What the Stats Say...Torquay

Expect goals and cards galore on the South coast, as Oxford make the trip to Plainmoor to face Torquay United this weekend, in a fixture that has produced regular goalfests. Matt Peck compares the respective records of the division's least disciplined sides.

The January Sales

A new year approaches and that means one thing: out with the old and in with the new. January, and the opening of the transfer window, sparks a frenzy of movement in the football world as managers, chairmen, agents and players get to work on securing the moves that may come to shape the rest of the season. So what are our hopes and fears for this transfer window?

On This Day - 26/12/01

This year, as with last year, Oxford have been denied a lucrative home fixture on Boxing Day. But ten years ago, in our first season at Minchery Farm, the then-new stadium was to play host to a fiery encounter between Oxford and Luton in front of what was then a record crowd of 11,121.

What the Stats Say...Wimbledon

Oxford make a Boxing Day trip to Kingsmeadow to face AFC Wimbledon in the Football League for the first time. The original Wimbledon were familiar opponents before their defection to Milton Keynes, but this will just be United's second trip to the newly-formed phoenix club. Wimbledon are currently enjoying their first season back in the Football League, but have struggled of late, as Matt Peck reveals.

Merry Christmas from TBFUTH!

The festive season is well and truly upon us now, and that means one thing...a busy football schedule! Keep checking back over the holidays, we'll be taking a look back in time at an early Kassam Boxing Day fixture, as well as trying to keep things ticking over with our Christmas and New Year's fixtures and looking ahead to the January transfer window.

And if you've left left it until now to do your Christmas shopping, read this quick! It may not be too late!

The Bipolar Relationship Between Chris Wilder and Oxford United Supporters

So Chris Wilder has reached the milestone of three years in the job at OUFC, something I doubt many would have predicted three years ago, given that we had endured ten managerial changes in the preceding decade. One striking aspect of Wilder's reign – and this has been thrown into sharp relief in recent weeks – is the extreme extent to which he polarises the opinion of supporters. To a certain extent we would experience this no matter who is in charge (let's not forget the 'Pattonistas' and the 'anti-Pattos' during Darren Patterson's ill-fated tenure) but Wilder in particular appears to be divisive like no other figure currently at the club.

What the Stats Say...Northampton

Strugglers Northampton Town are the next visitors to the Kassam, and with new manager Aidy Boothroyd at the helm they may be confident of getting a result against an out of form Us side. However, as Matt Peck reveals, the stats show that they will have a tough task on their hands, as Oxford seek to banish memories of our last home match, which ended in defeat to Cheltenham Town.

Northampton's Loss is Oxford's Gain

This won't be popular among a certain (small but very vocal) section of our fanbase, but I'm going to praise Chris Wilder. With the recent run of poor results he's come in for a lot of criticism, and though some of it was justified, some amounted to little more than a vindictive personal attack on the man. Wilder is rightly criticised for what appears to be a scattergun approach to signings, and while some of the big name signings from the summer have so far been disappointing, in the interest of balance we should remember that some of Wilder's unheralded signings have proven to be unexpected stars.

What the Stats Say...Morecambe

United return to action after what feels like an eternity, having had spent the previous weekend watching other teams play in the second round of the FA Cup. Morecambe is the destination this weekend, a place where we have fared well on our few visits. Matt Peck mulls over previous encounters, examines each side's poor recent form and also compares disciplinary records.

Youth Team Unlucky to Lose Out

The under 18s were desperately unlucky to exit the FA Youth Cup at the hands of Premier League Bolton Wanderers on a bitterly cold evening at the Kassam Stadium. This was the first time any of these players had had the chance to play at the ground and they were all clearly eager to make the most of the opportunity. The match was watched by a good crowd of 451, curious at the opportunity to see future Oxford stars in action. Oxford progressed to the Third round after beating a highly fancied Dulwich Hamlet team, while Bolton, as a Premier Academy League team, entered the competition at this stage. However, with Bolton at the bottom of their league the tie was ripe for a cup upset.

Loanees Progress Report

With the January transfer window fast approaching, a flurry of activity is imminent, and given Wilder's track record at the club we can expect to see a host of new signings pulling on the famous yellow shirt in January. However, our ability to deal in the transfer market will be dependent on whether we can ship out some of the unwanted players on our books, many of whom are currently out on loan to other clubs. With several players currently out on loan, from the youngsters gaining experience lower down the pyramid to those players who have served their purpose here and will be looking to put themselves in the shop window, now seems a good time to catch up with those Oxford players currently plying their trade elsewhere.