The Chairman of Oxford United, Grant Ferguson, wrote the following notes for the programme for the club's third round Emirates FA Cup tie against Arsenal:
Good evening everyone and welcome to what I hope will be a fantastic advertisement for both the FA Cup and for what Oxford United are all about.
We welcome the Premier League leaders tonight, a club with a fantastic history and following, and we do so in front of a full house and millions watching on TV. It would be interesting to know what percentage of that TV audience are watching in the hope of seeing Arsenal turn on the style that they undoubtedly have, and how many are watching in the hope we can pull off an upset against one of the best teams in the country.
Would it be the biggest upset in our history? Maybe, although I was watching footage of epic league cup games between the clubs in the 80s and those games are still talked about 40 years on. I am sure our current side will go out looking to create more such memories tonight.
But tonight is not just about the players, and I wanted to take a moment to thank the unseen team behind the scenes who never usually get the credit they deserve. Michelle Walton and her safety team, who have a capacity crowd to deal with. The Commercial team have maximised our revenue and filled the hospitality areas to capacity. Andy Taylor and the matchday team work tirelessly to ensure the best possible experience at the stadium. The media team have every seat full in the press area. Bailey and the catering team. The club shop. Everywhere you look there are people putting in extra hours to make tonight a success. They do it without fuss and usually without recognition, but for sure it doesn’t go unnoticed, and on behalf of the Board we thank everyone involved.
Hopefully it goes without saying that our appreciation also extends to the fans. You turn a game of football into an occasion. You have heard me before talk of the potential for Oxford United, and that includes the support for the club in the community. Crowds of eight or nine thousand for typical league games are much appreciated and valued, but we know there are many other Oxford fans across the city, the county and further afield who monitor the games, have their say, and support the club in their own way. Our job is to persuade those supporters to come to matches more often.
Soon there are some very big decisions to be made on a new stadium for the club to call home that should provide more capacity and enhanced facilities for fans. Our aim must be to fill that new home every game by providing an excellent match-day experience while watching exciting, successful football from a team that knows the values we have as a club. As we move into that exciting future, please help us turn the support we value and enjoy across the county into support in the stands.
Nights like this should only be the start…
You can read the full programme online at www.matchdayfix.com/oufc