Linighan joins United

Oxford have signed Andy Linighan until the end of the season and he is likely to make his debut in defence tomorrow against Luton. If he does play Linighan will be the oldest player ever to have donned a Yellow shirt, even older than Mickey Lewis or Mike Ford. Linighan was Crystal Palace's Player of the Season last season (not that that's saying a lot) but was sacked by the Londoners for unspecified reasons (although the rumour is that he decked the chairman, which may or may not come in useful at the Manor). Mike Ford stressed that the decision to bring in Linighan was his and his alone and nothing to do with Denis Smith, who claimed that Linighan was one name on a list. We think he doth protest too much.

Mike Ford was apparently trying to put himself out of the running for the manager's job with his “shambles” statement after the match on Saturday. He also revealed that after his now infamous interview on Radio Oxford he went straight to Kassam's office and told the chairman what he had just said. He also asked Kassam to invest some money in the team, although he didn't reveal what the chairman's response was.