Oxford United’s first game as a Conference club is tomorrow, when Halifax Town visit the United Stadium to kick off the new season. This is the third time in seven years that the Us have started a new season in the division below their previous one, and each one has had United supporters optimistically predicting an immediate return to the higher echelons, a return that has never happened. So why should this season be any different?

Well, for starters the atmosphere at the club is qualitatively different, as new chairman Nick Merry has introduced a real feel-good factor among not just the fans, but also the staff and players at the club. In addition, he had made positive strides towards making United feel like a professional outfit, with the acquisition of a permanent training facility at Milton, the recruitment of a Chief Scout in Bobby Roberts, the introduction of a Fitness Trainer in Jordan Milsom, and various commercial initiatives. Additionally, Jim Smith is a vastly experienced and tactically astute manager, with extensive contacts throughout the game. He has brought in decent players, generally of a higher calibre than those released, and he likes his teams to play passing football. The final reason why United ought to be able to mount a real challenge for promotion, in their first non-league season for 44 years, is that they easily have the biggest financial muscle in the Conference. The strict budgetary rules at this level do mean a more level playing field than in the Football League, but even so, Oxford’s turnover over the last two seasons ensures that they will have an advantage over their peers this season, and with the large number of season tickets sold, this will only strengthen their hand when figures are revised later in the season or, if promotion isn’t attained this year, for next season.

One of the major factors that might prevent a successful season first time around in the Conference, is that this is unknown territory for United. Almost all opponents haven’t been faced for several seasons, if at all, and many of them have grounds that the side has never visited. Halifax will provide a decent test for Smith’s side, and a good yardstick against which to measure what still needs to be done to make United a challenger. The Shaymen only just missed out on promotion last season, losing the play-off final 3-2 to Hereford after extra time.

Like most teams United will face this season, their side contains a large number of players who are unknown quantities. They feature Matt Doughty, who caused problems for Oxford when he was at Rochdale, and they have Mark Roberts on loan from Crewe. They have also signed striker Andy Campbell from Dunfermline, but he may not play tomorrow as Halifax are still waiting for international clearance. Campbell, of course, was an abject failure when he was on loan from Cardiff at United last season, but he will inevitably score should he play against us tomorrow.

Oxford have a fully fit squad from which to choose, and indications from pre-season games suggest that Billy Turley is likely to start in goal, with a central defensive trio of Matt Day, Barry Quinn, and captain Phil Gilchrist, with wingbacks Eddie Anaclet and Gavin Johnson alongside them. The midfield threesome will probably be Eddie Hutchinson, Carl Pettefer, and John Dempster, with Andy Burgess having a free role just behind lone forward Rob Duffy. There are serious concerns that this line-up, while defensively sound, might struggle to score enough goals, but with Steve Basham and Yemi Odubade on the bench, the potential is there to turn this around. However, the squad is probably still one or two players light of a championship challenge.

And so to prediction time. It’s always difficult to guess the result of the first game of the season, with no form as a guide, and no idea what the opponents are like. The last time the sides met was in Halifax’s relegation season in 2001/02, when United did the double. So what the hell. 2-0 Oxford.