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DefinitelyAnd you’re still with her?
DefinitelyAnd you’re still with her?
Patto was keen on Beckford as well, who was playing relatively locally in non-league, but Leeds signed him instead. 100% convinced that we wouldn’t have gone down under Patterson. He took five points from his three games in charge, and seemed to know exactly what to do to keep things steady. That was all that we needed, and the players were happy to keep things simple and get through it. As much as Smith will always be a legend, and I don’t wish to speak ill of him, he badly underestimated the situation. I think he was of the belief that his ragtag bunch of reserves from higher up the divisions would swashbuckle through the last couple of months. Between that and the terms of the deal, the club nearly died.
Denis Smith sabotaged the Wrexham side so badly that he should’ve been arrested for match fixing, and we couldn’t even beat them. Getting relegated that season took real talent. Horrible.
I'd forgotten about Beckford. If I remember correctly, we played Yeading in a PSF and signed Rob Hughes on the back of that whose Oxford career was short lived. The player we overlooked from that game was DJ Campbell who signed for Brentford ...
The recent OUFC Official podcast covered the 2005-06 season and Nathan Cooper agreed that Patto had worked out who he could and couldn't trust from the squad to keep them up. Throw in one half decent striking option and we would have been ok. That mad March with the storming of the boardroom and the takeover felt at the time to be a cathartic release - instead it's been an albatross around our neck since.
The funny thing is that I never thought we were completely terrible that season. In fact, when you ask Oxford fans to name their worst every players and managers, not many emerge from that season. It's your usual mix of Anthrobus, Jarman, McGuckin, Diaz, Salmon, Gaston etc. There were a lot from 2005-06 who are viewed with fondness like Basham, Hargreaves, Wilmott and N'Toya.
It was a series of touchpoints that could and should have kept us up. The Bradbury contract situation, the sales of Hackett and Craig Davies, the failure to land a decent striker (Tim Sills had a certain logic even if it didn't work in practice, Scott Fitzgerald filled in for a month, Andy Campbell and Neville Roach were the pits, Stuart Beavon was on trial with us at the start of the season), not holding onto Warren Goodhind for longer, failing to find a replacement for the past-it Matt Robinson, the Rushden away performance, not sticking with Patto for the run in, Jim Smith's Portsmouth reserves attempting to keep us up. That it came down to the Orient game was failure in itself.
I was on holiday and missed the Orient game!Believe that friendly was basically set up during talks around Campbell and then he signed for Brentford in the June before it.
That’s a brilliant summary btw, had forgotten half of those awful decisions. The core of the squad was absolutely fine and 52 points should keep you up, but the cut backs in January reflected the boards view that we weren’t going anywhere and that’s when we started really going backwards. If Smith had come in as DoF and Patterson had have been given N’Toya alone we’d have finished halfway up.
Believe that friendly was basically set up during talks around Campbell and then he signed for Brentford in the June before it.
That’s a brilliant summary btw, had forgotten half of those awful decisions. The core of the squad was absolutely fine and 52 points should keep you up, but the cut backs in January reflected the boards view that we weren’t going anywhere and that’s when we started really going backwards. If Smith had come in as DoF and Patterson had have been given N’Toya alone we’d have finished halfway up.
another thing but wasn’t that the only time that season we was in the bottom two the last game
That was probably the same for everyone a bad day indeedI was 18 at the time, it didnt really sink in until i got home from the game.
Definately agree with this, Patto may or may not have worked out longer term, but for sure he would have kept us up that season.A horrible day and it was all too preventable too. If we’d stuck with Patto and signed Steve Claridge as we planned to ahead of the takeover, I think we would have muddled our way out of it. Jim Smith’s strange mix of bits and pieces players never had time to gel. In the end it came down to the Orient game. I knew we were in a heap of trouble after the Northampton game and when Ian Atkins’ Torquay kept picking up points.
Agreed. No way of knowing what anybody would catch setting foot on that cesspit.Celebrating on the pitch of the team you've just relegated is a scummy thing to do no matter the circumstances. I wouldn't even do it if we did it to Swindon.
It is, but Oxford fans did celebrate the 1983/4 title win on the Orient pitch, so we aren't entirely blameless. Don't think they were relegated though, can't remember.Celebrating on the pitch of the team you've just relegated is a scummy thing to do no matter the circumstances.
Go on @Sarge there must be others you detestI really detest 'Orient * & not only for that game 15 years ago yesterday... they , 'Orient, also relegated OUFC , on the last day of the season, ( first relegation OUFC experienced in the Football league) from old League 2
Barry Hearn ( 'Orients cockney w****r chairman at the time) mocked OUFC supporting youngsters post match, classless bastard
*( I equally detest the bin dippers too...and Scum , of course,..... all of whom play in red!!)
Don't start him offGo on @Sarge there must be others you detest
It is, but Oxford fans did celebrate the 1983/4 title win on the Orient pitch, so we aren't entirely blameless. Don't think they were relegated though, can't remember.
...and we had half of their ground that day, one end and one side.
Yeah I was at both of those. I was shocked at the size of the terracing at The Valley, it was huge (and all closed). Wasn't that Charlton's last match there before they left and it was rebuilt years later?They finished 11th................ we rammed the place IIRC, a load of the WHDVC went in fancy dress.
May bank holiday and only 5,600 there.... mostly us.
Then the following season at the Valley where it was rather busy!
me too... 3-3 draw at The Valley wasn't it, albeit we were already promoted ? .... it was 'a bit lively' post match if memory serves?Yeah I was at both of those. I was shocked at the size of the terracing at The Valley, it was huge (and all closed). Wasn't that Charlton's last match there before they left and it was rebuilt years later?
Yeah I was at both of those. I was shocked at the size of the terracing at The Valley, it was huge (and all closed). Wasn't that Charlton's last match there before they left and it was rebuilt years later?