{"id":620500,"date":"2022-12-18T15:35:58","date_gmt":"2022-12-18T20:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=620500"},"modified":"2022-12-18T15:35:58","modified_gmt":"2022-12-18T20:35:58","slug":"oxford-united-chairman-signing-injury-sheffield-wednesday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2022\/12\/18\/oxford-united-chairman-signing-injury-sheffield-wednesday\/","title":{"rendered":"Oxford United Weekly Round-Up: Chairman Update, New Signing and Draw Against Sheffield Wednesday"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This week has been one of positivity for <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2022\/12\/04\/oxford-united-fa-cup-league-draw\/\" target=\"_self\">Oxford United<\/a>, but there have been elements of frustration also.<\/p>\n<p>The club&#8217;s search for a site for a potential new stadium may have hit a stumbling block but chairman Grant Ferguson has confirmed there is an alternative plan.<\/p>\n<p>On the pitch, one midfielder has been made available for loan before another picked up a knee injury. The U&#8217;s have also made their first signing of the January transfer window.<\/p>\n<p>Karl Robinson&#8217;s side then picked up a point at Hillsborough in a goalless draw against Sheffield Wednesday.<\/p>\n<h2>Oxford United Weekly Round-Up: Stadium Update, New Addition and League One Draw<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cStratfield Brake hasn\u2019t gone away as an option.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/oufc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#oufc<\/a> board members addressed plans for a new stadium at last night\u2019s fans\u2019 forum<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/knugzH2EDR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/knugzH2EDR<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hEbG0tdSpu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/hEbG0tdSpu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OxfordMailOUFC\/status\/1602566491337117696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 13, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Stadium Update From Oxford Chairman<\/h3>\n<p>Oxford United remain hopeful in their search for a new stadium, members of the board have said.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking at a live fans forum in the city, chairman Grant Ferguson and chief strategy officer Niall McWilliams were asked questions regarding Stratfield Brake and a proposed second site, known as &#8216;The Triangle.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>The county council\u2019s cabinet could decide on January 24, about whether to enter formal negotiations regarding leasing council-owned land at The Triangle to the club for the development of a new stadium.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordmail.co.uk\/sport\/23187030.oxford-united-board-address-stratfield-brake-fans-forum\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ferguson said<\/a>: \u201cWe\u2019re still working through what the options are.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStratfield Brake is having to be refocussed and that allows a fantastic opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe challenges with Stratfield Brake as a whole were a lot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStratfield Brake hasn\u2019t gone away as an option.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will get it right, and that\u2019s by consulting as many people as possible, including the people in this room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The new chairman added: \u201cWe\u2019re very keen to find as many ways as possible to engage with fans, this is one way to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McWilliams said: \u201cYou\u2019ve (the fans) been patient and brilliant for so long. We just need a little bit of time to get the detail for you and when we do get that, we will give it to you.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStratfield Brake hasn\u2019t gone off the table. The triangular piece of land, there\u2019s no sub-leases and is owned by the county council.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know there\u2019s a great deal of support in the local area.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo me, it\u2019s pretty clear there\u2019ll be a decision on the 24th.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis isn\u2019t just about the football, this is about providing international quality sporting facilities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we look at The Triangle or wherever we go, we\u2019ll be looking at opening the doors to the community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll look at the Women\u2019s team to play at our stadium because they\u2019re unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Club Looking to Secure Loan Move for Fringe Player<\/h3>\n<p>U&#8217;s midfielder Oisin Smyth has been on trial with a League Two club ahead of a potential loan move in January.<\/p>\n<p>Questions were asked about the 22-year-olds lack of game time at the fans forum on Monday night, with Robinson previously confirming he was due to join a National League side in October before picking up a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n<p>The U&#8217;s boss compared Smyth to Mark Sykes, another midfielder who arrived from Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOisin has been signed as an 18-month project, a little bit like Sykesy was,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordmail.co.uk\/sport\/23188082.oxford-uniteds-oisin-smyth-trial-sky-bet-league-two-club\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robinson told the Oxford Mail.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe got a little bit of criticism for him being in and out, and in the wilderness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy the end of it, the process worked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOisin is still not where you\u2019d expect with Lewis Bate, Cameron Brannagan, Marcus McGuane and people like James Henry \u2013 where he sits right now is behind that group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOisin is still in a development phase, he\u2019s been on trial with a League Two club this week because nobody knows of him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s gone to a League Two club to see if they want him in January, and ideally that would be the perfect plan for him \u2013 to go to League Two for the rest of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cThe reality is that with his first knee, we know how hard this one\u2019s going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Karl Robinson is reluctant to put a timeframe on a knee injury suffered by Alex Gorrin <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/oufc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#oufc<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TipuxQruwL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/TipuxQruwL<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/iytQPCmbOV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/iytQPCmbOV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OxfordMailOUFC\/status\/1603437228147019781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">December 15, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Oxford United Midfielder Ruled Out With Knee Injury<\/h3>\n<p>With one midfielder looking likely to leave, another is set for another spell on the sidelines after Alex Gorrin picked up a knee injury in training.<\/p>\n<p>The Spaniard missed large parts of last season with an ACL injury and will miss much of the action this season, also.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oufc.co.uk\/news\/2022\/december\/gorrin-injury\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Speaking to the club&#8217;s official website<\/a>, Robinson said: \u201cWe are all gutted and Alex is absolutely devastated.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He worked so hard to get back from the last one and to then pick up a similar injury in training is cruel.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The positives are that he is a very fit lad and has that fantastic, positive outlook which will help him through this.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>First January Signing Completed<\/h3>\n<p>The U&#8217;s then confirmed the signing of 20-year-old defender, Stephan Negru from League of Ireland outfit Shelbourne.<\/p>\n<p>The centre-back will join the U&#8217;s in January when the transfer window opens and follows several players to make the switch from Ireland.<\/p>\n<p>Negru, who made his Shelbourne debut in October, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oufc.co.uk\/news\/2022\/december\/stepahn-negru-signs\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told the club&#8217;s official website<\/a>: \u201cThe whole club has been fantastic with me.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I came over to take a look and join training and I was made to feel involved from the very first day.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The manager has been excellent and obviously they have a reputation for helping players develop: Luke McNally is a great example of someone who plays in the same position as me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know I have a lot to learn but that\u2019s what I am here for and I can\u2019t wait to get started.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Robinson added: \u201cHe\u2019s really exciting as a prospect. He is a defender who reads danger well and I know Craig Short has been really impressed.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You look at Rob Dickie, Rob Atkinson and Luke McNally and we enjoy working with defenders and helping them develop.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Stephan is definitely one for the future and we look forward to seeing his progress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-620502\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/gettyimages-1244060195-594x594-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/gettyimages-1244060195-594x594-1.jpg 594w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/12\/gettyimages-1244060195-594x594-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Unbeaten Run Continues With Draw at Hillsborough<\/h3>\n<p>Oxford extended their unbeaten run to ten games but will feel disappointed about leaving Hillsborough with just a point after their goalless draw against Sheffield Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>After an even first half, Oxford squandered several late chances with Henry missing from six yards before Josh Murphy saw a stoppage-time penalty saved.<\/p>\n<p>The result keeps the U&#8217;s in the bottom half, just six points clear of the relegation places ahead of a trip to second-placed Ipswich Town on Boxing Day.<\/p>\n<h3>Former Oxford United Loanee Wins the World Cup<\/h3>\n<p>Former U&#8217;s loanee Emi Martinez has won the FIFA World Cup with <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2022\/12\/18\/argentina-player-ratings-france-world-cup-final\/\" target=\"_self\">Argentina after an enthralling final against France.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The 30-year-old was the hero in the penalty shootout, saving once, as the South Americans won 4-2 on spot kicks following a 3-3 draw.<\/p>\n<p>Martinez joined the U&#8217;s on an emergency loan deal from Arsenal for the final game of the 2011\/12 season, making his senior competitive debut. However, the then 19-year-old conceded three times as Oxford lost 3-0 at Port Vale in League Two, missing out on the playoffs as a result.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This week has been one of positivity for Oxford United, but there have been elements of frustration also. The club&#8217;s search for a site for a potential new stadium may have hit a stumbling block but chairman Grant Ferguson has confirmed there is an alternative plan. On the pitch, one midfielder has been made available [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":335,"featured_media":620502,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8430,32,34],"tags":[3895,166,1083,9613],"class_list":["post-620500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oxford-united","category-league-football","category-league12","tag-alex-gorrin","tag-karl-robinson","tag-sheffield-wednesday","tag-stephan-negru"],"modified_by":"Dale Ventham, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/620500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/335"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=620500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/620500\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/620502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=620500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=620500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=620500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}