Oxford United Chairman Grant Ferguson wrote the following programme notes for Oxford United's Sky Bet League One game against Wigan Athletic.
Thank you for coming tonight as we start a series of games that provide an ideal platform to re-establish our position amongst the clubs at the top of the table. We have three of our next four games at home, punctuated by a local derby at Wycombe next Saturday. What an exciting prospect and one where we can hopefully put a run of results together to build on the three draws we have just had.
We have maintained a strong position in the league table despite the squad being stretched through injuries. Most of the players are available again so we are gaining strength at just the right time.
We had five players back in the squad for Saturday’s match at Blackpool - Jamie Cumming, Sam Long, Billy Bodin, Josh Murphy and Will Goodwin - and Owen Dale and Joe Bennett are available again this evening. The players who have played the bulk of the games this season have done a fantastic job in keeping us in contention at the top end of the table, and we have reinforced and added exciting options over the last few weeks that creates healthy competition for game time. There is a third of the season to go and still plenty to play for. I am excited by the opportunity this presents, as are Des, the staff and players, so I ask that we all come together to encourage and support them, and maybe even exercise some patience, as they bring it all together.
I have come to appreciate that at a club like ours the support of you, the fans, is even more vital than at other clubs I have been involved with. Given the relative proximity to one another in a community-focused club like Oxford United, the impact, positive and negative, that the fans have on the team is real, on and off the field. So let’s keep it loud, proud, positive and real in our support of what our teams are striving for.
I am also very proud of the diversity that we have in the club, from the mix of players and staff to the breadth of teams we field, and a supporter base from across all of Oxfordshire and beyond. Last week we relaunched the ‘Proud Yellows’ group; fans from the LGBTQ+ community who support the club and who are looking to add to their numbers. With diversity must go inclusion, so thank you for the overwhelmingly positive support they received. Unfortunately, there were a few who took to social media to make some disgraceful comments, some from supposed “supporters” of our club. Quite frankly, those individuals and those comments have no place in our club as they are completely at odds with our goal of making football accessible to all, whether playing or watching, enjoyed in a supportive, safe and welcoming environment. We don’t expect everyone to agree with everyone else’s point of view or beliefs, but inclusivity means respecting the fact that we don’t all see the world the same way but have an equal right to be part of it.
My grateful thanks to all of you that truly support our great club, week in, week out. Season in, season out.
Grant
You can read the full programme online at www.matchdayfix.com/oufc