According to reports in a couple of Sunday papers United have turned down a ?400,000 bid from Southampton for the Rage On Sponsored Dexter Blackstock. This is most probably a rehash of the story that emerged last May, but if it’s a new rumour then we hope that the club will resist advances from these poachers and keep hold of the rising stars. Dexter Blackstock and his peers are the future of Oxford United, and we don’t want to see the club’s future sold off to the highest bidder.

Meanwhile the club’s past is also moving around, with the news that Paul Simpson, sacked as player manager by Rochdale at the end of last season, has joined Carlisle on a one year deal. Former United striker Ben Abbey has signed for Gravesend & Northfleet. Former United carthorse Lee Jarman scored a diving header in Barry Town’s 2-1 win over Vardar Skopje in the first qualifying round of the European Cup last Wednesday. Barry lost 4-2 on aggregate.

United have announced that their home reserve games against Cardiff City, swindon, Bristols City and Rovers, will be played at Court Place Farm on Monday evenings at 7.00 to enable more people to watch them. The remainder of this season’s home reserves games will take place at 2.00 on Wednesdays as usual.