Oxford 'not emotionless' to fans 'hurt' by sacking

Tim Williams has worked with four permanent Oxford managers

Oxford United's board are "not emotionless husks" towards fans who were "really hurt" over the surprise sacking of manager Des Buckingham, chief executive Tim Williams has said.

Buckingham led Oxford to promotion from League One via the play-offs at the end of last season, but the boyhood fan of the club left his role after 13 months in charge on 15 December with his side a point above the Championship relegation zone.

The 39-year-old head coach was hugely popular with supporters, some of whom said he deserved substantially more time during the first U's season in the second tier since 1998-99.

"The reaction was totally understandable and completely expected," Williams told BBC Radio Oxford's The Dub podcast.

"We understand that there are a lot of people out there who were really hurt that Des is no longer our manager.

"We're not a bunch of emotionless husks of people who don't get it. What we have is the interests of the club and its future at heart.

"This is not just a project we pick up and drop; it's with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, genuinely.

"We will do everything we can [to make] fans feel we're on their side. Not everybody will feel like that - I get that.

"We cannot please everybody all the time. If we did, we would make decisions that are the least-worst options, rather than the best."

Williams, who was appointed shortly after Indonesian businessmen Anindya Bakrie and Erick Thohir took a controlling stake in the club in September 2022, oversaw the arrival of Gary Rowett as manager five days after Buckingham's exit.

Former Millwall and Birmingham City boss Rowett has guided Oxford five points clear of the bottom three, starting with three successive wins before a 1-1 draw at Preston North End on Saturday.

"Gary is the right person," said Williams. "This isn't just about his style of management with the players - it's about his presence within the building and around the training ground.

"That's what we saw in Gary. There was an immediate presence there. This is a long-term commitment from us, with Gary on board.

"Gary is a manager who is going to probably take us to a different level in a different way.

"We're in an exceptionally difficult league and relegation is always a possibility. It would be ridiculous to hide away from that.

"Whichever league we're in next season, the club will be in a stronger place - either to kick on and cement our place as a Championship club or be immediately promoted back."

Oxford beat Bolton to win the League One play-off final under Des Buckingham, who was sacked after a run of one win and eight defeats in 15 games this season

Williams and chairman Grant Ferguson are part of a team hoping to win planning approval this year from Cherwell District Council for a new stadium.

Oxford signed a legally binding lease option with Oxfordshire County Council in 2024 for the land known as the Triangle, while their more immediate ambitions include improving their training facilities and navigating the January transfer window.

"There are an awful lot of absolutely amazing things going on inside the club at the moment, but it's a lot of hard work and we cannot take our eye off the ball," said Williams, a former chief financial officer at Inter Milan and group financial controller at Manchester United.

"When Grant and I are off hiring new managers, we've got people beneath who can kick on with everything else.

"It's a really important year - there are going to be a lot of decisions made that are pivotal to the club."

Oxford travel to third-tier Exeter City in the FA Cup third round on Saturday (15:00 GMT) before visiting the bottom side in the Championship, Plymouth Argyle, on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).