Oxford United 2008/09 Season

The following is the player profiles for the Oxford United team of 2008/09.

Billy Turley is the Oxford United number one. He's the legend between the sticks and the reason we've been so solid for the last few seasons since getting relegated to the Blue Square Premier. Turley has been with the team since 2005 and has been an absolute rock for us. In his first season he was quite inconsistent in the Oxford United goal, the whole team was poor though and Oxford United's relegation from the English Football League was therefore to be expected.

Before playing for Oxford Billy Turley has also played for such clubs as Rushden & Diamonds, Northampton, and Leyton Orient also. He started his career at Northampton in the 1995/96 season and is now a very experienced and highly knowledgeable goalkeeper.

19 year old Ben Hinchliffe looks set to be the Oxford United number two for the 08/09 season. Having looked quite promising and impressed in training/friendlies, Hinchliffe is currently on a short-term contract and it's expected that he'll be offered the number two spot for the season should he continue to impress. He's got a good kick on him, and although young has played for some well respected teams and should be a great asset to Oxford United if he's to spend the season.

Hinchliffe has previously played for Derby County and Preston North End, and has also spent time out on loan at Tranmere. He's got a good history in the game already and at the age of 19 his future in football most certainly looks bright.

Having spent much of the 2007/08 season out injured, Willmott is now back to full fitness and looking to make up for lost time with a terrific 08/09 campaign. When fit Willmott is a great player, he's a strong figure in the centre and will surely prove a tough task for strikers to take the ball past in the coming BSP season.

Willmott's list of ex clubs includes Luton Town, Wimbledon, and Northampton. He's 6' 2" and a key figure in Oxford's incredibly sturdy back four. Chris Willmott is the current Oxford team Captain.

Luke Foster is able to play at centre half, full back or even in midfield; he's a very versatile little player and has a key figure in the Play-Off attaining team of 2006/07. He's a highly impressive player and was voted Supporter's Player of the Year and Players Player of the Year also for the 2007/08 season.

Foster's supreme talent attracted interest from several higher level clubs during the 2007/08 season and in the summer of 2008 he signed a contract extension which will potentially keep him at the club until 2010. Whether or not Foster will stay that long remains to be seen; there's a general feeling that a decent offer from a bigger club and Luke Foster will be long gone from the Kassam.

Foster's career began at Sheffield Wednesday where he was there loaned out to Scarborough and Alfreton Town also. He then moved on to Lincoln City and was there loaned out to York City. In January 2007 Foster's contract was terminated by mutual consent and he was able to join Stalybridge Celtic. After an impressive month at Stalybridge he was snapped up by Oxford and has recently signed a new two year contract with the club.

There was a time last season when Matt Day was transfer listed and no longer wanted by the club; times have changed however and through hard work and determination Matt Day has made his way back into the Oxford side and proved himself to be a valuable asset to Darren Patterson. Last season a number of players were transfer listed and most showed no hunger to play for the club, Matt Day was one of the few that did pull his socks up however and that's why Day is still an Oxford United man.

Day has an excellent shot on him and if given half a chance will often try his luck from range. On several occasions Day has been successful in scoring from distance and often when he gains the ball you can therefore hear a cry of 'shoot' from the Oxford United faithful.

Before arriving at Oxford; Matt Day had previously moved up the ranks at Portsmouth, not strong enough to crack the Pompey first team though he found his way out of the club and at the doors of the Kassam. Day has scored some cracking goals for his club and has even been called up to play for England (England C team that is; the England non-league squad).

Chris Carruthers signed for Oxford on July 4th 2008. He was released from Bristol Rovers at the end of the 2007/08 season and in total played in over 100 games for Rovers before moving on. Chris is quite a versatile player and is happy in both the defence and the midfield also.

Carruthers is absolutely lightening quick coming down the wing, he's a fine crosser of the ball and a totally excellent asset for Oxford United. Chris Carruthers is without doubt one of the finest players in the Oxford United team of 2008/09.

Chris actually began his career at Northampton in the year 2000 and it was not until 2005 that he found his way to Bristol Rovers.

James Clarke is a talented young Oxford defender and was named young player of the year for the 2006/07 season. He played a number of games in the first team in the 2007/08 season and will be looking to improve upon last seasons first team experience through securing a more steady place in the back four for the 2008/09 campaign.

Clarke is one of Oxford's rising stars and most definitely is a player to watch out for in the future. He's not quite the finished product yet, his inexperience shines through at times but with time his confidence grows and his ability gains.

Quinn has been at Oxford now since the 2003/04 season; he's the longest remaining Oxford player in the side and a fine little player he is too. In the 2003/04 season he was only on loan at the club from Coventry; Coventry let him go though and their loss was Oxford's gain as they fought with a number of other clubs in order to gain his signature.

Having started out life at Coventry in the 1998/99 season, Quinn made a number of appearances for the club before going out on loan at Rushden and Oxford in the 2003/04 season, and the rest is history as they say as he became a fully fledged Oxford player for the 2004/05 season and hasn't looked back since.

Adam Murray is Oxford United's journeyman midfielder. Including Oxford he has played at ten clubs throughout his career taking him all over the country. He's been down to Devon with Torquay United, and he's also been way up north with Derby County; at current he's at Oxford United though and he'll he looking to show the Blue Square Premier what he's made of in the 2008/09 season. He's capable of plenty, but will he be able to provide?

Murray's former clubs include Carlisle, Mansfield Town, Torquay United, Mansfield Town, Burton, Notts County, Kidderminster, Derby County, and Macclesfield. It was January 2008 that the player signed for Oxford though and this will be his first full season to shine for the yellows.

Trainer spent his first season at Oxford during 2007/08 and over his first year at the club established himself as a vitally important player to the team. 9 goals were scored by the midfield man last season and only 4 yellow cards were received in over 40 league appearances. He's a clean player and plays a tidy game in the centre of the Oxford park.

Since leaving Crew Alexandra in 2002 Phil Trainer has never returned to the Football League. He's been through a number of different non-league sides however and during his stay in the lower levels of football has played for Hyde United, Hednesford Town, Stalybridge Celtic, Northwich Victoria, Halesowen Town, Tamworth, and spent four whole years playing at Moor Green before moving onto Oxford in 2007.

Lewis Haldane is a lightning fast winger on a season long loan to Oxford from Bristol Rovers. In 2007 he helped Rover to a Play-Off final, and in total now has played close to 150 games for the club. 15 Rovers goals have been scored during his time there and his blistering pace will most definitely cause a great problem for Blue Square defenders in this coming season.

As well as having plenty of first team experience at Bristol Rovers; Lewis Haldane has also been on loan at such clubs as Forest Green Rovers and Weston-super-Mare; he's played his football at all different levels and although only 23 is really quite an experienced young player.

Joe Burnell signed for Oxford on July 1st having been let go by Northampton Town at the end of the 2007/08 season. He was born in Bristol and started out his career at Bristol City before moving on. He's fairly small for a footballer at only 5' 9", he's of a decent footballing pedigree however and he has spent an impressive decade in the Football League before arriving at Oxford.

After playing in 131 games for Bristol City and scoring four goals; Burnell moved on in 2004 and ended up at Oxford rivals Wycombe Wanderers. From Wycombe he wandered to Northampton Town, and after two years there he's now at the Kassam Stadium in yellow and blue.

Having risen through the ranks of the Oxford United youth academy; this season Declan Benjamin has been given the gift of a professional contract at Oxford. He only just turned 17 this year, he has great pace on him though and can sure take the ball and run. He's a pacey little player and in the Blue Square Premier his pace will surely prove vital.

Declan Benjamin will surely prove to be little more than a fringe player in Oxford's 2008/09 season; he's still young though and could well have a bright future ahead of him at the club. With a few injuries in the team then Benjamin could well find himself with a regular place in the squad at some stage this season.

Eddie Hutchinson is the forgotten man of the Kassam Stadium; just call him Oxford's answer to Andriy Shevchenko. He was frozen out of the squad during the 2007/08 season and placed upon the transfer list, told he wasn't wanted by the club, and also it was made clear that he'd probably never play for the team ever again. Coming into the 2008/09 season he's still with the club however and is given the Oxford number 26 jersey (behind all the loan signings and also all those that have just made the step up from the youth team).

A lot of Oxford fans thought he'd never play for Oxford United ever again, he made his mark on the 2008/09 season however by coming on as a substitute and scoring Oxford's 4th goal in a thrilling 6-3 encounter against Eastbourne Borough in a home encounter on August 16th 2008. It's thought that he's substantially overpaid; he has however scored a couple of goals for the club in his time at the Kassam and always is solid in his central midfield position.

Hutchinson started his career at Sutton United in 1999, moved on to Brentford in the year 2000, and since the start of the 2006/07 has been an Oxford United man.

James Constable is a 23 year old English striker who currently finds himself on loan at Oxford United. Last season he more than proved himself as a Kidderminster Harriers striker and he will this season be attempting to add to his Blue Square Premier tally in the yellow Oxford Number 9 jersey. This should be another successful season for Constable and along with Jamie Guy and Yemi Odubade he should be drilling in the goals left, right, and centre.

Constable is a considerable footballing talent, the man could well have an incredibly bright future ahead of him and should he make his mark on the Blue Square Premier League this season then this will surely be a fantastic step forward in his career.

Constable's footballing life began at Chippenham Town and he has since played for such clubs as Walsall, Kidderminster Harriers, and Shrewsbury Town. He has a proven track record as a conference striker and his loan spell should be incredibly fruitful.

Alex Fisher is a product of the Oxford United youth system and an ever improving upfront force of a player. He forced his way into the first team toward the end of last season and a pre-season goal against Portsmouth first team was apparently the highlight of his career thus far. He's a great player and has scored goals at all levels for Oxford.

Alex Fisher is most definitely an Oxford United player to watch out for in the future. He may not play many games at current but when he does make an appearance on the field of play he always looks willing to work and will run around as much as possible and get stuck in until his legs can cope no more. Fisher is a worker, he's a passionate young striker and with his drive and determination he should surely go far within the wonderful game of football.

Although an Oxford United player through and through; Alex Fisher has also spent time on loan at local club Brackley Town where he grabbed two goals in two games. With players such as Fisher in the side the future is bright for Oxford.

Although technically a Colchester player; Jamie Guy shall spend the season on loan at Oxford and I have a great belief that excellent things will happen for the lad during his stay here. He's been explosive in friendlies, 7 goals have been scored by the man and throughout the season he'll definitely be looking to add to his Oxford tally. Disaster struck during pre-season however as Guy got injured and therefore would miss the first five games of the season; disappointing for the guy who surely would have started the season on the pitch; he's a strong character though and has what it takes to battle back to full fitness with great speed.

Jamie Guy is Colchester player through and through; he has however spent time in the past out on loan at clubs such as Cambridge United and Ebbsfleet.

Sussex celebrity Yemi Odubade has been at Oxford now since 2005. During an Oxford cup game against Eastbourne Borough the player impressed and was then snapped up by United shortly afterwards. During his first season at the club Yemi was somewhat of a super-sub, he's explosive in attack and brilliant down the wing also. Many Oxford penalties have been won in the last couple of years as a result of Yemi Odubade's blistering pace and trickery on the ball.

Towards the end of the 2007/08 season Odubade was placed on the transfer list as a result of his laziness and lack of commitment to the club. Yemi responded to this by showing the boss what he was made of and once more starting to perform; Yemi Odubade ultimately finished the season as Oxford's top scorer and his reward was therefore to be taken off of the transfer list along with defender Matt Day. Odubade seemingly got a bit too big for his boots and felt that he was too good to be playing for Oxford United; being placed on the transfer list soon sorted that out however and the player is now back to his explosive unpredictable speedy self.

Having previously played at Eastbourne Borough and Yeovil Town, Yemi has proven himself to be a strong Oxford signing and is very much a valued part of the Oxford United set-up. Yemi Odubade was the Oxford United Player of the Year in 2006/7 and top scorer for the club in the 2007/08 season. He'll be hoping to have another excellent season ahead of him.

Young Matty Taylor originally rose through the youth ranks and was released from the club as it was not thought that he was big enough built to be able to cope with first team football. Being released did him the world of good however and having proven himself as a goalscorer elsewhere he has since returned to the Oxford fold. He came on in a few games in the 2007/08 season and this season will surely be hoping to gain some more first team football experience.

Matt Taylor might be young but he's eager to learn and keen to progress in the fickle world of football.

Team

GD

Pts

1. Kettering

10

32

2. Crawley

13

30

3. Cambridge

6

29

4. Histon

8

28

5. Torquay

7

28

6. Burton

5

28

7. Kidderminstr

7

27

8. Wrexham

7

24

9. Stevenage

-1

24

10. York

2

23

11. Weymouth

0

23

12. Rushden

4

22

13. Altrincham

-4

22

14. Mansfield

1

21

15. Barrow

-5

21

16. Ebbsfleet

4

20

17. Salisbury

-3

20

18. Oxford Utd

-2

19

19. Eastbourne

-10

17

20. Woking

-6

16

21. Forest Grn

-7

16

22. Northwich

-7

13

23. Grays

-10

12

24. Lewes

-19

11