Another week and another game where Oxford United have kept their unbeaten run intact as the U’s drew against Blackpool.
Also in the last seven days, a defender signed a new long-term deal while a midfielder signed a new short-term deal.
Oxford United Weekly Round-Up: Seasider’s Stalemate and Double Deals
Brown Pens New Deal
Ciaron Brown became the first Oxford player of the week to sign a new deal with the club.
The 25-year-old, who was out of contract in the summer, follows Simon Eastwood, Elliott Moore, Stephan Negru and Gatlin O’Donkor in penning new “longer-term” contracts.
Following a successful loan spell from Cardiff, Brown joined the U’s on a permanent basis last summer and has surpassed 50 appearances for the club.
The Northern Ireland international also picked up both the Players’ Player of the Year and the Andrew Knapton supporters’ Player of the Year awards.
Read More: Player in Focus: Greg Leigh
Speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “I am enjoying my football and the team is going well at the moment.
“I saw the plans for the new stadium last week and it just feels like the whole club is making progress and moving forward.
“I really want to be part of that. The gaffer and coaching staff have been excellent, and the new contract offers that little bit of security for me, especially now I have a young family to look after.”
U’s head coach Liam Manning added: “Ciaron has been outstanding for us. He has played in a couple of positions already this season and you know what you are going to get from him every time.
“He is a fierce competitor, always totally committed and has a fantastic attitude. At 25, he has his best years ahead of him and we are more than happy that that will be within what we are looking to build here.”
Short-Term Deal for Midfielder
On Friday, midfielder Alex Gorrin signed a new short-term deal with the club.
The 30-year-old, who was out of contract in the summer, has been training with the U’s as he looked to continue his recovery from an ACL injury.
Now, the Spaniard is close to full fitness and head coach Liam Manning has awarded him with a short-term deal.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Gorrin said: “I feel good and want to thank the gaffer for this opportunity.
“Since the end of last season, the club have been brilliant with me. I came in for pre-season and worked with the medical team to make sure my rehab was totally complete, and then trained with the squad to get my fitness back. I’ve had one or two games behind closed doors to get match sharp and feel strong and ready to go.
“Oxford United is a very special club. The team is doing so well, and I want to do whatever I can to help that continue.”
Liam Manning added: “Alex is a fantastic character. The way he has fought his way back to fitness speaks volumes about his mental strength and attitude.
“We helped him get fit and he has since trained really well. Having someone with his experience and ability who can slot straight into the squad and strengthens our options works for all concerned.”
Gorrin has turned out 114 times for Oxford since he arrived from Motherwell in 2019, scoring three goals, but injuries have hampered his progress in recent seasons.
In addition to the ACL injury he picked up last December, the midfielder also missed a large part of the 2021/22 season after suffering a similar injury in an FA clash against Bristol Rovers in November.
Share of the Spoils Against the Seasiders for Oxford United
Oxford picked up their first draw of the season after Blackpool scored an injury-time equaliser in their League One clash.
Greg Leigh netted his fifth goal of the campaign to put the U’s ahead at the break but the visitors dug deep and piled on the pressure in the closing stages, with Jordan Rhodes netting a late leveller.
Oxford remain second in League One but are now three points behind Portsmouth.
