Dean Saunders: Oxford United must avoid Championship ‘hangover’

The U’s will compete in League One next season after finishing 22nd in the second tier last term.

Saunders played for the club from 1987 to 1988 and played 52 times, scoring 20 goals, before moving to First Division champions Liverpool.

The former Yellows goal scorer appeared at the DEBRA Charity Cup at Oxford City last weekend for the Oxford United Legends team alongside other ex-professionals including Graeme Souness, Ron Atkinson and Matt Le Tissier.

Speaking exclusively to the Oxford Mail, Saunders opened up on his feelings towards Oxford and went on to detail what the U’s must do to bounce back from relegation.

“It’s hard to compete [in the Championship] for Oxford. But it was nice to see them in there last year, and I thought they were going to stay up,” the 61-year-old admitted.

Dean Saunders playing against Liverpool for Oxford United (Image: Oxford Mail archive)

“Six or seven games to go, I thought they were going to do it. So I was a bit gutted.

“I was always proud to play for the club. But they’ve got to bounce back now.

“There’s sometimes a hangover from relegation. Players thinking they’re too good to be in League One. Feeling sorry for themselves. Maybe saying to their agent: “Can you get me out of here? I don’t want to play in League One”.

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Former Oxford United striker Dean Saunders playing at Oxford City (Image: Oxford City FC)

“And then right at the start of the season, you get off to a bad start. Because the players, up until the first game of the season, still think they’re leaving. They’ve got a chance of getting out the trap door.

“The manager’s job there is to get their minds focused on winning the first three or four games. Once that takes care of everything, you get off to a good start. Everybody wants to be there.

“Matt Bloomfield…he’s balancing the budget. Deciding who wants to be there.”

Saunders went on to become a manager after his playing days ended.

“I’ve managed in League One, I’ve managed in the Championship. It is a big difference.

Former Oxford United striker Dean Saunders (left) with Oxford Mail reporter Malachi Obrey at Oxford City (Image: Newsquest)

“I managed Wrexham against Oxford in the conference. 2011, something like that. Chris Wilder was manager.

“I was distraught to see him in the conference. I played for them in the [First Division]. But even being in the Championship, I thought that’s brilliant coming from where people forget.

“Luton have done it, Wrexham have done it: coming from down there, right down there all the way up to the Championship. It looks like they’ve got good foundations as a club.”