As is
now customary, our profiles of Oxford' new signings are now online.
We're slightly behind schedule this year but as the transfer window
hasn't yet closed, there's still time to read up on the new signings!
Sean
Rigg
United's
first signing of the summer was Sean Rigg, who arrived at the club
back in May, just weeks after the 2011-12 season finished, from our
last league opponents, Port Vale. Rigg began his professional career
at Bristol
Rovers after rising through the youth ranks at the Bristol
Academy of Sport. Shortly after making his Rovers debut he
suffered a broken jaw after being punched by an opposition player in
an FA Cup match against Barrow. The offending payer, James Cotterill,
was later sentenced to four
months in prison for assault.
At the
end of his first season as a professional, Rigg was promoted to
League One with Bristol Rovers and was a regular starter during that
time, making 38 first team appearances. However, Rigg struggled to
get into the first team in 2008-09, making just 16 appearances in a
season which included a loan spell at Grays Athletic. He was loaned
out to Forest Green Rovers at the start of the 2009-10 season,
scoring on his debut against Rushden and featuring in a 0-0
draw at the Kassam. He then joined Port Vale on loan, forming a
successful strike partnership with Marc
Richards, and signed permanently at the end of the season.
Micky
Adams switched Rigg out to the wing, where he excelled
and became an essential member of the Port Vale team. Last season,
Rigg missed out during much of the early part of the season due to
injury but worked his way back into the team and went on to score in
Port Vale's 3-0 victory over Oxford in the final match of last
season. At the end of the season, with Vale's economic situation
looking increasingly uncertain, he backtracked on a pledge
to sign a new contract at Port Vale and signed for Oxford for an
increased
wage.
Michael
Raynes
Michael
Raynes began his footballing career at Stockport County, making his
debut as a promising 17-year-old. Before the end of the season he had
established himself as a regular member of the side but was unable to
prevent the Hatters from suffering relegation to League Two. However,
Raynes' performances attracted plenty of attention, with Premier
League West
Brom lining up a bid for him, but he remained with
Stockport and over the next several years made over 150
appearances for the club.
Raynes
eventually made the step up in February 2010 when he signed for
Championship club Scunthorpe, but his initial struggles
to break into the side were compounded by injury problems and
illness. Raynes was never able to fully establish himself in the
Scunthorpe side and joined Rotherham during the summer of 2011. Last
season he made 33 appearances for the Millers, and was involved in
their 2-1 defeat
at the Kassam in March.
Alex
Evans
Alex
Evans signed just days before the start of the season on a
non-contract basis, having spent much of pre-season at Oxford on
trial. Evans came through the youth system at Cardiff City and was
offered his first professional contract at the beginning of last
season. He failed to make an impact, however, and was limited to just
a single first team appearance, in the League Cup against...Oxford
United. Evans played in defence and did reasonably well at
dealing with the United attack, but was given no further
opportunities during his time at Cardiff, being released at the end
of the season.
During
the summer, he was one of many trialists to turn out for Oxford,
joining the club for its tour of the USA and doing enough to persuade
Chris Wilder to take another look after the team had returned home.
Evans appeared against his old club in our 2-1 defeat at the Kassam,
but along with the other trialists at the club over the summer he was
not offered a permanent
deal. However, injury problems forced the club into a U-turn and
Evans was offered a non-contract deal.
In
reality, it is unlikely that Evans will appear much for Oxford this
season and he will probably part ways with the club before long, as
has been the case with others such as Ryan James and Matthew
Fletcher. However, it is reassuring to have cover and if he impresses
– and if the budget will stretch – perhaps Evans' stay will
become more permanent.
Lee
Cox
Cox
joined Oxford on a six-month loan deal from Swindon, making him the
third player in the past 12 months to switch allegiance – after
Mehdi
Kerrouche and Lee Holmes. He came through the Academy at
Leicester City, winning the Premier Academy League in 2006-07, but
failed to make the grade there at senior level. After a brief and
unsuccessful loan spell at Yeovil he was released and joined
Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2009.
Cox
found his stride at Caley, playing a vital role as they strolled to
the Division 1 title. He continued to be an important player for
Inverness in the SPL until big-spending Swindon Town bought him in
January 2011 for an 'undisclosed
fee'. He featured for Swindon in their 2-0 defeat at the Kassam,
before apparently falling out with Di Canio and being placed on the
transfer list at the end of the season, despite still having two
years left to run on his contract.
Jake
Forster-Caskey
18-year-old
Forster-Caskey, the son of Darren Caskey and stepson of Nicky
Forster, looks set to have a very bright career ahead of him. He has
come through the youth setup at Brighton, and in May 2010 – at the
age of just 16 years and 13 days – he became the youngest player
ever to feature for the Seagulls when he came on as a substitute
against Yeovil Town. Over the next couple of years he continued his
development in the youth team, making a handful of first team
appearances as well.
Forster-Caskey
has represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-18 levels. He
captained the under-17s in the 2010 Nordic tournament, scoring his
first international goal in 5-0 victory over Finland. He also played
in the under-17 European Championships as England reached the
semi-final,
and in the 2011 under-17 World Cup when England reached the
quarter-finals.
Forster-Caskey
chose to join Oxford over Burton after receiving offers from both
clubs, and he has already had an impact, scoring a gorgeous goal
against Bristol
Rovers on the opening day of the season.
Sean
McGinty
Sean
McGinty has joined on loan from Manchester United until January.
Maidstone-born McGinty began his career in the Charlton Athletic
Academy, before being snapped
up by Manchester United at the age of 15, winning the 2011
FA Youth Cup. He went out on loan to Morecambe last season, but
only made four League Two appearances before dislocating his shoulder
and returning to Old Trafford.
McGinty
arrived at Oxford in July, featuring against West Ham, but couldn't
travel to the States due to a drink-driving
conviction. He officially linked up with the squad on August 4th
but has yet to make a competitive appearance since joining.
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