The last time The Imps faced Friday night’s opponents Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium was on Thursday 26th December 2019, in front of a crowd of 10,115, including 630 City supporters. The U’s won 1-0 that day, thanks to a rather fantastic long-range strike from their number 16, Shandon Baptiste, in the 36th minute.
Ahead of Friday night’s match, we have done a Q&A with an Oxford United supporter, so thank you to Dale from Vital Oxford United for answering our questions!
You can discuss what has been said in this article HERE, as well as many other topics on our 100% Imps forum! We have also published a Lincoln City v Oxford United Quiz, which can be found at the bottom of the article. Every page view helps raise money for Lincoln City Football Club!
How long have you supported Oxford United?
Approximately 20 years.
Where did you finish last season?
We finished fourth (PPG), but lost out in the play-off final against Wycombe.
What do you think of your manager?
Legend. He has certainly had his ups and downs, but he is passionate about the club and he can see a positive direction of the club.
What are your hopes and expectations for the 2020/21 season?
After finishing in the playoffs last season, finishing outside the top six would be disappointing. That said, we made a slow start and haven’t been in the playoffs yet this season (depending on tonight’s results).
One(s) to watch?
Matty Taylor (top goal scorer).
Cameron Brannagan (dominant midfielder).
Rob Atkinson (solid defender and comfortable on the ball).
Brandon Barker and Mide Shodipo (tricky wingers, both capable of finding the back of the net).
Which teams you think will finish in the top six in League One?
Hull, Peterborough, Sunderland, Lincoln, Blackpool and Oxford.
Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom four in League One?
Rochdale, Northampton, AFC Wimbledon and Swindon.
What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?
Exciting team with an emphasis on young players. Play good football.
What do you think the score will be?
1-1.
Random fact about your Club?
We were the first club to win a major trophy (Milk Cup in 1986) to be relegated from the Football League.
If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?
His statistics speak for themselves – Jorge Grant.
What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as an Oxford United supporter?
Proudest was promotion from the Conference in 2010. Promotion from League Two in 2016 was also up there.
Embarrassing would be relegation from the Football League – a 3-2 defeat at home to Leyton Orient on the final day of the 2005/06 season.
Who would you say is your most underrated player?
I would say we have a few but I’ll go for Alex Rodriguez Gorrin. He’s a holding midfielder that does a lot of the dirty work and often goes unnoticed, but you notice how influential he is when he doesn’t play!
Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?
Not too sure.
Which was your favourite match involving Oxford United?
Any involving a win over Swindon (eight of the last ten meetings against them).
Which was your least favourite match involving Oxford United?
Leyton Orient defeat to condemn us to relegation into non-league.
Do you have a Former Players Association at Oxford United?
Not too sure.
What is the best thing about Oxford?
It is a wonderful city, full of history and amazing architecture.
Karl Robinson or Michael Appleton?
Tricky one. Appleton will always be rated highly because he led us to promotion, but I’m confident Robinson will also get us there. Sorry, can’t decide!
What is the latest regarding the possible takeover?
The latest that we know is that it isn’t so much of a takeover, more a shift of ownership. The Indonesian investors are already, or have recently been, involved in the club. So, it’s a case of someone with more money on the board taking over.
Oxford started the season poorly when they were expected to be up there. Pleased to say (up to a point) they turned that around, but have dropped off again lately. What is the reason?
We always start slowly under Robinson, which is highly frustrating. However, it shows how consistent we can be after a bad start. The run we are on at the moment isn’t too bad, we have still only lost four in our previous 21 league games. There have been a couple of occasions where we have dropped points, but that happens to every team.
What has Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth brought to the table since he became Chairman?
It started slowly and some fans weren’t too sure, particularly after being wound up by the HMRC four times in his first season. However, he has provided stability. He has stuck with Robinson (after the slow starts) and has backed the club behind the scenes with a new training ground and investment.
The Club seems to have a difficult relationship with the owner of the stadium. Would you prefer to move, or be able to purchase “The Kassam”?
It depends. The Kassam will never be home, largely because of the history with the owner/former chairman. If we bought it then the payments wouldn’t be anywhere near as extortionate as they are now so we could turn it into a home. However, with a potential increase in money at board level, the dream of a new stadium certainly ticks plenty of boxes.
How would you feel if Robinson took the job at Sheffield United?
It would be a good opportunity for him and would wish him the best of luck. However, with the pending takeover, he has previously spoken that he sees Oxford as the right job and he wants to turn us into a “top 30 club”.
Have a go at our Lincoln City v Oxford United Quiz below:
One Oxford United Supporter Talks To Vital Lincoln City:https://t.co/idErJvmSlY#OUFC #ImpsAsOne #ProudToBeImps
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) March 24, 2021
