Oxford United’s playing staff will be back around the club this week as pre-season testing starts once again.
Karl Robinson’s men report for action on Wednesday and will be put through their paces with a series of tests before they fly out to Ireland to start an intensive ten day training camp that ends with three friendly games.
While the first team head for Dublin there will be two more pre-season trips happening with both the under 23s and under 18s also heading off for training camps.Chris Allen and Dan Harris will be taking the under 23 squad to Lilleshall while Leon Blackmore-Such and Chris Hackett head for Devon with the youth team.
Dan Harris told us:
“The place is buzzing again now and everything is just about ready for the players to return. With the under 23s it is obviously a new group so it’s important that Chrissy Allen gets a chance to get away to a training base and set the culture that we expect here at Oxford United; Tiger has been fantastic in allowing us to do this and we thank him for that.
“Obviously there is a cross over with the first team in Ireland but we will also have a few trialists with us so we can take a look over a longer period of time. Once the lads return there’s a couple of fixtures lined up that will run alongside the under 23s playing some part in the first team friendlies.”
Oxford United under 23 friendlies:
| Monday 23rd July | Burnham FC | a | 19:30 |
| Saturday 28th July | Brentford | a | 13:00 |
| Monday 31st July | Enfield Town | a | 19:45 |
Meanwhile the under 18s will set off for an army base on Friday before spending a week at the Manor House and Ashbury hotel in Devon. Leon Blackmore Such told us:
“We want an early chance to see how the lads work together and maybe see who the natural leaders are so we will work with the army to have a good day on Friday, then we travel down to Devon for a week where the real hard work will start.”
Under 18 fixtures
| Saturday 7th July | Barnet | a | 11:00 |
| Monday 10th July | Aylesbury FC* | a | 19:45 |
| Saturday 21st July | Coventry City | a | 11:00 |
| Wednesday 25th July | Corby Town | a | 19:00 |
First Team Friendlies
| Mon 9 | Portmarnock AFC | a | 7.30pm |
| Tue 10 | Longford Town | a | 6.45pm |
| Wed 11 | UCD | a | 7.45pm |
| Sat 14th | Oxford City | a | 12.30pm |
| Sat 14th | Hampton and Richmond Borough | a | 4pm |
| Tue 17th | Aldershot Town | a | 7.45pm |
| Wed 18th | Hungerford Town | a | 7.30pm |
| Sat 21st | Crystal Palace | H | 3pm |
| Tue 24th | Leeds United | H | 7.45pm |
| Fri 27th | MK Dons | a | 7.45pm |
*originally advertised as Abingdon United away. This game will now be against Aylesbury.