As Oxford United prepare to re-enter the football league after a painful four-year absence, manager Chris Wilder is spending the summer improving his squad to ensure the U’s don’t drop straight back down.
Although the U’s needed playoff success to achieve promotion, Wilder’s shrewd moves and decisions have seen them avoid being handed the label of relegation contenders, instead leading to them being ranked as one of the outside picks for promotion come the end of the season. You can bet on League Two success being their main aim for this season.
After having their morale boosted by the news that attack-minded right-back Damian Batt has added a year’s extension to his contract, U’s fans have received a further piece of good news, with Wilder able to bring in Huddersfield Town defender Leigh Franks on loan till January following a successful three weeks training with the team.
Franks joins seven more acquisitions that Wilder has brought in during a busy summer, and the boss believes that the new boys are adapting well to life with the U’s. Following a recent friendly against Dumbarton, Wilder said: “I think we’ve signed good players, players who when they step onto the pitch show what they’re worth.” Something that should give the new boys a boost as they adapt to life at their new club.
Who knows, if all goes well in the next few months, Oxford fans could be casting any eye over the League One prices the following season.
Although it is easy to make predictions and debate their potential progress, the real proof will come when they face a potentially tricky first league game of the season, with an away tie at Burton Albion. The Brewers have already managed to show the U’s how to survive a season in the Football League after a successful first season last time out, and are now hoping that new acquisitions will put them in good stead for a promotion push.
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