Sky Bet League Two
Saturday 7th May 2016
Given that I'm currently laid up following an operation and with more time on my hands than usual, getting around to games/grounds and 'blogging' is likely going to be a bit problematic over the next few weeks.
Nevertheless, with 950 competitive matches (and counting) under my belt in the UK, there's enough memories that I can cobble together in order to keep the blog active and ticking along.
One such game that lives in the memory is when Oxford United beat Wycombe Wanderers on the final day of the 2015/16 seasons to win promotion to the Championship.
For quite a few reasons, the U's are one of my favourite 'clubs' though geography dictates that I'm not able to get to the Kassam Stadium too often, and they were involved in the first Football League game which I watched 'live' way back in September 2003 against Doncaster Rovers.
Despite being top of what was then Nationwide Division Three, they came up to Belle Vue, lost 2-0, and fortunes changed as Donny went on to win the title whilst the U's crumbled, didn't even finish in the play-offs and eventually tumbled out of the EFL altogether a couple of years later.
The reverse fixture that season; incidentally my first trip to the Kassam Stadium, ended in a goalless draw but was memorable as it featured Chris Black's only appearance for Rovers before he decided a few days later to just pack football in altogether.
I know there was a drinking culture within DRFC at that time but I don't think it ever got revealed whether that particular element of the environment, putting up with Michael McIndoe's antics on a daily basis, or Ricky Ravenhill's kung-fu tackles in training, is what scared him away from professional football for good.
When I worked for Mansfield Town, quite a few players we signed had Oxford United connections - namely Adam Murray, Matt Green (who scored the winner in the Conference Play-Off Final when they beat York City in 2010), Alex Fisher and Billy Turley were a few.
Anyway, fast-forward to May 2006 and the scenario on the final day of the season was simple: Beat Wycombe Wanderers and a place in Sky Bet League One was confirmed. It was always going to be a special day and a sell-out crowd meant I was in the away end.
Therefore, given what materialised, this was one of the best 'random' away trips which I've done.
I travelled down on the train and had a couple of stops in Birmingham and then Banbury, where I was able to wander around their ground - pretty close to the railway station, before eventually arriving in Oxford around midday.
It was obviously a big occasion and there was a great weight of expectation on the U's.
Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of TIFOs, etc, and when they're done in this country it's usually embarrassing compared to similar efforts abroad. However, as the players emerged onto the pitch, the Oxford fans did a great one which really captured the occasion absolutely perfectly.
Fans who hadn't got tickets were perched on cars, etc, adjacent to the wooden fence behind one of the goals, but unfortunately for them and the ball boys (which were Oxford's youth team players) they got drenched as thanks to the mother of all rainstorms in the first half.
It was 0-0 at the break and the tension/pressure understandably went up a few notches. Wycombe's fans were loving it as they were just there as local rivals, hoping to be party poopers, but probably more delighted with the fact they didn't have any last day drama to endure for once.
Very soon after the re-start, one of Oxford's older players absolutely slaughtered the youth team player acting as a ball boy and sat nearest to the away fans (Joe Hartley) for being too slow at returning the ball - something which obviously went down well with the visiting fans to see an opponent so rattled.
However, a few minutes later, Chey Dunkley finally opened the scoring to release the tension in an instant and give the U's fans that golden moment they were craving.
Not long afterwards, Oxford doubled the lead from the penalty spot before Callum O'Dowda put the icing on the cake in stoppage-time as what looked like a fantastic party in the home ends got started. As soon as the second goal went in, a comeback was never likely!
The final whistle was met by a predictable pitch invasion (not that anyone could be blamed) and fabulous celebrations.
In my view, Oxford should have got promoted in 2003/04 yet they let that chance slip horrendously from their grasp. Therefore, to finally achieve it 12 years later after the various trials, tribulations and being on there backsides in the Conference Premier at times; it was long overdue!
The only time scenes like these will be eclipsed in OX4 is when, finally, the club goes one step further and returns to the second tier of football for the first time this millennium.
That's something which will happen eventually, too!
The reverse fixture that season; incidentally my first trip to the Kassam Stadium, ended in a goalless draw but was memorable as it featured Chris Black's only appearance for Rovers before he decided a few days later to just pack football in altogether.
I know there was a drinking culture within DRFC at that time but I don't think it ever got revealed whether that particular element of the environment, putting up with Michael McIndoe's antics on a daily basis, or Ricky Ravenhill's kung-fu tackles in training, is what scared him away from professional football for good.
When I worked for Mansfield Town, quite a few players we signed had Oxford United connections - namely Adam Murray, Matt Green (who scored the winner in the Conference Play-Off Final when they beat York City in 2010), Alex Fisher and Billy Turley were a few.
Anyway, fast-forward to May 2006 and the scenario on the final day of the season was simple: Beat Wycombe Wanderers and a place in Sky Bet League One was confirmed. It was always going to be a special day and a sell-out crowd meant I was in the away end.
Therefore, given what materialised, this was one of the best 'random' away trips which I've done.
I travelled down on the train and had a couple of stops in Birmingham and then Banbury, where I was able to wander around their ground - pretty close to the railway station, before eventually arriving in Oxford around midday.
It was obviously a big occasion and there was a great weight of expectation on the U's.
Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of TIFOs, etc, and when they're done in this country it's usually embarrassing compared to similar efforts abroad. However, as the players emerged onto the pitch, the Oxford fans did a great one which really captured the occasion absolutely perfectly.
Fans who hadn't got tickets were perched on cars, etc, adjacent to the wooden fence behind one of the goals, but unfortunately for them and the ball boys (which were Oxford's youth team players) they got drenched as thanks to the mother of all rainstorms in the first half.
It was 0-0 at the break and the tension/pressure understandably went up a few notches. Wycombe's fans were loving it as they were just there as local rivals, hoping to be party poopers, but probably more delighted with the fact they didn't have any last day drama to endure for once.
Very soon after the re-start, one of Oxford's older players absolutely slaughtered the youth team player acting as a ball boy and sat nearest to the away fans (Joe Hartley) for being too slow at returning the ball - something which obviously went down well with the visiting fans to see an opponent so rattled.
However, a few minutes later, Chey Dunkley finally opened the scoring to release the tension in an instant and give the U's fans that golden moment they were craving.
Not long afterwards, Oxford doubled the lead from the penalty spot before Callum O'Dowda put the icing on the cake in stoppage-time as what looked like a fantastic party in the home ends got started. As soon as the second goal went in, a comeback was never likely!
The final whistle was met by a predictable pitch invasion (not that anyone could be blamed) and fabulous celebrations.
In my view, Oxford should have got promoted in 2003/04 yet they let that chance slip horrendously from their grasp. Therefore, to finally achieve it 12 years later after the various trials, tribulations and being on there backsides in the Conference Premier at times; it was long overdue!
The only time scenes like these will be eclipsed in OX4 is when, finally, the club goes one step further and returns to the second tier of football for the first time this millennium.
That's something which will happen eventually, too!
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