Oxford United and Wycombe Wanderers may be rivals on the pitch, but off it they are united this weekend as they work alongside Young Minds to launch Mental Health Awareness Week.
Karl Robinson told us
“There is always an edge to our games against Wycombe but to see the two clubs working together to produce the video this week with both sets of players talking on the same issue was outstanding.
“I think we are making progress regarding Mental Health but there is still work to be done, not just in football but in all walks of life.
“The most important thing is for people to talk and communicate with each other. I am sometimes the worst person for that, bottling things up, but I am learning all the time and that’s what we want fans to try and do. It’s good to talk to each other, and to ask after each other. Just little questions like “How are you?” and “How are you dealing with things”
“After covid I know there were a lot of young people struggling with their mental health and now we have the financial pressures and people worrying about the cost of living and so on. That’s why you need to talk if you are struggling, and be able to spot the signs among others: little changes in behaviour, someone acting a little differently. Just one conversation about it can make a huge difference.
“So both sides will wear t-shirts on Saturday, both clubs have been trying to get the message across and I think we are doing the right things: putting aside the rivalry until 3pm on Saturday, and trying to help people.”