We'll Win Nothing With Kids?

Picture from @AlasdairLane

If there's one thing you can count on Oxford United for, it's that they will inevitably, at some point in the season, suffer some sort of injury crisis. Injury problems have struck once again at the Kassam, with the announcement at the weekend that both JamesConstable and Jake Wright will be out for four to six weeks, joining Jon Meades and Sean Rigg in the treatment room, and also that Deane Smalley has a recurring hamstring problem which has kept him from training.

All of which has left the squad looking rather thin. Saturday's starting XI against Cheltenham featured central midfielders Asa Hall and Scott Davies out wide, with winger Alfie Potter moving into a central position to partner Dave Kitson up front. Meanwhile, five of the Oxford bench were under-21 (loanee goalkeeper Shwan Jalal and the barely-fit Deane Smalley being the other two) with just 22 first-team appearances between them.

Not that the presence of so many young players around the matchday squad should come as much of a surprise. The decision was made during the summer to have a relatively small but talented crop of first-team players, backed up a new squad of development players who can provide cover while hopefully continuing their development in order to become gradually integrated into the first team. The risk with this approach – one which could possibly have dire consequences if things go wrong for us this season – is that a few injuries to important players can leave the team severely depleted, as we're now seeing. When injuries have occurred in previous seasons we've turned to the loan market to fill those gaps, with mixed results. That won't be happening this season, due to the existence of the aforementioned development squad.

Callum O'Dowda

The problem right now, though, is that even with injuries hitting hard the youngsters still aren't being given a chance. For example, having had great success playing wide men in the opening matches, the obvious choice to replace Sean Rigg would have been 18-year-old Callum O'Dowda, who impressed many during pre-season. Instead Asa Hall, already suffering a dubious reputation with sections of the Oxford support, was shoehorned into a wide position which has never suited him, placing him unfairly in the firing line as a scapegoat when things don't go exactly according to plan. Meanwhile, O'Dowda has watched on from the bench with just a solitary senior appearance to his name – when he and some of the other younger players were hung out to dry against Charlton in the League Cup.

The news about Constable and Smalley also leaves United looking very light up top, with Dave Kitson the only recognised striker to start on Saturday and after picking up his fourth booking of the season from just six appearances it seems likely that he'll be facing a suspension soon. That could present an opportunity to Tyrone Marsh, who has played about 25 minutes of first-team football this season in two substitute appearances, though again on Saturday an out-of-position Alfie Potter was favoured ahead of the 19-year-old striker.

What seems clear at the moment is that Chris Wilder is still a bit reluctant to use the younger players (with the notable exception of Ryan Williams, who of course isn't our player). That's not a situation I would expect to change on Saturday when league leaders Chesterfield come to town for what is looking like a potentially huge match, especially with the development team having already played on Wednesday against Luton.

But before we criticise Wilder for his apparent lack of faith in the younger players perhaps we should look at the reasons why the youngsters aren't currently seeing first-team action. Though pre-season performances should obviously be taken with a pinch of salt they do demonstrate the dangers of carrying too many inexperienced players. The embarrassing 5-1 defeat to Oxford City back in July was a demonstration of defensive frailties and non-threatening attack as we were outplayed by an experienced City side. Play too many of the younger lads and we risk adding to our burden if too many players have to be carried through the match by the more experienced pros.

Josh Shama v Gillingham

Development team results haven't exactly been fantastic either, with defeats to Birmingham, Bournemouth, Gillingham and Luton and a draw against Southend. That's not to say that our development squad players don't have talent, but obviously you can't expect a group of players who were just thrown together during the summer to be pulling off big results against sides who have been playing together for some time and some of whom boast some experienced first-team campaigners.*

Essentially we're still playing catch-up and presumably Wilder, whether rightly or wrongly, wants to give our players the chance to catch up and become integrated into the first team gradually, rather than being thrown in at the deep end in the first months of the season. There's also no urgent need to give these players game time now, because they are playing regularly in the development squad (unlike last season, when Tyrone Marsh and Max Crocombe were sat on the bench most of the time).

Of course, if we keep picking up injuries as we currently are we may not have a choice in the matter. The likes of Marsh and O'Dowda may just get their chance, whether they're ready for it or not.

*And besides, the results aren't what is important at that level of football, it's all about giving these players some game time and a chance to develop.

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In Profile: Summer Signings

It's the first of our home pre-season friendlies on Saturday, with Championship side Birmingham City the visitors for what, for many supporters, will be the first chance to see our summer recruits in action. As is now customary at this time of year, we've been trawling the internet looking for information about the new players to present you with these brief profiles of our six new players (not including youngsters Josh Shama, Kenzer Lee and Matt Bevans, who will join the development squad this season). Enjoy!

Picture by Jon Whiles Photography

Jonathan Meades

21-year-old Meades came through the youth system at Cardiff while Neal Ardley was head of the Academy there. At the tender age of 18 he was sent on loan for the summer to Norwegian side Moss FK (bizarrely getting sent off and winning the man of the match award in his first game), and though it was one which ultimately ended in relegation from the top flight it proved a good grounding for Meades and provided him with an early experience of competitive first-team football.

Big things were expected from Meades, but his early career was plagued by injury and he eventually departed Cardiff in 2012 without making a first-team appearance. He joined League One Bournemouth after a trial there in the summer, but missed the Cherries' visit to the Kassam in the League Cup as his transfer hadn't yet been ratified by the Football League. However, Meades was unfortunate to be joining Bournemouth at a time when the club was undergoing something of a transition and the return of Eddie Howe to the Dean Court hotseat just a couple of months into the season probably didn't help Meades' cause.

Meades was sent out on loan to struggling AFC Wimbledon in November and soon impressed at Kingsmeadow as he rejoined his old mentor Neal Ardley. He soon established himself as a starter at the Dons, seeing his loan extended to the end of the season as a vital player in Wimbledon's (ultimately successful) relegation battle. Ardley wanted to keep him at Wimbledon on a permanent basis, but Meades instead opted to join Oxford, featuring in recent friendlies against Ardley and Alloa.

David Hunt

Picture by Jon Whiles Photography

Hunt began his career at Crystal Palace but soon moved on to League Two Leyton Orient in 2003. In 2005, he traded London for Northampton, winning promotion from League Two in 2006 with the Cobblers. Hunt helped Northampton to a respectable 9th-place finish in their debut League One season but in 2007 he was on the move again, this time to Shrewsbury Town after rejecting a contract extension at Northampton.

However, his time at the Shrews was an unhappy one, as his year and a half there was blighted by injuries which limited him to just 22 starts. He signed for Brentford in January 2009, helping Andy Scott's team to the league title at the end of the season. He was an ever-present in the Brentford side as he helped the Bees consolidate their position in their debut League One season with a 9th-placed finish.

Hunt joined Crawley Town on loan in January 2011, with the club on their way to the Conference title. He joined Crawley permanently that summer and would go on to play a big part in their second successive promotion – this time from League Two. However, despite being a key member in two promotions for the Red Devils, Hunt found himself second choice for much of last season and so opted for a move to Oxford at the end of the season. He wrote on his blog of his decision to join Oxford:

A few options popped up although none of them interested me enough make me want to leave. That was until Chris Wilder and Oxford United came knocking. I've always thought of Oxford as a big club and one that I believe should be much higher in the tiers of football. I've played with many ex United players such as Lee Steele, Andy Scott, Jamie Cook and the legend Dannie Bulman who all have spoken highly of the club. Bullwink had always let me know how good it was and what they are trying to achieve, this all made me fascinated.

Picture by Jon Whiles Photography

Danny Rose

Danny Rose should be a familiar face to most Oxford fans, following his spell at the club in 2007 and 2008. Rose came through the youth system at Manchester United and had been captain of their reserve team before Jim Smith brought him to Oxford on loan in January 2007. He made 22 appearances in the second half of the 2006-07 season and signed permanently that summer despite interest from clubs in League One and the Championship.

Unfortunately the 2007-08 season wasn't a success for him or the club and he moved on at the end of the season, joining Conference South side Newport County. Rose shone at Newport and was a major player for them as they won the Conference South title in 2010 and continued to impress in the Conference National with the Exiles.

Crystal Palace were reported to be interested in signing him, but he eventually signed for big-spending Fleetwood Town in January 2012. Rose helped Fleetwood win the title at the end of that season but found himself out of favour in League Two and was sent out on loan to struggling Aldershot. The Shots were ultimately relegated at the end of the season, but Rose had done enough to impress Chris Wilder, who snapped him up this summer.

Dave Kitson

Kitson – allegedly the Secret Footballer – was this summer's big 'marquee signing', joining from Sheffield United just five years after Stoke paid £5.5million for his services in the Premier League. Kitson's route into top-flight football was an unorthodox one, beginning his career at Hitchin Town before moving to Arlesey Town, while working as a shelf-stacker at his local Sainsbury's.

In 2001 he joined Cambridge United – then in League One – netting ten times in his first full season at the club. He scored an impressive 25 times in 2002-03 and had begun the 03-04 season in prolific fashion before Reading came calling. He continued his goalscoring form there and helped them to the Championship title in 2006. He scored Reading's first goal as a Premier League club but was injured in the same match and missed half of the season as a result.

Kitson continued to impress in the top-flight for Reading upon his return and earned a big-money move to Stoke City following the Royals' relegation from the Premier League. However, the move was not a success and Kitson failed to score once for Stoke in his first season at the Britannia Stadium, finishing the season back at Reading on loan. He began the following season better but was then loaned out to Middlesbrough and his Stoke career fell flat, with him eventually departing for Portsmouth in the summer of 2010.

He scored 12 goals during two years at Fratton Park but joined a club in turmoil and suffered relegation from the Championship with Pompey in 2012. After leaving Portsmouth, Kitson then joined League One Sheffield United, scoring 12 goals in 37 appearances (including at the Kassam in the Blades' FA Cup victory) before heading back down south to join Oxford. Kitson reportedly had interest from Championship clubs, but opted to become a yellow in order to be nearer to his family.

Asa Hall

Asa Hall is another figure that United fans should be familiar with, returning to the club on loan from Shrewsbury just a year after his departure. Hall came through the ranks at Birmingham City and was a highly rated product, appearing for England under 19s and under 20s before being sent out on loan to Boston United and Ashford Town to gain first-team experience. In 2008 he was loaned to Shrewsbury Town, where he impressed sufficiently to have been offered a contract by boss Gary Peters and then by his successor Paul Simpson, but turned the club down in favour of a move to Luton.

Picture by Jon Whiles Photography

Hall joined a Luton side still reeling from an unprecedented 30-point deduction which all but confirmed their relegation before the season had even begun – a curious move for a young player of whom much was expected. Hall became an important player for the Hatters, chipping in with some impressive long-range goals and picking up a medal as JPT champions despite the inevitable relegation at the end of the season. Hall continued his form in the Conference, but after the arrival of Simon Heslop he was deemed surplus to requirements and released at the end of the season.

In 2010 Hall joined Oxford in time for the start of our first season back in the Football League (shortly followed by the aforementioned Heslop!) and expectations were high. Arguably Hall never really delivered on his promise during his first spell at the Kassam, though he was a solid performer and in the last few months of his time here was looking impressive. He clearly did enough to impress Chris Wilder, who offered him a new contract, only for Hall to opt for a move to a higher-placed club nearer his home in the Midlands and join League One Shrewsbury. But last season wasn't a great success for Hall, who struggled to impress his new employers, finishing the season with relegation to the Conference while on loan with Aldershot.

Picture by Jon Whiles Photography

Tom Newey

Experienced defender Tom Newey began his career with Leeds United, though he never made any first-team appearances for them, spending time on loan at Cambridge United and Darlington before joining League Two Leyton Orient in July 2003. He made 63 appearances for the O's during two seasons at Brisbane Road, eventually leaving for Cambridge after a second loan spell at the Abbey Stadium.

His time with the 'other U's' was not exactly successful as he suffered relegation to the Conference during his only season at the club, moving back north to Grimsby where he became a first team regular, having switched from left wing to left-back, during a four-year spell with the Mariners. Though Newey took a while to find his feet, he eventually became an immense success at Grimsby, reaching the play-off final in his first season at the club. He made a repeat appearance at Wembley – again unsuccessfully – in 2008 after captaining the side in the final of the JPT. Newey's 2008-09 season was cut short by injury, during which time new manager Mike Newell replaced him and he was loaned out to Rochdale after being told he could leave on a free transfer.

He signed for Bury that summer after a successful trial, making 32 appearances for the Shakers before a move to Rotherham the following summer. Sheffield-born Newey settled in quickly back in South Yorkshire and soon established himself as number one choice at left-back for the Millers. However, his time there fell flat after two ill-fated promotion campaigns ended in mid-table disappointment and he joined Scunthorpe United last summer. Newey was an important player for the Iron last season, missing just one league game all season, but was released following their relegation from League One (Callum Kennedy – another Oxford target – was favoured at left-back prior to his move to AFC Wimbledon) before joining United shortly after the players returned for pre-season.

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Max Crocombe's International Adventure

Picture from FIFA.com

It's not been much of a summer break for Max Crocombe. While most of his team-mates have been relaxing throughout the summer, he has been busy preparing to join his New Zealand teammates at the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey.

New Zealand were not particularly fancied, understandably, but the tournament offered Crocombe a great opportunity to test himself against high standard opposition and he was certainly kept busy as New Zealand struggled to match the pace of their opponents throughout the tournament. Crocombe got off to the worst possible start, when less than 15 minutes into their opening match against Uzbekistan he gifted their opponents an opening goal with a suicidal pass to an Uzbek attacker. He saved the initial attempt but Abbosbek Makhstaliev was on hand to tap in the rebound.

To be fair to Crocombe, he kept the Kiwis in the game shortly after with some good saves but with little protection from his defence it always looked unlikely that he would be able to prevent Uzbekistan from breaching his goal again. They doubled their lead when Igor Sergeev was played in and although Crocombe should probably be disappointed that he was beaten at his near post, he had been left in a difficult position by his defence's failure to cover the run. And there was little he could do about Uzbekistan's third shortly after, a sublime strike from Diyorjon Turapov.

Following the match, Crocombe took to Twitter to apologise for the first goal:

I let the boys and the country down today, made it so difficult for them to control the game, but.....
— Max Crocombe (@Meeiix) June 23, 2013

.... That's behind us now. Resilience got me here in the first place, that's what will get us out of the group.
— Max Crocombe (@Meeiix) June 23, 2013

He was dropped for the Kiwis' second match but the change did little to reverse New Zealand's fortunes as they lost 2-0 to Uruguay, with goalkeeper Scott Basalaj suffering a similar embarrassment as he was lobbed from a free-kick just four minutes in.

Crocombe returned for New Zealand's final match, a 2-1 defeat to group winners Croatia and put in a decent shift – particularly in the first half – though he still suffered a few moments to forget. He got caught out of position for Croatia's opener, coming out to collect a cross and finding himself in no-man's-land as Stipe Perica headed home. An unstoppable shot from the impressive Ante Rebic sealed the win for the Croats but it could have been a lot worse for the Kiwis if not for Crocombe, who made several important saves to keep New Zealand in the match.

New Zealand exited the tournament ignominiously, finishing bottom of Group F but their chances in this tournament were always remote. Hopefully Crocombe will reflect on it in a positive light, rather than allowing it to dent his confidence. There are definitely areas of his game that have been highlighted as needing improvement (he seemed uncomfortable with the ball at his feet and his positioning was not always perfect), but there should be plenty of opportunities for him to iron out those problems in the new development squad this season.

Not many products of League Two youth academies get the opportunity to play in tournaments like this and hopefully the opportunity to play against an impressive standard of opposition has whetted Crocombe's appetite for first-team football this coming season.

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The Retained List Debate

It's always one of the most interesting parts of the close-season: the announcement of the retained list. Some years there are relatively few changes, with big players secured on longer contracts and little work to be done; other years we see wholesale change as the club seeks to rebuild. This year is one of the latter. And with the announcement that twelve players are to leave the club this summer, including big names such as Peter Leven and Michael Duberry, this move was always going to spark vigorous debate among United fans. Here are a selection of differing opinions on this year's retained list:

@mattp2490

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I am always one for going with first gut reactions and in the case of Oxford’s retained and released list the first reaction was one of mild shock and surprise. However, having mulled over the names released and retained it actually makes a great deal of sense, with a couple of names that I perhaps disagree with. The list is however the biggest indication yet, in my opinion, that Lenegan and Wilder are desperate to change the state of play at Oxford United FC.

The retained list is promising; including the likes of Crocombe and Marsh shows Oxford’s desire to bring youth through the ranks and this will sit well with many fans I’m sure. Young players who have learnt the trade with Oxford, live in Oxford and have the club at heart can only be a good thing. Giving Alfie Potter and Andrew Whing new contracts was almost a given, certainly with the former. The only concern is with Whing and the potential injury threat he carries. The one shock is the much maligned Deane Smalley. I’ve never been a massive fan of his, and the times I have seen him play this season have not filled me with confidence. The performance against Dagenham and Redbridge earlier this month showed me he should probably have been on the other list.

Those who have been told their futures lie away from Yellow and Blue, I wish to say thank you and all the best to every single one of them. The names that stand out most of all, for me, are Batt and Davis. They were a solid pair and with Wright and Duberry they made one of the strongest back fours in the league. Oxford’s problem was getting all four on the pitch at once!

The club was right to not renew contracts with Leven and Duberry. Both were fantastic for Oxford and were firm favourites with the fans and were promising signings for Oxford in what was our second season in the league, but injury stopped any progress they made with the club, and with the new breed of youth coming into the squad it was perhaps inevitable they would not get new contracts. Leven will find a new club, either in League Two or One. Duberry may call it time on his fantastic career, but I wouldn’t be surprised for “Dubes” to feature in the Oxford set up in a coaching role in the future.

The other names on the list are also not that surprising. Pittman and Richards are just too injury prone, Worley was not rated by Wilder for whatever reason; this was obvious in his picking of Raynes over him even when the latter was woefully out of form. Parker and McCormick were promising but were only ever signed as a stop gap to the end of the season, with the latter’s signing incredibly controversial. And as for Craddock, his name appearing on the released list was perhaps the worst kept secret of the second half of the season.

@ABrown31

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We knew this was coming. An impending doom or relief for a number of Oxford United players and supporters, as they await confirmation on their future. We’ve had the furore over Chris Wilder, with the ‘Grenoble Road’ civil war of “Wilderites” and “Wilder Outers” finally taking a backseat. Now we can divert our attention elsewhere momentarily as we decipher, analyse then praise/criticise the look of next year's playing squad.

A dozen players were released, sparking quite the debate in the ‘twitter-verse’ amongst United fans. Stemming from who we should’ve kept, who should’ve left, and how good so and so was anyway. You start to really understand why the summer of transfers and negotiations is often referred to as ‘silly season’.

The Goalkeepers for next year looks to be an immediate strong suit, with the first alliterative goalkeeping battle since Turley/Tardif of the mid 00’s. With youngster Max Crocombe finishing the season in splendid form, easing the fears of any fans who had reservations over his potential to be a future number 1. I envisage Ryan Clarke will resume duties in goal however after recovering from injury; after all he is “England’s Number One”. With two solid goalkeepers, the release of Luke McCormick seemed inevitable. McCormick provided good cover, and will no doubt be well received if he ever returns to the Kassam.

Full backs are where the first controversy arises. Damian Batt, a stalwart in the United back four for a number of years now, has been released. For all the faults aimed at Batt, whether it is his inability at crossing or his tendency for erroneous positioning, this disappointed me. Batt, voted the best right back in the division in our first season back in the league, has always offered an outlet bombarding down the right flank. He’s been a solid player for a number of years, he has held his place from challenges from the likes of Ben Purkiss, and from his goodbye tweet today, seemed to thoroughly enjoy his stay here. If forced to select an Oxford United XI in my time watching the team, I think Batt ousts Scott McNiven as the starting right back. I, as well as I would imagine most other fans, wish him nothing but the best in his future.

On the opposite side, we saw Liam Davis and Tony Capaldi both released, but a contract offer extended to Luke O’Brien. I have no qualms about any of this. Davis hasn’t lived up to his first few months of his spell at the club, and this season has been below-par on numerous occasions. Capaldi enjoyed some of his best displays in yellow in the heart of midfield, whether that’s testament to his versatility, or an indictment of his inadequate performances in his natural position, I’ll leave up for debate. O’Brien has deputised admirably when called upon, whether or not he’ll be the first choice next year is questionable. I’d anticipate a couple of new full backs come August.

In the middle we saw the departure of Harry Worley and Michael Duberry. The former has been obvious for months. Once ‘young player of the year’, Worley has been resorted to being an emergency striker, turned fourth-choice centre back. His exit is understandable. Duberry, again a release with a sense of inevitability about it, led to a more nostalgic feel. Despite his advancing age, and the scepticism his signing came with, Duberry immediately became a firm favourite. His performance and subsequent post-match celebration at Swindon last season placing him in the history books of the club.

With Jake Wright contracted, although undoubtedly peaking the interest of clubs in higher divisions, and the much-maligned Michael Raynes the only remaining centre backs from this past season, I would expect another arrival, and maybe a bigger role for youth-teamer Sam Long. If we’re to believe that the squad is to be “25% Youth teamers” next season, this seems a logical scenario.

Onto the midfield, the season’s scapegoat Simon Heslop has been let go. Despite often being played out of position and sporadically, Heslop has had a thoroughly underwhelming season, looking a shadow of the player we signed in 2010. This, alongside the release of Peter Leven, the oft-injured but ever-influential Scotsman pave the way for another addition to go along with Scott Davies and Andy Whing, who have been offered new deals.

Josh Parker, who impressed at the turn of the year, but then found himself on the fringes of the squad has moved on. This comes as no surprise to many, and again seems a pretty obvious decision to make. With the release of injury-prone Jon-Paul Pittman as well, much to the chagrin of a few, leaves Alfie Potter (who had his option activated) and Sean Rigg as our two wingers for next season. I would think that there’s potentially another acquisition for next season, probably to cover Rigg and Potter, who were two of the standout performers over the season.

In the striking department, the release of Tom Craddock was met with relief by many. Craddock, often seen as “lazy” certainly mixes opinion with supporters. I personally believe we haven’t utilised him to the best of his ability. In his first season, playing on the left in the infamous 4-3-3 (or 4-5-1 depending on your philosophical bend) he scored 15 goals and instantly made his signing from Luton look like shrewd business.

I believe Craddock is an intelligent footballer, maybe sometimes a bit too intelligent, putting him on a different wavelength to others. His effort (or lack thereof) isn’t helped when compared to James Constable, who chases and harries every loose ball like a puppy in the park. If Craddock was scoring goals in the league above next season, I wouldn’t be overly surprised. Justin Richards was also unsurprisingly released.

Next season, the striking options looks to be James Constable, Tyrone Marsh, who was offered a new deal and Deane Smalley, who to the surprise of many, if not all supporters, was offered a new deal. Not necessarily saying I disagree, I thought I’d be vehemently against this. However I cast my mind back to early on this season, prior to an injury, when arguably Smalley was our best striker turning some high calibre performances. If fit, this could be a wise decision on the part of the manager.

As for who we will sign to replace those released, I’m seeing names appear that seem wholly unrealistic. Jacques Magohma and Calvin Zola will not be signing here. Burton potentially will be promoted, and Magohma is attracting interest from higher divisions. Could we see Jake Wright going to Bradford or Plymouth? I would expect to see some , shall we say, “budgeted” moves. With high earners like Leven, Duberry and Craddock off the books, there’s a genuine opportunity to bolster the squad and make it deeper than seasons past.

Robbie Hall proved the idea behind the loan market. I wouldn’t be averse to seeing more youngsters from Premier League development squads plying their trade here. Younger players are often hungrier for success (a theory Dubes makes hard to justify), and are more than likely highly skilled players.

Next season will see a lot of different faces, hopefully a revitalised attitude in the stands, and dare I say a promotion push.

@OXONAssassin

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With a dozen players released from the club (a dozen? that's nearly a squad full), and with a handful being kept, or offered new deals, have the club made the right decisions?

In terms of the retained players, I believe the club were right to keep Whing and Potter, and I also think Davies did enough to earn himself a new deal too. But what about Smalley? Last year he had poor form, this year he was injured for most of it, maybe the 3^rd year is the charm?

As for the players who were released, a lot of good players like Leven, Duberry and Jon Paul Pittman were let go, but they have barely been fit this season, and it's hard to have a consistent season when you don't have a consistent starting line up. Hopefully any new signings won't have the same injury troubles. I was personally shocked at the departures of Batt and Davis, Davis especially.

As for the others, they just aren't part of the future plans. We may see players like Worley and Craddock thrive at other clubs, but it's just not happening here for one reason or another. And with 3 youth players given pro contracts, it's possible we may see more chances given to youth players in the coming seasons. 

Thanks a lot to those three for sharing their opinions on this year's retained list. Here's what a few more of you had to say on Twitter:

@tbfuth Not sure why we'e kept Smalley, and Scott Davies. Both ones that should've gone. Should've kept McCormick and Leven as a gamble.
— Lewis Hallam (@LewisHallam37) May 2, 2013

@ollyhowells @tbfuth You could say that about ANYONE.....'if'. There is no logic in persisting with the same shit
— Tom (@Tom95M) May 2, 2013

@yelbarhdadi @tom95m @tbfuth he probably wasn't good enough this year, but he finished it well and I reckon he'll be a useful player next yr
— Olly Howells (@ollyhowells) May 2, 2013

Buzzing that @hovis1988 is staying at Oxford. Quality little player. #oufc
— Cameron. (@Cameronyeahhh) May 2, 2013

Really? J.P.Pittman and Davis been released. Wilder I hope you have some bloody good players in mind then to replace them #oufc
— Nathan Wallington (@NatWally2711) May 2, 2013

I have stood by our manager for a long time but after reading the released list today, I am very undecided about his abilities now #oufc
— Mitch East (@Mitcheast1) May 2, 2013

Mohsni, Jombati, Schumacher, Howe and a young combative midfielder. That's what's needed #oufc
— Jack Knight (@JDK_) May 2, 2013

Injury prone, high earners gone. Good decisions made so far. Now lets see what we can bring in! #oufc #wilderin
— Ben Symonds (@Benson_3) May 2, 2013

Pretty much 100% agree with the retained list, some big wage savings in there, lets just hope we sign some less injury-prone players! #oufc
— Laura Sanders (@MissSanders9) May 2, 2013

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Luke McCormick: Another Fine Mess

In what can only be described as a PR own-goal of monumental proportions, Oxford have enraged sections of the support with the deadline day signing of former Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick, following his release from prison back in June for causing death by dangerous driving. The moral implications of signing a player with McCormick's past have already been the subject of much debate and will no doubt continue to be amongst fans of the club throughout his time here. Some – correctly – assert that McCormick has done his time and is entitled to rebuild his career, while others – understandably – baulk at having their beloved club associated with such a person.

But while the moral question is ultimately an issue of personal perspective, it seems that there can be little doubt that this move is not good for the club – in terms of its perception to the outside world, its relationship with the supporters, its financial situation and in footballing terms.

Regardless of your opinion on the morality of the signing, the arrival of Luke McCormick at the club is going to attract a host of unpleasant headlines and difficult questions: such as, for example, how can a club boasting a 'Football League Family Excellence Award' justify employing the convicted killer of two children? Ian Lenagan's explanation – that it gives us “the opportunity to allow him to rehabilitate whilst meeting our unique goalkeeping situation within the salary cap” - is simply not going to hold water with many people, whether they be outsiders looking in or lifelong supporters of the club. On an issue as emotive as this, simple financial imperative is a weak justification to say the least.

The media circus surrounding McCormick – spearheaded by that bastion of family morality, the Sun – is not going to allow the club to emerge from this situation with its reputation intact. And with the club announcing earlier that very day that it is searching for a new shirt sponsor, is this really the kind of press attention we want or need? No company is going to want to be associated with a football club creating these sorts of headlines.

When the above factor is considered alongside a backdrop of a huge £450,000 loss this season and with crowds plummeting below the 6,000 mark for the first time in years (Tuesday's attendance of just 4,906 was the lowest league gate at the Kassam since we rejoined the Football League), Ian Lenagan has been forced to plead with fans to come back. Yet on the same day, this message is completely undermined with possibly the most divisive signing ever made in the history of the club.

And whether the club itself feels morally justified in making the signing, they shouldn't simply ignore the opinions of the Oxford United supporters. One would have liked to think the club had learned their lesson on this point after the backlash that followed when they accepted Swindon's bid for James Constable a year ago. Relations between the club and its fans have still yet to fully recover from that incident, and when that is added to high ticket prices during a recession, a disappointing league position and now this, how can the club possibly expect fans to start turning up in greater numbers? If anything it is likely to cause some to boycott the club while McCormick remains an Oxford United player, as was the case during his brief spell at Truro City.

Even for the many who will choose not to boycott, this puts us in a very difficult position and instead of talking football we're forced to discuss the moralities of employing someone who has been convicted of an appalling crime. Some look at the continuing popularity of Adam Chapman and may wonder whether this is such a different situation. Chapman was also convicted of death by dangerous driving, after killing 77-year-old Tom Bryan in a car accident while using his phone at the same time. His contract at Oxford was suspended while he served his sentence and he has since continued his career much where he left off. McCormick killed two children, aged eight and ten, in a car accident after driving with more than twice the legal alcohol limit in his blood. He was immediately sacked by Plymouth Argyle and has until now failed to make a return to professional football. The similarities and differences in the two cases should be immediately apparent, but whether you choose to make a moral distinction between them is obviously a matter of personal opinion.

When it was announced in the summer that McCormick was training with Swindon, they were roundly (and gleefully) condemned by large numbers of Oxford fans. Are they now supposed to welcome him with open arms now that he plays for our club? This should have given the management some clue as to the reaction amongst our supporters if they decided to sign him, but they arrogantly decided to do it anyway, regardless of the uproar it would cause.

Finally, from a footballing perspective, the move is a huge risk. McCormick may well have been an excellent goalkeeper while he was at Plymouth, but that was several years ago and since then he has played not a single game in the Football League and only a handful at Conference South level. What's to say that he will be able to perform at League Two level now, especially with opposition fans (or even Oxford fans) baying for his blood every week? For that level of risk, we would have been better off sticking with Max Crocombe in goal, who by all accounts had a very impressive debut on Tuesday.

Most worrying for me are not the moral implications of signing Luke McCormick. As distasteful as I find it that a convicted killer will be representing our club, I do agree that he has served his time and should be allowed to seek gainful employment once again. I supported the decision to stand by Chapman on much the same grounds. But I have to criticise the thought process behind signing a player who will divide the fanbase further, create deeper distrust between club and supporters and attract a huge amount of negative publicity at a time when the club desperately needs to claw some of the disgruntled support back and attract much-needed investment from sponsors.

It seems to be the latest in a whole series of baffling, disastrous decisions which have caused the club to start regressing again at an alarming rate. Just two years ago the atmosphere around the Kassam was still one of huge optimism the likes of which hadn't been witnessed around here in many years, with a profit-making club attracting average crowds of more than 7,000 and the widespread belief that we would be in League One within a year and a half. Now, our support is dwindling once again, debts are once again rising dramatically and the team is wallowing in mid-table in League Two. Decisions such as this hardly fill me with confidence that the current management know how to reverse the slide, or that they care about the beating heart and soul of Oxford United – its fans.

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Cult Hero: Kevin Francis

This is the first edition of a new series here on TBFUTH (or rather, a new iteration of an older idea) in which we will be profiling former OUFC 'Cult Heroes'. The aim is to celebrate the careers of those players who have enlivened our experience of supporting the club - be it through their footballing prowess or simply their character – but who we may hesitate to grant 'legendary' status. Thanks to everyone who has already got in touch with us via Twitter to suggest players for this feature – if you'd like to suggest one yourself, or even write us an article on your favourite OUFC cult hero, you can email us at tbfuth@hotmail.co.uk.

We'll start with the almost-inhumanly-tall, 6ft 7in striker Kevin Francis.

'Super' Kevin Francis was perhaps a victim of his unusual physical appearance, in that he simply didn't look like a footballer as he loped around the field on his long, gangly legs. Certainly it seemed to hinder his early development and Francis spent his formative years playing for Redditch United and then the now-defunct Mile Oak Rovers in the Midland Combination (10^th tier) before Derby County chose to take a punt on him.

It was at Stockport County that Francis really made his name and he was prolific during his four years at Edgeley Park before securing a move to Birmingham City. From there, he made his way to Oxford as part of the deal which took the hugely important Darren Purse the other way and initial reaction amongst the United faithful was that we had lost one of our most important players (true) in return for a complete donkey (not so true).

But that impression didn't last long as Super Kev made an instant impact, scoring one and creating one to help United to a 2-1 victory over West Brom on his debut. Francis was instantly installed as a fans' favourite, going on to score seven times in his first 11 matches and the unlikely hero of the London Road was rewarded for his excellent start to life in yellow with an international call-up for St Kitts & Nevis, making him one of the select few players to win an international cap while at Oxford.

Francis missed the first half of the 98-99 season due to injury, but continued to endear himself to the fans even while he was on the sidelines, famously clambering into the London Road stand during one match to lead the singing.

He returned to action just in time for perhaps our biggest game of the season – and certainly the one which he has since become most remembered for. At this point Oxford were in severe financial difficulties, but the club's plight was brought into the public eye thanks to a live televised FA Cup tie against Chelsea. With the final whistle fast approaching and cash-strapped United clinging to an incredible 1-0 lead, Francis – who was making his first appearance off the bench since his return from injury – was shockingly adjudged to have fouled Gianluca Vialli in the box to give Chelsea an undeserved last-minute equaliser, thus denying a famous cup upset.

Kevin Francis was not the most elegant player, shall we say, and he sometimes looked a bit clumsy. The referee saw that awkward challenge and that marred his vision of it. If those cameras back then were as good as what we have today they would show without doubt that he never touched him - Nicky Banger

To some extent this incident came to be the defining moment in Francis' time at Oxford, though he was no less popular for it due to the sense of injustice that surrounded it. But Francis was never the same player afterwards and he scored just once more during his time at the club, returning to Stockport in 2000.

On an interesting side-note, Francis has had quite an interesting career since his retirement from football in 2005, leaving for Canada to become a trucker. He now plies his trade as a police officer in Calgary.

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Oxford's All-Time Worst XI

Here's something that will give you nightmares this Halloween. We've scoured the archives for Oxford's worst ever players to put together the All-Time Worst Oxford XI – set up, naturally in everyone's favourite formation, the 5-3-2. Read it and weep.

Dave Langan - 'Running Through Walls'

By now I suspect that most Oxford fans are familiar with the tale of Dave Langan and his tragic fall from the very top of the game to the very bottom of society. His testimonial match at the Kassam last year certainly raised awareness of his plight locally and those who want to hear Dave's story straight from the horse's mouth can now do so following the publication of his autobiography, Running Through Walls.

A Chat with John Shuker

John Shuker played for Oxford for more than a decade and a half and, with more than 500 appearances to his name, has made more Football League appearances for the club than any other. Here's what he had to say when TBFUTH put our questions to him.

From Zero to Hero

It's a good time to be an Oxford United supporter, as we all bask in what has been an ideal start to the season. However, perhaps the most interesting facet of our early success has been the players who have made it happen.

In Profile: Summer Signings

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!

Oxford and England

So the Euros are now upon us and the national media hype machine has already gone into overdrive trying to inspire nationalistic fervour. While for many of us the national team are a mere distraction from the more important matter of OUFC, we can at least try and stoke the passions by remembering Oxford's contribution to the cause. We may not be able to boast a whole host of England stars among our midst, but we have nevertheless played our own role down the years, so here is a brief (and by no means exhaustive) list of some Oxford and England connections.

Remarkable Turnaround for Andy Whing

Picture from OUFC.co.uk

Saturday's events were too depressing to dwell on at any great length, but there was one aspect that was greatly satisfying. As is customary before the final home match of the season, the Player of the Year Awards were announced, with Andy Whing winning the Andrew Knapton Supporters' Player of the Year award. This marks a notable turnaround for a player who we referred to as 'the much-maligned Andy Whing' back at the start of November.

In Profile: Wayne Brown

The sight of Ryan Clarke between the goalposts has become a familiar and reassuring one over recent years. His quiet, calm demeanour, assured performances and perennial presence in goal throughout his three seasons at the club have made Clarke our Mr Reliable. That is, of course, until now. In the latter stages of our roller-coaster Easter Monday clash with Torquay, Clarke appeared to be visibly carrying an injury and ended the game by parrying what appeared to be a routine save into his own net. Clarke's fitness was an issue of concern throughout the build-up to the Gillingham match, with our fears being confirmed on the morning of the match. Clarke was to miss his first league game for years.

His replacement, Wayne Brown, had not exactly covered himself in glory in his previous outing, getting sent off after just 14 minutes as United bowed out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy to Southend. Any nagging anxieties were soon put to rest, however, once the match was under way. Brown put in an assured performance to keep a clean sheet, organising his defence well and launching several attacks through his pinpoint distribution. With some unofficial reports (ie rumours) suggesting that Clarke may miss the rest of the season, it seems that Brown will be the man between the sticks for the end of the season, so with that in mind here is a quick profile of our 'new' goalkeeper.

Back Problems

Damian Batt and Liam Davis have become two of the first names on the teamsheet this season, Davis appearing in 39 league matches and Batt in 37. Whilst their contribution has been mostly positive, over the course of the season their role has gradually diminished. Is now the time to replace our two attacking full-backs with more solid defensive full-backs?

Scott and Patto: A Spectre of Past Failures

There will be some familiar faces in the away dugout this weekend, with Rotherham United the opponents. Managed by Andy Scott, with Darren Patterson as his assistant, Rotherham sit in tenth place – five points behind us in the final playoff position. Between them they spent a combined total of eleven years at Oxford, but it was a miserable period for the club as it decayed under the ownership of Firoz Kassam, eventually wallowing in the Conference.

Clarke the Saviour

Not for the first time in the last few years, we (and Damian Batt in particular!) owe Ryan Clarke a huge debt of gratitude for his penalty-saving brilliance, without which the Barnet match would probably have ended in another frustrating home draw. More impressive is that he played at all, given that he had been up all night with illness.

Subsequently, there have been plenty of figures flying around; some say it's 11 saves from 14, others say 10 from 15. Having scoured the archives today, I make it that Clarke has faced 17 penalties in competitive matches, saving 7 of them. Not as sensational as some thought but pretty impressive nonetheless. Interestingly, of the 9 penalties Clarke has faced in the Football League, he has saved 6.