In an astonishing move Graham Rix has been removed from the manager position at Oxford United. This, given Rix’s record in charge of team affairs, isn’t in itself too great a surprise. What is strange is that he hasn’t actually been dismissed, rather he has been “asked to assume an upstairs role at the club” by chairman Firoz Kassam.

What this actually means in practice is something that no-one outside the club has managed to figure out. Hopefully Kassam and Rix both know what it means. This is, apparently, a temporary situation while Kassam is on a business trip to Australia for the next couple of weeks. Reserve team manager Darren Patterson has been put in charge of the first team in the interim, which is a pleasant vindication of the work that Patto has been doing at that level, although one has to wonder at the possible reaction of first-team coach David Oldfield.

Patterson is a former Northern Ireland international player. He made 20 appearances for Oxford in the heart of the defence, scoring one goal in a 1-1 home draw with Stoke. Although he is unproven as a first team manager, he has built a fine reputation as boss of the second string and, provided he can earn the respect of the players, he shouldn’t have too much of a problem adjusting. Saturday’s rematch against Rochdale is starting to look strangely interesting.