What A Ride. I Want Another Go.

Mixed Feelings

I’m surprised I’m not hurting more now relegation is confirmed, but I think a sense of inevitability had been building over the last few weeks — really ever since that late penalty against Charlton.

After that run of 10 points from 12, we never quite got back into gear, and weren’t able to build momentum from that magical moment when Mark Harris put us two up against Watford. We couldn’t get the win over the line against Hull despite one of our best performances of the season, conceded late against ten-man Pompey, and then looked like a side running out of ideas — and energy — in games against Derby and Wrexham. Ultimately, we just didn’t have the quality or creativity in the final third to really trouble teams. In truth, that’s been a theme all season, and when you reflect on it - we have been asking a lot from a front four with an average age of 22.

Whilst it was right to focus on ourselves in the survival fight, it’s hard not to feel a bit irritated by the ridiculous form of sides around us. West Brom and Blackburn, for example, have lost just one league game between them in eighteen since both were beaten at the Kassam. That’s bonkers — especially considering the performance of the Blackburn side that turned up on that Wednesday night in March. Fair play to them.

Oxford do seem to have a habit of kicking teams into gear. You think back to the home win over Derby, or even the late leveller away at Norwich earlier in the season — where we very much shithoused our way to a point — and it does feel like we’ve played our part in other teams finding form.

What’s frustrating is that, in these final weeks, with a more settled starting XI, there’s been a growing sense that we actually belong at this level. When you consider that 14 of our 20 defeats have come by a single goal, it’s hard not to think about the margins — how a few draws turned into wins, or even just fewer late concessions, could have changed everything. You’ve also got to look back fondly on those battling draws versus Coventry and Middlesbrough, who were unable to get the better of us through the season.

That said, the underlying numbers don’t make for kind reading:

Those stats tell their own story. And ultimately, you can’t afford multiple stretches in a season where wins just don’t come.

We won one of our first nine games — albeit a memorable 3–1 away win at Bristol City, after which I may have slightly overreacted and declared this the best Oxford United side to ever grace a football pitch.

Following the 2–1 win at Hillsborough in October — an excellent result in context — we then went on another run of just three wins in twenty-two. All of those wins were memorable in their own way: Ipswich and Southampton at home, and Leicester away.

But it wasn’t to be. To end on a positive — even if it’s a slightly frustrating one — the last 11 games have made us look more like a proper Championship side than we have at any point over the past two years. We’re 8th in the form table in that time, which gives real cause for optimism around Bloomfield — and a bit of hope that we can keep the core of this squad intact.

Form Table

I’ve loved our time in the Championship. It’s delivered unforgettable moments, raised the club’s profile, and re-established OUFC as a team people are talking about again. That momentum matters, and it puts us in a strong position to attract exciting talent this summer as we aim for an immediate return. Above all, this still feels like clear progress towards the club’s ‘top 30’ ambition - we were just a little ahead of schedule! - Let’s not forget the incredible progress made on the stadium project that has been running in parallel to the challenge of navigating the Championship! There’s so much to be positive about.

Let’s make sure we’re all there in our numbers next season. The club is special, the fanbase is special, and we will be back at this level soon 👊

We should have a pod out next week, and we’ll get a blog post together looking at the 26/27 squad.

Stay positive fellow yellows!

#COYY

JR