Oxford United have received formal confirmation that following an FA hearing earlier in the week Manager Karl Robinson has been banned from the touchline for four games and fined, along with the club, for incidents that took place at the away game at Sunderland earlier in the season.
The club accepts the punishment but wish to state publicly its support for Karl, the staff and the players over this incident. The togetherness and spirit throughout the club is second to none and to lose our Manager from the dugout for a key game such as today is the latest challenge in a very testing season for all concerned.
Karl told us
“I’m proud of my players and will always back them, as will all of the staff. What happened at Sunderland should never have got to that stage. I wanted the police called because of an incident at half time, not of our making, that sparked what happened later. Had that happened then events after the final whistle would have been very different.
“I won’t apologise for the staff and players caring and looking after each other but in a very long season it was just one fleeting moment where the passion we all have for this club spilled over.
“As far as we are concerned the incident is now closed. We move on and we prepare for today’s game in or usual calm, professional manner.”
Karl will be in the stands rather than the dugout for today’s home game against Burton Albion and then the next three games, whether those are play-off matches or at the start of next season.