Source: FOOTYMAD
The S24 Preview: Southend United v Oxford United
At last, deadline day is over and we can concentrate on matters at hand, a vital League Two fixture between Shrimpers and U's at Roots Hall Tuesday, February 1st; kick-off 19.45. v SHRIMPERSWith the Shrimpers four points off the play-off places and Oxford United one, it would be fair to say this is an important fixture.This is a huge match for us, sort of sees how serious we are to grab one of those top seven places with Shrewsbury coming to town Saturday.Great news Bilel and Snoop Dog are staying, and I expect the team that finished against Barnet with Graham Coughlan out injured, however, he'll probably prove me wrong again and start, blimey, the old bloke's gotta have a rest soon, hasn't he got a reserve game to coach!Anyway, Barry Corr deserves his start, took his goal well at the weekend, as did Granty, and Bilel looked safe enough returning to the back four.Good to see we are still looking for a forward though as the subs bench looks a man short up front especially with Spencer gone so wouldn't be surprised to see Harry Crawford back or maybe a youth, Johnny Herd or poor Miguel Comminges dropping out, get that man some action soon!Shrimpers to pinch it, 2-1! Mohsni winner from a corner in stoppage time; no, it can't happen.Possible Southend United: Morris, Clohessy, Barker, Mohsni, Gilbert, Ferdinand, Easton, Grant, Hall, Sturrock, Corr. Subs: Evans, Herd, Phillips, Comminges, Sawyer, Soares, Paterson.COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!!OPPOSITIONDecent away side at the moment that up to the recent Derby away defeat to the Cobblers, (report below), had won three in a row on the road, still, doesn't beat our four! The U's have signed Colchester United winger Simon Hackney on loan until the end of the season.The 26-year-old has struggled with injury this season and has played just a couple of games.Head farmer John Ward said: "This is a good move for Simon. He needs to go out and play somewhere and I am pleased for him that Oxford have come in and offered him this opportunity."Other than that U's boss Chris Wilderwill not be able to select wideboy Jennison Myrie-Williams who has had his international clearance refused because he has already been under contract with two professional clubs this campaign and therefore will not be able to join the club until next time around, oh dear!Striker Alfie Potter has recently returned from a shoulder problem and after a couple of substitute appearances may make a srat while fellow frontman Matt Green has joined League Two rivals Cheltenham on loan for the rest of the season.Former loanee had been warming the subs bench recently coming on for two of the last three games, but not making much impact, the last time it was the 92nd minute!It's quite an important game4Crewe Alexandra 26733281245425231187533541+185Bury 25453161372425151177412840+136Port Vale 2663212754617161178292340+67Gillingham 27734151244523221179383440+48Shrewsbury Town 27652201144618181098382939+99Oxford United 277262016444161911610363539+110Cheltenham Town 27535161555422231089383838011Southend United 264351718635181310610353136+4Player to WatchJames Constable U's top scorer with 12 goals, can cause a lot of damage if left unmarked in the six-yard box.Read more about him here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_ConstableLast Time OutAway; Northampton Town 2 Oxford United 1 (played on Saturday, January 22nd, 2011.) Report: www.oufc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10342~53379,00.html Home; Oxford United 1 Cheltenham Town 1 (played on Saturday, January 29th, 2011.) Report: www.oufc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10342~53150,00.html PREVIOUSLY At Southend Utd. (17)At Oxford Utd. (18)ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%Southend Utd.741.18Oxford Utd.1161.11Oxford Utd.741.18Southend Utd.527.78Draws317.65Draws211.11GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pgSouthend Utd.281.65Oxford Utd.231.28Oxford Utd.211.24Southend Utd.120.67On Neutral Ground (0)Overall (35 matches)ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%Southend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.1234.29Oxford Utd.00.00Oxford Utd.1851.43Draws00.00Draws514.29GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pgSouthend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.401.14Oxford Utd.00.00Oxford Utd.441.26RecordsHighest Aggregate7Southend Utd. 6 - 1Oxford Utd.1993/1994 Highest Southend Utd. score:6Southend Utd. 6 - 1Oxford Utd.1993/1994 Highest Oxford Utd. score:5Oxford Utd. 5 - 0Southend Utd.1996/1997 SeasonDateHomeScoreAwayCompetition 2010/2011Sat 01 JanOxford Utd.0 - 2Southend Utd.League Two 2007/2008Tue 11 DecSouthend Utd.3 - 0Oxford Utd.F.A. Cup Sat 01 DecOxford Utd.0 - 0Southend Utd.F.A. Cup 2004/2005Sat 23 AprOxford Utd.2 - 1Southend Utd.League Two Sat 06 NovSouthend Utd.4 - 0Oxford Utd.League Two 2003/2004Sun 28 DecSouthend Utd.0 - 1Oxford Utd.League Division Three Sat 06 SepOxford Utd.2 - 0Southend Utd.League Division Three 2002/2003Tue 21 JanSouthend Utd.2 - 1Oxford Utd.League Division Three Sat 24 AugOxford Utd.0 - 1Southend Utd.League Division Three 2001/2002Sat 02 MarSouthend Utd.2 - 2Oxford Utd.League Division Three Sat 22 SepOxford Utd.2 - 0Southend Utd.League Division Three 1999/2000Tue 24 AugOxford Utd.1 - 0Southend Utd.League Cup Oxford United won 3-0 on aggregateTue 10 AugSouthend Utd.0 - 2Oxford Utd.League Cup 1996/1997Sat 22 MarSouthend Utd.2 - 2Oxford Utd.League Division One Sat 24 AugOxford Utd.5 - 0Southend Utd.League Division One 1993/1994Sat 15 JanOxford Utd.2 - 1Southend Utd.League Division One Sat 16 OctSouthend Utd.6 - 1Oxford Utd.League Division One 1992/1993Sat 13 MarOxford Utd.0 - 1Southend Utd.League Division One Sat 07 NovSouthend Utd.0 - 3Oxford Utd.League Division One 1991/1992Thu 26 DecOxford Utd.0 - 1Southend Utd.Second Division Wed 30 OctSouthend Utd.2 - 3Oxford Utd.Second Division 1983/1984Sat 14 AprOxford Utd.2 - 1Southend Utd.Third Division Fri 02 DecSouthend Utd.0 - 1Oxford Utd.Third Division 1982/1983Fri 13 MaySouthend Utd.1 - 2Oxford Utd.Third Division Sat 01 JanOxford Utd.1 - 0Southend Utd.Third Division 1981/1982Sat 13 MarOxford Utd.0 - 2Southend Utd.Third Division Sat 24 OctSouthend Utd.0 - 1Oxford Utd.Third Division 1980/1981Wed 13 AugOxford Utd.2 - 0Southend Utd.League Cup Oxford United won 2-1 on aggregateSat 09 AugSouthend Utd.1 - 0Oxford Utd.League Cup 1979/1980Sat 05 AprOxford Utd.1 - 0Southend Utd.Third Division Wed 26 DecSouthend Utd.1 - 1Oxford Utd.Third Division 1978/1979Wed 07 MarOxford Utd.0 - 0Southend Utd.Third Division Mon 11 SepSouthend Utd.2 - 0Oxford Utd.Third Division 1965/1966Mon 22 NovSouthend Utd.2 - 1Oxford Utd.Third Division Wed 25 AugOxford Utd.3 - 2Southend Utd.Third Division REFThe man in the middle is Keith Hill from Hertfordshire.He gives an interview here: http://refworld.com/referee/142/1/keith-hill His assistants are Ian Cooper and Tim Robinson; The fourth official is Matthew McLaughlin.FIXTURESLeague TwoTuesday, February 1st; (all kick-offs 19.45): Accrington Stanley v Morecambe, Aldershot v Barnet, Bradford v Lincoln City, Macclesfield v Bury, Northampton v Crewe, Port Vale v Rotherham, Shrewsbury v Burton Albion, Southend v Oxford Utd, Stevenage v Gillingham, Stockport v Chesterfield, Torquay v Hereford, Wycombe v Cheltenham. Saturday, February 5th; (all kick-offs 15.00): Bury v Burton Albion, Chesterfield v Aldershot, Gillingham v Oxford Utd, Hereford v Lincoln City, Macclesfield v Bradford, Morecambe v Cheltenham, Northampton v Barnet, Rotherham v Crewe, Southend v Shrewsbury, Stevenage v Accrington Stanley, Torquay v Stockport, Wycombe v Port Vale.BETSouthend (to win) - 13/10, Draw - 5/2, Barnet (to win) - 23/10. For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-two/HISTORY Oxford United was formed as Headington United in 1893, adding the suffix United the following year. It was created by Rev John Scott-Tucker, the vicar at Saint Andrew's church in Old Headington, and a local doctor named Robert Hitchings. A football team was a way for the cricketers of Headington Cricket Club to maintain their fitness during the winter break. The first game played was against Cowley Barracks. Headington had no regular home until 1913, when they were able to purchase Wootten's Field on London Road, but this was redeveloped in 1920. A permanent home was finally found in 1926, when they purchased the Manor Ground site on London Road. The facility was used as a cricket pitch in the summer, and a football pitch in the winter, until the cricketers moved out during the 1940s.In 1899, six years after their formation, Headington United joined the Oxfordshire District League Second Division, where they competed until the outbreak of the First World War; the Second Division was renamed the Oxfordshire Junior League after the resumption of football in 1919. In 1921 the club was admitted into the Oxon Senior League. The first season included a 9-0 victory, with 8 goals coming from P. Drewitt. This remains a record for the highest number of goals scored by an Oxford player in a first-team match. A move into professional football was first considered during the second season. Vic Couling, the president at the time, had applied for Headington to become a member of a new Second Division in the Southern League. Other teams that applied included Weymouth, Kettering Town and future league side Cambridge United. Despite the plans being postponed, the First Division was going to be expanded by two clubs; Weymouth and Headington were elected. It was later discovered that Llanelli had just one fewer vote than Headington. They played their first season in the Southern League in 1949, the same year they turned professional. Former First Division forward Harry Thompson was hired as manager. The club installed floodlights in 1950, the first professional club in Britain to do so, and the first floodlit game was held on 18 December against Banbury Spencer. Headington United initially played in orange and blue shirts, but changed to yellow home shirts for the 1957-58 season. The reason for the change is unknown. In 1960, Headington United was renamed Oxford United, to give the club a higher profile.Oxford United finished eighteenth in the 1985-86 First Division campaign, avoiding relegation on the last day of the season. They also won the Football League Cup, known at the time as the Milk Cup under a sponsorship deal, beating Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the final at Wembley. They would have qualified for the UEFA Cup the following season, had it not been for the ban on English teams that had resulted from the previous year's Heysel Stadium disaster.After beating fellow First Division side Aston Villa in the semi-final 4-3 on aggregate, Oxford faced Queens Park Rangers in the final, which was held at Wembley Stadium on 20 April 1986. The final result was 3-0 with goals from Trevor Hebberd, Ray Houghton and Jeremy Charles. After the match, manager Maurice Evans asked long-serving physiotherapist, 72-year-old Ken Fish, to collect a winner's medal instead of himself. It was the last time the League Cup was played under the name "Milk Cup".1986-87 saw Oxford United survive another relegation battle and stay in the First Division. Robert Maxwell resigned as chairman in May 1987 to take over at Derby County, handing the club to his son Kevin. Maurice Evans was sacked in March 1988 with Oxford bottom of the First Division and destined for relegation after three years in the top flight.They remain the only cub to have played in the top flight to end up in the Conference.Now managed by former Halifax Town boss Chris Wilder. Wilder's arrival for the 2008/09 Blue Square Premier season lead to 15 wins from the next 21. A 5-point deduction for fielding an unregistered player resulted in a seventh-place finish, four points and two places short of the play-offs. Oxford led the table for most of the first half of the 2009-10 season but dropped into the playoff places by the end of the season, finishing third. They beat Rushden & Diamonds over two legs to advance to the playoff final against York City, the club's second-ever visit to Wembley Stadium and their first to the new stadium.On May 16, 2010, Oxford won the Conference National play-off Final against York City, beating them 3-1 to return to the Football League for the 2010-11 season. The attendance was over 33,000, notably large for a non-League club. Oxford's first game in the return to the Football League was away to Burton, which finished in a 0-0 draw. Oxford got their first win back in the Football League on September 4th against Morecambe at the Kassam Stadium, winning 4-0, thanks to a James Constable hat-trick.(For a more comprehensive history of the club, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_United.)
