The Oxford United Chairman, Grant Ferguson, wrote the following notes for the Fleetwood Town programme:
Welcome back everyone and thank you for coming to see us take on Fleetwood. I appreciate it’s not always easy to make it to midweek games, with everyday responsibilities and commitments, so we really appreciate your support. A special mention for our visitors. It’s a long journey on a Tuesday night, so we appreciate you making the effort.
I have quickly got used to the idea that every game is a big game for Oxford United but tonight has an extra significance because we have started to turn good performances into that much more important commodity: points. We had a great win at Exeter, we picked up a point at Portsmouth and then on Saturday we travelled to Bolton, another in-form team, and took all three points. Momentum and consistency are important in pursuing goals, and that is what we now need to develop these encouraging results into. The loss to Peterborough at home, despite the mitigating circumstances and a red card that had a big bearing on the final score, was a stark reminder that we will hit bumps on the road, so tonight's game is important to keep the momentum going and continue the progress we have made in turning performance into points.
While we are still far from where we want to be in the league table, the resilience Karl, his staff, and the squad have shown in the face of a difficult start to the season has been commendable, and the way in which they have stuck together, supported, and encouraged each other while maintaining their individual and collective confidence means that all things are still possible this season.
I didn’t forget the defeat at Sutton in the Papa John’s Trophy in that run of results! That game highlighted the challenges of playing lower-league opposition on their own ground and I am sure it will serve as a reminder when we travel to Woking on Sunday. Progress in the cups has a very positive impact on the club and, as always, we want to do well in the FA Cup this year. I also wish the best of luck to our Youth Team in their match against Torquay in the FA Youth Cup on Saturday.
Away from the pitch, we have made a lot of progress in recruiting new heads for the Academy and Commercial teams at the club. The calibre of candidates for these key positions has been excellent and we should be able to make announcements soon. I was also pleased to be able to publish the results of the survey we held for residents of Kidlington regarding the new stadium proposals. We want to be open with everyone, not just our fans but anyone who has an interest in the search for our new home, and to know that so many people in the area support the project is excellent news.
Finally, tonight is our Rainbow Laces game where we show our support for the LGBTQ+ community. Everyone is welcome at Oxford United and one of our missions is to ensure that we are always inclusive. Nights like this help signal our intent, but we can only make it fully happen with your support. We know that, as always, we will have that.
Grant
You can read and download the full programme from www.matchdayfix.com/oufc