Ex-League One star eyes up history-making title win after taking European gamble

As a player in England, Christian Burgess made just one appearance in the Championship.

Even that was a dead rubber game on the final day of the 2012-13 season for Middlesbrough. Now, he is playing a big part in one of the more romantic stories in European football at Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

The historic club is in its first season back at the top table of Belgian football for almost half a century. Rather than simply make up the numbers though, Union have surpassed all expectations by finishing top of the table in the regular 34-game season. They have achieved it by winning 23 of their 33 games and holding off the challenge of clubs with vaster resources such as Vincent Kompany's Anderlecht and Club Brugge.

The club, one of the oldest in Belgium who were taken over by Brighton owner Tony Bloom back in 2018, now must come through a convoluted play-off process as they bid to seal a first title since 1935.

Burgess has more than played his part in that being a possibility, featuring 28 times in what is proving to be another memorable season on the continent for the giant defender. "For someone like me, at 30 years of age, this might be my last chance to play in Europe but the aim now is to win the league," he said recently, in an interview with Sky Sports. "We have a great opportunity that might never come around again. I have loved every minute of it."

Burgess' time in Belgium began back in 2020, signing a three-year contract with the club who were then in the second tier. They would win promotion at a canter, losing just twice all season. That form and momentum has carried on this season, with a closely-knit group aiming to defy those who believe their bubble will eventually burst. Burgess, who has enjoyed a fine season at the heart of a three-man defence, says the chance to play and live abroad was something he had always wanted to do.

After leaving Boro he would eventually drop down the leagues to get regular football, first with Hartlepool and then Peterborough before putting down roots at Portsmouth where he would spend five years. But when his contract at Fratton Park expired it suddenly presented him with the chance for a fresh start.

"It was something that attracted me to Belgium, learning a language, experiencing this continental cafe culture, just a different way of living over here. Why not?," Burgess added. "I had always wanted to live and work abroad so I just thought it was a great opportunity.

"You do need to be a certain type of person, you also need certain circumstances. You have to be open to adapting to a different culture, a different challenge, getting out of your comfort zone with the language barrier, just open to exploring something new."

The experience of winning the league title last year was something that was not new for Burgess, having been part of the Pompey side that won the League Two championship in 2017. But to repeat the feat this term would be the pinnacle of his and most of his teammates' careers. The squad at Union is certainly cosmopolitan, with players hailing from Madagascar, Luxembourg, Japan and Malta, Most have been picked up thanks to canny recruitment, whilst there is also another Englishman at the club, aside from Burgess: former MK Dons' player Matthew Sorinola, has made 14 appearances from the bench this term having struggled with injuries in the second half of this season.

The undoubted star of the team is Deniz Undav, who is on loan from Brighton and has 25 goals this season. Burgess is hoping for a fairytale finish to the season as his team face the sides who finished second, third and fourth - Club Brugge, Anderlecht and Antwerp - both home and away.

He added: "There will be a massive spotlight on the play-offs. Cliched as it sounds it will be like six cup finals, adrenaline, nerves, big games and big crowds. It is exciting. There have been standout games and nice personal performances but I hope the best ones are yet to come."