Oxford United manager Karl Robinson is set to sign a new contract with the U’s, according to Jason Burt of the Telegraph. The new deal will see him stay at the club until 2024. Robinson also penned an extension last August, further highlighting his commitment to the club.
The former Charlton Athletic and MK Dons manager has won over the fans since after a slow start to life at Grenoble Road, but had a magnificent campaign last season.
After Pep Clotet was sacked in January 2018, it took a full two months before Robinson was appointed. During that time, the club had a change of ownership and had dropped from 10th to 15, being dragged into a relegation battle as a result. Although Robinson kept the club in League One, his first full season was also a disappointing one.
The U’s spent the majority of the campaign in and around the bottom four, but ended the season in 12th after a late run of nine games unbeaten. Alongside a poor campaign on the pitch, the club also faced a number of winding-up orders from the HMRC, another factor which frustrated a number of supporters with the new owners.
However, last season was a high both on and off the pitch. Alongside the new training ground, Robinson made a number of successful signings as the U’s ended their League One campaign in fourth – the clubs highest finish this millennium.
They also enjoyed successful cup runs, which featured strong results and performances against Premier League opposition, and recorded the clubs highest ever away win in the Football League.
But one of the more interesting parts of Robinson’s tenure is the players he has brought in and how he has developed them. The squad he inherited was pretty poor. Clotet had signed a number of players that just didn’t fit the club, or the model of the club.
But Robinson made a number of signings ahead of his first season. Luke Garbutt, Gavin Whyte and Marcus Browne were just a few of the additions he made, while he also developed players such as Cameron Brannagan, Rob Dickie and Shandon Baptiste.
Although it was a struggle on the field, Robinson worked tirelessly to find a solution. Injuries and suspensions played a major part, as did the long-distance relationship with the Thai owners who were in their first full season at the club, also.
However, last season, everything clicked. Dickie and Brannagan became arguably the best players in the league in their respective positions, and the arrival of Oxford-born Matty Taylor proved to be a huge hit with the fans.
There were fewer suspensions, but although injuries played a part again – most notably to new signings Ben Woodburn and Anthony Forde – the squad had enough depth to deal with the problem. Even when the board sold Baptiste and summer signing Tariqe Fosu to Brentford, the club continued to push and ended the season in a solid position.
Although the season ended in defeat in the League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers, it was a magnificent campaign for the club. Robinson, who took a while to win over a number of fans, has certainly done so now, with his style of football, his development of players and, most importantly, his desire and commitment to the club. This could be the most important signing of the summer so far.
