to be in the region of £150,000, with the Northern Irishman scoring the winner against Rangers on his debut.

Boyce is already a key man at Tynecastle, but Brewers boss Clough is still dismayed that they had to let their top goalscorer leave as his contract approached its expiry in June.

“We pretty much knew it would happen if somebody came in with a reasonable offer when he’s got four or five months left on his contract, then as a club and the financial position that we’re in, then he was going to go," Clough told the Totally Football Show.

“But it’s frustrating. It’s one of those of being a small club like Burton Albion in League One. You know, our crowd last night [against Oxford United] was less than 3,000, and I think the majority of Conference clubs get bigger crowds than us [actually only the top six or seven do, but the point stands].

“It’s not a criticism – that’s just the size of the club that we are. So it’s a practical problem – we don’t have outside investment, so we live within our means and the club’s been very successful doing that for 25 years while the chairman’s been here."

Boyce is expected to lead the line tonight as Hearts face Celtic in Glasgow.