Paul Beasley

PART-TIME SUPPORTER

“I’m now officially a part time supporter. Missing first league game since our return from the Conference. 1 o’clock kick off at Morecambe. No thanks. This does of course mean that as I’m not there they’ll put on a good performance and come back with the three points. Which can only be a good thing.”

I posted this on Facebook at 10:30 on Saturday morning. Down town in Bicester at lunch time I just went about my business without guilt or regret.

If the kick off had been at the usual time I would have been there. If I could have got a lift or a couple of passengers I would have been there. Leaving Bicester just before 8 o’clock would have been acceptable. But getting up at 5 o’clock to get the bus from the Kassam at 6:30 was not as far as I’m concerned. The big clincher though was how uninspiring and downright depressing I am finding watching OUFC at present. No one I know has genuine enthusiasm for it any more. I don’t know anyone who believes the current managerial team can turn things around. If we had been playing like a truly competitive team and producing something worth watching I wouldn’t have thought twice about jumping in my car and driving to the Globe arena on my own.

The explanation given on Radio Oxford for starting two hours ahead of the norm was so that people could be with their families. There’s clearly a lack of understanding here of the combustive nature created when relatives come together and fail miserably to live peacefully under the same roof for days on end over the festive period. Yes, just what people need – to get home from the footie two hours earlier than normal.

We visited Morecambe on the 10th December last year. Kick off was 3 o’clock. The crowd was 1914. This season it was 1385, a 27% decrease. Someone take note. And, a bit of consideration for those who travel distances to follow their team wouldn’t come amiss. But as ever all I can say to those yellow fans that did get there, very well done to the lot of you.

RADIO OXFORD

Often when I’ve travelled away I’ve come back with a more negative view than that gleaned by my wife from listening to Radio Oxford. I dread to think what this game was actually like because it came over as at best a mediocre and rather drab affair with us just bumbling along without spark.

As I wasn’t there I’ll just give you a quote from Jim, a Morecambe fan and owner of the Craigwell Hotel on the front overlooking the bay and leave it at that. “Two poor teams, poor referee, poor game, neither side deserved to win (or even draw)”.

FAILURE

Since I hypothesised that we needed six points from every nine to get to the play offs we’ve played three league games. One win and two draws with a return of five points is failure in my eyes. We now need two wins and a draw from the next three. Two of those games are away. I hadn’t realised this until it was mentioned on the Football League show last night but the only team in our division that has lost more away games than us is bottom placed Barnet. The odds on us getting those points seem to be rather long.

FA CUP

Oh yes. We’re still in it. We need to progress in this competition to make up the revenue gap that is being created by our dwindling home gates. I don’t envisage there being more than about 3,500 there on Tuesday but it will be a case of somehow getting through. We know we’re pretty darned good at penalties. That couldn’t be our game plan, could it?