Oxford united FC
Oxford United loanee says Tottenham struggle ‘hard to watch’
Donley, 21, began the campaign at Stoke before switching to Oxford in January, but as a Spurs fan who has been with the club since childhood, he has suffered through their fight at the wrong end of the Premier League.
Tottenham are hoping that Roberto De Zerbi can lead them away from trouble, appointing the former Brighton boss on a five-year contract, but they sit only one point above the bottom three with seven games left, still without a league win in 2026.
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“First and foremost, as a Spurs fan myself, it’s hard to watch, seeing them in the position they’re in,” Donley said. “Even if I wasn’t a Spurs player myself, it’s not nice to see. Me and my family watch them. Hopefully the new manager coming in can turn things around.”
Donley, on target for Northern Ireland in Tuesday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Wales, would love to help out his club, and is determined to break into the first-team picture next season.
“If I carry on the way I’m going, I just want to take it game by game, and whatever happens in the summer, I’ll be trying to do my best to get into the Spurs team,” he said.
“I think it makes it even more difficult (to watch) when I could maybe play a part in it. Obviously I’m a young player but I still think I can play a part in that Tottenham side. As a Spurs fan it’s disappointing but if I go back there in the summer I’ll try and impress in pre-season.”
Donley’s goal at the Cardiff City Stadium was his second for Northern Ireland, and also the second in three games after he opened his account against Luxembourg in November.
Donley poked home after seeing his initial header come back off the post, but the Antrim-born player barely celebrated, thinking he would be flagged offside.
“Because I thought it was offside I didn’t have much pressure on myself, so I was really composed,” he said. “I thought there was VAR, so that’s why I didn’t really celebrate. Luckily it wasn’t.”
Before the match in Cardiff, it emerged that Championship clubs had contacted the English Football League to raise concerns over a possible conflict of interest for Michael O’Neill, given his dual role as Northern Ireland and Blackburn boss. Oxford were reportedly among the clubs involved.
Those clubs were understood to be concerned that O’Neill’s positions could impact how he managed Northern Ireland players who are also involved in the same relegation fight as Blackburn.
Donley is part of that conversation as one of four Oxford players in the Northern Ireland squad.
Oxford, 23rd in the Championship, are four points behind Rovers, who sit 22nd.
For Donley, there was no question he wanted to play.
“I want to play every game,” he said. “Our next game (for Oxford) is on Friday so I’ve got loads of recovery (time). Once I knew I was starting, I was fully focused on this game and trying to impose myself as best as possible.”
The U’s cancelled out Keshi Anderson’s early opener with Brodie Spencer’s first goal for the club before going ahead through Will Lankshear with nine minutes left.
Andre Dozzell then found a late equaliser to rescue a point for ten-man Pompey who were without Connor Ogilvie who saw red in the first half.
“We could have done, yes, absolutely,” the Yellows boss replied when asked if his side should have won the match.
“We’ve worked so incredibly hard to get our nose in front, to get ahead in the game against really tough opposition in such an incredible atmosphere.
“We feel terribly disappointed that we’re not walking away with all three points there.”
It was another fixture where Oxford saw points evade them, with the recent draw with Charlton Athletic also seeing them concede in the dying embers.
“The Charlton goal and today, are both second phases of [set pieces]. In those moments, you can go over them and over them, but every situation in that is different.
“It’s messy, there are players moving around and it’s about making sure you get attached to someone and in the box.
“We’ve been put in the box today, there’s one player free and the ball’s dropped to him and he’s stuck it away.
“So, we need to make sure we improve on that.”
The red card in the first half angered the home fans, creating an even more feisty atmosphere at Fratton Park, with some items even being thrown after the dismissal.
“I was discussing it with the crowd around me who wanted to give me their opinions and they were a little bit more accepting of it after half-time when they’d seen it back,” revealed Bloomfield.
“I’ve not seen it back yet so I probably should wait before I comment.
“Stan’s dribbling the ball, gets scythed down and it’s all his fault that the player got sent off,” the U’s boss remarked sarcastically.
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“So, he’s getting stuff thrown at him (by the crowd).
“Obviously you don’t want to see those kinds of situations. But considering the circumstances, I think it’s always going to be that way inclined.”
“It’s a fantastic place, an incredible atmosphere.”
Bloomfield also offered his two cents on the challenge which could have seen Spencer shown a second yellow card.
“From my opinion, I think it was a very clever play from the Portsmouth player.
“He’s felt Brodie trying to get back [and] cut across him, tried to get contact and go down, which is obviously an intelligent play.
“So I haven’t seen it back yet and I don’t know what kind of contact there was, if any.”
Oxford United travel to Fratton Park to face Portsmouth in a Championship relegation six-pointer.
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Pompey left back Connor Ogilvie was sent off after 21 minutes for a strong challenge on Stan Mills, whilst Brodie Spencer evaded a second yellow card in the second half.
At a malicious Fratton Park, Oxford thought they had found a winner when Will Lankshear put them 2-1 up with nine minutes left, only for Andre Dozzell to equalise six minutes later.
Keshi Anderson has given the hosts an early lead before Spencer levelled instantly in the second period, scoring his first goal for the U’s.
“My take on the red in real time was…I didn’t think anyone in this stadium was expecting it to be a red, including Oxford,” former Yellows captain Mousinho reacted after the game.
“Oxford’s bench’s reaction…no-one’s asking for anything.
“In these circumstances, when the stakes are so high, you tend to do that. As a manager, as a coaching staff, I didn’t think it was a red card.
“I think if you’re going to do something as monumental as that in a game, you have to be 100% sure.
“I’m not going to hide away from the fact that I don’t think Connor needs to make the challenge. But if that’s a red card, there’s going to be a fair few red cards dished out over the next few weeks.
A debatable red but can see why it was given. Cuts across Mills and is reckless, arguably out of control after the ball goes.
Pompey fans fuming.#oufc 🟡
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) April 6, 2026
“My thought in the moment was it wasn’t red and when I’ve seen it back, I don’t think it was.
“There was a heavy challenge that went in on one of my players, then you can talk about the consistency of a decision for the red card versus yellow card.
“My issue with the Spencer one was just to clear up that second yellow.
“There was no need for anything other to happen. Spencer being booked and he ended up getting sent off. Everyone in the crowd knew it.
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“Everyone on the ground knew it. We knew it. Oxford knew it
“They whipped him off straight away. They’re not idiots. He was almost laughing on the bench.
“Not in a disrespectful way, but I couldn’t believe what had actually happened.
“It was such a strange decision.
“I think we’ll definitely appeal [the Ogilvie red card.”
“We would have been really disappointed with the point before the game.
“But with the circumstances, obviously, the red card and playing that long with 10 men and also going a goal down late on. We’ll take it and dust ourselves off and move on.”
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