Oxford United

Good evening everyone and welcome to a game that I know you have been looking forward to ever since the draw was made. Local derbies have their own history, rituals and style. We have been doing well but we are up against a side from a higher division and I think you can throw the form book out of the window tonight.

It is a chance for us to progress in a competition that offers you a Wembley final at the end of it. Win tonight and you are four games away from a great day out for the fans. We will certainly be taking the game seriously, but it also comes in the middle of a run of five games in 15. Danny Hylton misses through suspension and Danny Rose picked up a knock at Accrington, so we have to get the balance right in our selection. 

I have to say that the support we got at both games was unbelievable. Many of you will have done eight or nine hundred miles in five days just to follow us on the road and I can’t thank you enough for the way you have got behind us this season.

We took the decision to stay in the north between the two games and Saturday’s result hopefully justifies that decision. Fresh legs may just have made the difference on Saturday and staying up for a few days also allowed a little bit of team bonding with the new players. John Lundstram, Benji Büchel  and  Jordan Graham all missed the trip to Austria but have been made to feel welcome and are very much part of the group now.

Finally, asking you to get behind us would be wrong on a night like this. We know how much it means to the fans and we know you will be roaring us on from the very first whistle. In return you can expect just as much passion from the players.

Get behind us

Michael

Read the full version in the match programme or online at www.matchdayfix.com/oufc