Oxford left-back Terry Parker has been sent down. Parker has been given an 18-month sentence for his part in an assault in a Southampton night club.

Parker was signed at the start of last season on a two-year contract by Graham Rix. He made six starts and three substitute appearances. He initially made a good impact, but after the disastrous performance at Yeovil, where Parker was left exposed and was too often easily beaten by the opposition strikers, he lost his nerve and didn’t play again for the first team after September.

A statement from the club confirms that Parker is to be sacked. This means that manager Brian Talbot will now need to seek cover for Matt Robinson, who is now the only recognised left back on the books.