Oxford United Chairman Sumrith 'Tiger' Thanakarnjanasuth wrote the following programme notes for this evening's Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace:
Good evening everyone and I hope you are all looking forward to seeing us take on Premier League opposition tonight. Over the last few years Crystal Palace have done an outstanding job and become a very strong team at that level, packed full of very exciting players and a Manager who has the respect of everyone in football. What better way to test ourselves than against a club of that size and quality tonight?
I watch a lot of football from around the world and there is still nothing like a club from a lower division beating a higher club in a cup game. We can do it, I know, and Palace will be wary of coming here because the club has done it many times before, but it is going to take a massive effort from everyone involved.
Whatever happens should not distract us from our main objective this season, which remains to win promotion from League 1. We have made it a lot harder for ourselves with the results from our first five matches but there is still a very long way to go and plenty of time to catch up.
The performances have been better than the results show. Against Lincoln a week ago and against Morecambe on Saturday we have had the ball for over 60 per cent of the game and we have had close to 50 shots at goal. Even on Saturday we put on our young striker Slavi Spasov and he is about to make it 2-1 but the ball hits the heel of a defender and spins outside the post instead of into the net. Keep doing what we have been doing and the goals, and results will come.
I am always positive and always believe in Karl and the players. I urge you all to do that right now. Your support is amazing, home and away, and when results aren’t going our way then we have to support and encourage each other. I will definitely be doing that tonight and am so happy to be back with you for the next few games.
Part of the reason for my visit is because the transfer window is closing soon and we need to make sure we get things right over the next week or so. Our recruitment this summer has been good but, tell me a team in our division, or even the one above, that would not miss Marcus Browne, Yanic Wildschut, Sam Baldock, Josh Murphy, plus last Saturday Elliott Moore.
All those players will return and make us stronger, but our job this week is to decide whether the squad is strong enough to cope with their absence or whether it is other areas we need to improve. Big decisions but ones I know we will get right.
Enjoy the game,
Tiger
You can read the full programme online at www.matchdayfix.com/oufc