Oxford united FC
Oxford United CEO thanks ‘inspirational’ Will Vaulks
Tuesday night saw Vaulks involved in a mental health workshop alongside the founder and the clinical director of the charity ‘Baton of Hope’ and the U’s head of media and PR, Ryan Maher.
Members of the Yellows squad attended the evening as did head coach Matt Bloomfield and CEO Williams.
“Of all the things that we do as a football club, this is the one thing that, when I sit here and watch Ryan and Will and the guys from Baton of Hope stand up and speak, there is a warmth that goes right through my body,” Williams said after the event.
“It is truly inspirational to see so many people here, and some people who have actually been so brave to share their stories.
“We talk about this a lot with Oxford United in the community, we talk about it at the EFL, this is actually not just changing lives but hopefully saving lives.”
U’s player Vaulks has received recognition from FIFPRO for his work in promoting mental health and has recently been given £10,000 towards his work from the PFA.
“Will deserves every piece of congratulations that he gets, every plaudit, every award. Everyone that comes up to Will and tells him what a great job he’s doing, he deserves all of that.
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“But I think it’s kind of more than that. The great thing we can use Will for, and the great thing we can use football for, is the platform.
“Somebody said tonight, how do we actually get this out to the wider community? The brilliant thing about this is that every Saturday we have 11,500 people who can actually share.
“You think of the touchpoints of those people and how many degrees of separation they actually are from others, we can reach the entire county just by one football game.
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“That’s the beauty of football. Football can be used for such a power of good in this area and I think this is so important for us.”
The atmosphere around the club currently feels united thanks to these initiative and, of course, the recent positive Championship results.
READ MORE: Oxford United’s Will Vaulks expands mental health training
“We’re hoping for an up for the end of the season,” Williams continued.
“But you know what’s important is that actually we’re behaving in the right way going into the end of the season and that is with real belief, positivity, we’re talking, there’s enthusiasm around the training ground.
“We’ve got eight games to go and we’re going to go for it.”
The U’s centre back has been key in a side that has won its last three games, with Brown getting on the scoresheet in their 3-1 win away at Preston North End last week.
Their most recent victory saw them beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0 in an impressive home display.
“I think maybe the penny has dropped and some things are starting to click and got the ideas across that we need to do better performance-wise but also need to do better results-wise,” Brown said ahead of United’s next game against Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
“I think a lot of the season, we’ve probably been a bit too inconsistent where we haven’t put runs together, haven’t put back-to-back wins together which has ultimately put us in this position.
“Over the last month or few weeks, before we put this string of wins together, it did feel sometimes a bit unfortunate. It felt like we were just on that line of putting wins together.
“I think we’ve all come together and…it’s clicked.
“A big part of last season was the defenders chipping in with goals and maybe we haven’t done that as much this year as we would’ve liked.
“But to get clean sheets and chip in with a few goals is always nice.”
Oxford are fighting for survival in their second season in the Championship after avoiding relegation in the previous campaign.
READ MORE: Matt Bloomfield dedicates Oxford United win to Amelia Aplin
A lot has changed since then, with Matt Bloomfield now in charge and plenty of new players arriving in OX4, eight in the January transfer window alone.
“I think a lot of people are going back to last year, but I do think our squad is massively different” admitted the 28-year-old.
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“Whether that’s some of the boys from previous years stepping up and helping [the new players] through that process.
“It’s a totally different season and there are different obstacles thrown at you, but I think maybe the experience of last year can hopefully play a part this year and have the same outcome.”
The Yellows face a Charlton side this weekend who have won two in a row, with a shock 1-0 win away at second-placed Middlesbrough last time out.
READ MORE: Matt Bloomfield’s full thoughts after Oxford beat Blackburn
The Addicks looked as if they would be involved the relegation scrap but have now pulled away from the pack and look likely to survive.
“I think they’ve done really well this season, especially getting promoted last season and then first season in the Championship this year; I think they’ve done unbelievably.
“Whether they’re out of it or in it, who knows? But I think they’ve put themselves in a great place to stay up.”
Oxford United host Charlton Athletic as they look to win their fourth Championship game in a row.
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Cameron Brannagan dispatched the U’s first spot kick since returning to the second tier after Will Lankshear was fouled in the box.
It was late heartbreak though for Matt Bloomfield’s men, Ciaron Brown giving away a 91st-minute penalty which Charlie Kelman slotted away for the Addicks.
A drab first half saw just one shot come in from either side, Jamie Donley putting a free kick from the edge of the box just over the crossbar.
Aidomo Emakhu found an path through to goal earlier on when Lankshear headed the ball centrally and into his path, but the Irish winger was shrugged off the ball by the retreating Harry Clarke.
Charlton held 60 per cent of the possession in the first period but the Yellows held their own, limiting the visitors to very little openings as they failed to manage a shot.
Lankshear held the ball up well when receiving long passes, but did not have quite enough support to find them near him in space.
The second period provided slightly more promise, Michal Helik flicking over the bar from close range.
The unthinkable happened in the 57th minute when Oxford were awarded their first penalty in 675 days.
Lankshear was impeded as Sam Long crossed in, with the referee giving the U’s a penalty for the first time since the League One play-off semi-final second leg against Peterborough United in May 2024.
Brannagan stepped up to take it and slotted it neatly into the bottom left corner to put United ahead.
The U’s almost doubled their lead moments later when Lankshear chipped the keeper, but Lloyd Jones came across to clear off the line.
Charlton began to pick up then, Tyreece Campbell firing a low shot at goal but seeing it blocked.
Still, Oxford tried to hit on the break, Przemyslaw Placheta fizzing a vicious ball across goal which no one was there to meet.
READ MORE: Oxford United boss and captain pay tribute to Amelia Aplin
As the Addicks began to float numerous balls into the box, they won a late penalty when Ciaron Brown grabbed the shirt of Jones who hit the deck.
Kelman stepped up to slot home, scoring after coming off the bench as he did in December’s reverse fixture.
READ MORE: Oxford United striker snubbed Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town
The draw brings Oxford’s winning streak to end but maintains an unbeaten run of four Championship fixtures.
Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Currie, Konak (McDonnell 65), Brannagan, Mills (Vaulks 84), Donley (Spencer 77), Emakhu (Placheta 65), Lankshear (Prelec 77)
Charlton: Mannion, Ramsay (Kelman 60), Jones, Bell, Clarke, Docherty (Fullah 82), Coventry (Fevrier 68), Chambers (Rankin-Costello 82), Carey, Campbell, Leaburn
Bookings: Helik, Mills, Brown; Chambers, Clarke, Bell, Rankin-Costello
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