Away Match Day Thread 03/02/2026 - MDT: Sheffield United v Oxford United

[Peterdev]

It'll be Bromley rather than the Olympic Stadium but it'll be more enjoyable. More chance of winning and promotion and a repeat of the scenes in town that we saw in 2024.

We'll be back (if the panic spending doesn't hurt us).

Also Salford and Swindon to look forward to. Along with Bolton maybe and Reading. Will be tough that’s for sure.

 

[90syeIlow]

I wouldn't worry too much.

I get the distinct impression that those saying such things are only doing so because they won't be materially affected by relegation themselves - after all, there is negligible difference between watching us at Vicarage Road or at The Pirelli Stadium when it is via a dodgy firestick.

I was there at the Kassam when we were relegated by Orient. It was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever experienced in my life - like a true heartbreak and a pure, deep sadness.

I do not want to see us relegated again, even though I’m better placed to cope with this time as it’s a horrific experience and it will hit some fans that are talking about it in such a casual manner harder than they realise.

 

[holdsteady]

This will be my third relegation from this level and 6th overall, I can't say I have enjoyed any of them and I don't want them to happen. Worst was 2006 although being truly terrible all season in the last season at the Manor wasn't much fun either.

But its part of football, if you are not good enough you go down, I wouldn't change that part of it either, you can't have the highs of promotion without the lows of relegation and we have gone 20 years without that. Not actually anything we as fans can do to stop it, so I don't know how its turned into a witch hunt.

 

[Oufcrealist]

Regarding Brannagan
Earlier in the season he looked back to his best, however after his latest injury he doesn’t seem 100%
Even allowing for a bit of rustiness he seems to be miles off his best. Not having a settled midfield partner doesn’t help but I fear his best days may be behind him at this level.Still think he would be a major asset in League 1 though

Brannagan is not the only one underperforming. Helik and Brown are way below the standard they were at last season. Cumming too isn't quite as good.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

Brannagan is not the only one underperforming. Helik and Brown are way below the standard they were at last season. Cumming too isn't quite as good.

Agree on all of them

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

I was there at the Kassam when we were relegated by Orient. It was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever experienced in my life - like a true heartbreak and a pure, deep sadness.

I do not want to see us relegated again, even though I’m better placed to cope with this time as it’s a horrific experience and it will hit some fans that are talking about it in such a casual manner harder than they realise.

That was slightly different as we were relegated out of the old league structure
That felt like the very worst day to be an Oxford fan

 

[90syeIlow]

That was slightly different as we were relegated out of the old league structure
That felt like the very worst day to be an Oxford fan

That’s true, but any relegation hits deep.

 

[holdsteady]

That was slightly different as we were relegated out of the old league structure
That felt like the very worst day to be an Oxford fan

As bad as this one will feel, and it will hurt, its not going to compare to that day is it? Or the waking up the next morning and realising it wasn't a nightmare.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

This will be my third relegation from this level and 6th overall, I can't say I have enjoyed any of them and I don't want them to happen. Worst was 2006 although being truly terrible all season in the last season at the Manor wasn't much fun either.

But its part of football, if you are not good enough you go down, I wouldn't change that part of it either, you can't have the highs of promotion without the lows of relegation and we have gone 20 years without that. Not actually anything we as fans can do to stop it, so I don't know how its turned into a witch hunt.

@holdsteady we must be around the same age. I have been there through all of that.
Being relegated is all part of football and we have to live with that.
The two worst relegations were the last season at the Manor, what a way to leave our home and of course relegation to the Conference when I was in my fifties and cried like a baby
If we go down we may not come straight back
Bolton, Huddersfield, Wigan, Peterborough and Reading all struggling but we can regroup and start to build again

 

[Slade Yellow]

Regarding Brannagan
Earlier in the season he looked back to his best, however after his latest injury he doesn’t seem 100%
Even allowing for a bit of rustiness he seems to be miles off his best. Not having a settled midfield partner doesn’t help but I fear his best days may be behind him at this level.Still think he would be a major asset in League 1 though

 

[holdsteady]

@holdsteady we must be around the same age. I have been there through all of that.
Being relegated is all part of football and we have to live with that.
The two worst relegations were the last season at the Manor, what a way to leave our home and of course relegation to the Conference when I was in my fifties and cried like a baby
If we go down we may not come straight back
Bolton, Huddersfield, Wigan, Peterborough and Reading all struggling but we can regroup and start to build again

Nah. I am "only" 47 but after a glorious start of a first game seeing us win the Milk cup (with one lovely promotion in 96) the following twenty years saw us relegated 5 times so these last 20 years have been a nice break from that, it was a fairly regular occurrence of my youth that we would fail to beat the drop.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

That’s true, but any relegation hits deep.

Not that deep, we were effectively non league football

 

[90syeIlow]

Not that deep, we were effectively non league football

I’d argue that every relegation hits differently for certain reasons.

Relegation in 88 from the top flight would have hit really hard for some after the glory years.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I remember us getting relegated from the second tier despite beating Stockport 5-0. It was disappointing but nothing like going out of the league.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

I’d argue that every relegation hits differently for certain reasons.

Relegation in 88 from the top flight would have hit really hard for some after the glory years.

Yes every relegation hits hard but when we were relegated from the top tie we still played against some top teams
Even in the fourth tier we would play some famous old teams
When we entered non league we were playing Tamworth Eastleigh and Grays that really hit me, I knew then we had hit rock bittom
But thankfully Mr Chris Wilder came along and regalvanised us
Regarding the top flight I saw that as a place to have fun for a season , we lasted two but I have always seen us as a lower half second tier team/ top half third tier team

 

[90syeIlow]

Yes every relegation hits hard but when we were relegated from the top tie we still played against some top teams
Even in the fourth tier we would play some famous old teams
When we entered non league we were playing Tamworth Eastleigh and Grays that really hit me, I knew then we had hit rock bittom
But thankfully Mr Chris Wilder came along and regalvanised us

I can understand your points and argument that relegation to non league was the worst.

I think once the reality hit when we played teams like Histon and Weymouth, the reality of our situation was dire. (Although it was nice to be the biggest club in the division).

 

[holdsteady]

I can understand your points and argument that relegation to non league was the worst.

I think once the reality hit when we played teams like Histon and Weymouth, the reality of our situation was dire. (Although it was nice to be the biggest club in the division).

I remember getting up with a hangover the next day and looking at the conference table and thinking I don’t even know where some of these places are. Could quite happily have stayed in blissful ignorance are visiting some of them.

 

[trainingcone]

I’d argue that every relegation hits differently for certain reasons.

Relegation in 88 from the top flight would have hit really hard for some after the glory years.

Yep it was, i remember going to the last game that season away to Notts Forest. Shame we went down, not surprised, we sold our best players and not really replaced with great players. ie billy whitehurst, dave leworthy, ricky hill, colin greenall.

 

[Bitter]

It’s painful reading comments from those comfortable with seeing us relegated withoit a fight.

When I think back to the pure euphoria and achievement of the playoffs/wembley, I cannot fathom how some are happy to let us go back to how we were before that special time and to see all the incredible work done from the club undone.

What, incredible work?

 

[TailsWeWin]

Yes every relegation hits hard but when we were relegated from the top tie we still played against some top teams
Even in the fourth tier we would play some famous old teams
When we entered non league we were playing Tamworth Eastleigh and Grays that really hit me, I knew then we had hit rock bittom
But thankfully Mr Chris Wilder came along and regalvanised us
Regarding the top flight I saw that as a place to have fun for a season , we lasted two but I have always seen us as a lower half second tier team/ top half third tier team

I’ve seen 6 promotions and six relegations- so this season may well take me into negative equity.
Worst relegation? The Conference drop, of course.
Best promotion? The York Wembley win.

 

[Wallop]

5 promotions and 5 relegations for me - it seems like more but since I started going in the season we won the old 3rd division we've:

- Gone from Division 3 to Division 1
- From Division 1 to the Conference
- From the Conference to the Championship

so a pretty linear path of ups and downs uninterrupted by any interim promotions or relegations (I think) @Boris

 

[RgYellows]

I do wonder how much he’s really enjoying it here.

it’s a fair point. He went out of his way to publicly state how much he was enjoying it here and he evidently did not ask Spurs to recall him, and his best mate signed for us too, but if he looked annoyed during a defeat and a poor performance I think it’s safe to ignore all that and assume he hates Oxford.

 

[ECYellow]

Better performance last night, some of the time. Certainly better than under Rowett. Although still not good enough and no way near enough fight.
MPH and Makosso the stand outs.
Kunak also decent when he came on.
Shame none of them will be our players next season (hopefully 2 of them will be).

Appreciate we were missing some key players and have new ones still to feature, but whilst we continue to play Harris, Dembele and Romeny we are only going one way.
I fear we will be down way before the end of the season.

Brannagan seems past it this season. He's been off it way more than not. And seems more interested in wrestling with the opposition than playing football. Don't think being captain is helping things either.

Really hope I'm wrong, and we will turn a corner and start picking up points. I just can't see it after the last 2 games. Especially when he insists on playing players out of position when there are players suited to the positions sitting on the bench. Insane.

Come on you yellows!

Have a look at their second goal. It’s a pathetic attempt to challenge from Brannagan. He might as well have not been trying to defend it. He certainly wasn’t trying very hard!

He’s nowhere near the player he once was for us in League 1, which is understandable. But, we can’t afford to have passengers and have the game pass our midfielders by. Especially when they’re picking up the kind of money that Brannagan is.

He needs to be braver on the ball (pass forward) and he needs to demonstrate that tenacity and fight that has endeared himself to all of us over the years.

 

[Oldman159]

Relegation ? I was at the manor when we ‘went on a journey’ with he who must not be named. Well, we all said it’ll be great scoring all the goals and beating the teams in the division we sank into. It didn’t go well of course and I can remember to this day Steeles goal that put us out of the league. The feeling of desperation sat in the SSU watching and hearing Orient gloating cannot be described… However that day at Wembley when chippy got us back in the league erased much of the pain…and it was fun in the conference (for a while) Sudbury, Farsley Celtic, St Albans, Woking et Al all great places to visit!

Going down is no fun. Coming back up is.

But neither is a certainty with Ox4d.

 

[CaptainOx]

3 promotions (2010, 2016, 2024)
3 relegations (1999, 2001, 2006)

Didn't really feel the emotional tie of the first couple of relegations, being 7 and 9 at the time.
2006 definitely hit harder though I was (luckily) away the weekend of the Orient game on a Scout Camp with zero signal of any kind, so only found the result and our fate, the next evening.

I feel pretty resigned to relegation this season so ultimately not sure how I will feel if it does happen. But it would be the first one in my adult life, so given how crap we've been at times in the last 20 years, I think it will feel pretty gutting and I'll definitely carry a concern about getting stuck back in L1, or even worse ending up in L2.

 

[Kernow Yellow]

5 promotions and 5 relegations for me - it seems like more but since I started going in the season we won the old 3rd division we've:

- Gone from Division 3 to Division 1
- From Division 1 to the Conference
- From the Conference to the Championship

so a pretty linear path of ups and downs uninterrupted by any interim promotions or relegations (I think) @Boris

Not quite true - our 95/96 promotion came in between a series of 5 relegations.

 

[holdsteady]

5 promotions and 5 relegations for me - it seems like more but since I started going in the season we won the old 3rd division we've:

- Gone from Division 3 to Division 1
- From Division 1 to the Conference
- From the Conference to the Championship

so a pretty linear path of ups and downs uninterrupted by any interim promotions or relegations (I think) @Boris

94 relegated from the second tier, 96 promoted back to the second tier. Easy to remember when it was the only promotion you got to witness in person in your first 24 years supporting the club.

 

[Wallop]

I stand corrected - easy to miss a couple when you've been watching OUFC for over 40 years.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

For me personally, losing that play off game against Exeter in the conference will hurt more than if/when we go down this season.

 

[uptheus]

It was telling in the interview that Bloomfield gave on the Dub when he got a bit chippy and pushed back on Jerome’s question about 3 at the back which might be seen as negative.

In the two subsequent games against Birmingham and Sheffield we’ve played guess what? Yep 3 at the back regardless of suitable wingbacks or not being available (they weren’t)

Looks like it’s here to stay, if it not then the decision to go with 3 at the back for the last two games is very, very odd.

And a concern raised by Wycombe and Luton fans about his persistence to do this when you don’t have the right personnel!! That’s worrying! He seems cleverer than that, so hope he learns quickly.

 

[Chippy]

Have a look at their second goal. It’s a pathetic attempt to challenge from Brannagan. He might as well have not been trying to defend it. He certainly wasn’t trying very hard!

He’s nowhere near the player he once was for us in League 1, which is understandable. But, we can’t afford to have passengers and have the game pass our midfielders by. Especially when they’re picking up the kind of money that Brannagan is.

He needs to be braver on the ball (pass forward) and he needs to demonstrate that tenacity and fight that has endeared himself to all of us over the years.

I think re the 2nd goal last night it all stemmed from when Brown seemed to catch his studs in the turf as he was about to try and challenge the Sheff U player out wide, after that 3 or 4 players were culpable for either poor challenges or attempts to make a block, including Brannagan, and Long and Mikosso right as the shot was hit. It was a poor goal to concede but CB was no more culpable than several others.

I agree he hasn’t hit the levels he did in League One but I think some of that is due to playing 2 in midfield and especially alongside Vaulks, and some of it due to him having to cover about 3 positions all at the same time due to the way our last couple of managers have set things up. He’s almost a victim of trying too hard, coupled with probably never being allowed to fully recover 100% from his knee injury because we’ve not had the resources to cover midfield due to shoddy recruitment in that area prior to Jan.

I’ve seen CB have numerous good games this season but that’s when we’ve either played 3 in midfield (very rare) or when he’s been allowed to have a bit of freedom and not trying to make up for a complete lack of midfield prescence far too often.

He is still Mr OUFC and a go to player, but needs support and allowed time to recover from any injuries or fatigue, something he’s never allowed to do, as he’s still overall our best midfielder and we generally struggle without him.