Oxford United

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United duo Ole Romeny and Marselino Ferdinan face a race to be fit for the pre-season President's Cup final in Indonesia.

The U's reached the final of the tournament after a 4-0 victory over Indonesian side Arema FC on Thursday.

But Oxford's Indonesian stars will both need to prove their fitness for the final, with Ferdinan carrying a hamstring issue and Romeny, who scored in the win, stretchered off with an ankle injury.

"We had already lost players to injury and illness," U's boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford

"For Ole, it looked like potentially quite a bad one but we'll see if he's available for the final."

Romeny, in particular, has impressed during the event, scoring several goals in front of large crowds at the tournament in his home country.

Oxford will play Thai side Port FC in Sunday's final.

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett says new signing Brian De Keersmaecker is acclimatising to life at his new club well.

The 25-year-old Belgian midfielder joined the U's on 1 July and scored on his debut in the entertaining 6-3 pre-season friendly win against the Indonesian All-Stars in Jakarta on Sunday.

"He's a real quality footballer. I think you just see with his weight of pass, his intelligence, he can play as a six, eight, or further forwards," Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"It's always nice when you sign a player and very quickly you see that he is exactly what you thought he was - I think he will be an absolutely fantastic addition for us.

"He's settled straight into the group. The group kind of spend a little bit of time together, playing cards or having a coffee.

"He seems to be quite a big part of that already and that's what you have to do as a new signing sometimes - you have to immerse yourself into the team.

"It's a very easy group to be a part of but, nonetheless, he's settled in really quickly."

"This isn't Peterborough United away, is it?!"

The Dub have gone international!

BBC Radio Oxford's Jerome Sale catches up with the podcast from Indonesia, where Oxford United are competing in the President's Cup as part of their pre-season tour.

A trip overseas to Asia is something a little different for the U's but it's also one that can help them grow.

"For many players, it's the unknown. They have never been in this environment; far from home, two weeks away, hot and humid," Sale said.

"Even those who were slightly daunted have really been won over by the reception they've had here, the facilities have been fantastic, the way the game went without any problems.

"It's obviously good for branding, commercial revenue and making friends in an important market but it's better than that. It's okay for football as well from what I can see."

Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.

Jerome Sale
BBC Radio Oxford

Image source, BBC Indonesia

"I was at Wembley last year, I was at Northwich Victoria in the Conference, but this is something else," one supporter told us after Oxford United had beaten the Indonesian All-Stars 6-3.

Those fans and staff who remember the dark days of 15 years ago were struggling to take in what was admittedly a surreal scene.

More than 40,000 fans cheered as loudly for Oxford United's Indonesia internationals Ole Romeny and Marselino Ferdinan as their own All-Stars team.

The All-Stars were selected by public vote for the game - representing the U's was owner Erick Thohir who helped plunge a Britain's Got Talent type red buzzer before kick-off to launch the President's Cup.

United took control of group A, netting six times in a nine-goal thriller.

Romeny and Ferdinan entertained, with the former even demonstrating keepy uppies in open play to thrill the crowd if not one or two of his team-mates.

The United goals came from Mark Harris (2), Michal Helik, Tom Bradshaw, Przemyslaw Placheta and record signing Brian De Keersmaecker, who in his first Oxford appearance curled in a left-footed shot from 25 yards after shaking off defenders with a shimmy.

Signed from Dutch club Heracles a week ago, the 25-year-old Belgian said: "It's great to score a goal, especially on my debut.

"Normally I am used to playing preparation games in front of 500 people, this was an incredible atmosphere."

Oxford have now travelled on the 225mph "Whoosh" bullet train from the Indonesia capital to Bandung, 100 miles south where there will play club side Arema FC on Thursday and where they will be firm favourites to progress to Sunday's final.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United will get to see a different footballing culture during their pre-season trip to Indonesia, says boss Gary Rowett

The U's are involved in the six-team President's Cup with group matches against a Liga Indonesia All-Stars team and local top-flight side Arema FC before a third game and potentially a final.

"It's going to be an interesting trip," Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"We're playing in a tournament so we'll hopefully get three games out there, and we'll get a chance to see a different culture, and get an understanding how football feels in a different culture."

Oxford, who have Indonesian internationals Marselino Ferdinan and Ole Romeny in their squad, will play their first match on 6 July against the All-Stars team at the country's national stadium in Jakarta.

"The heat and humidity may affect training but we're aware and on top of that and we'll plan for that," said Rowett.

"We'll take a lot of players but may leave some behind because we feel their futures are away from the club - it's this part of the season where you're trying to navigate between improving your squad and letting a few plays go and play regular football."

Oxford open their Championship season at home to Portsmouth on 9 August.

"He's probably one of the players in the squad that commands real value, but is also disposable."

The Dub team talk about who will be on the plane heading to Indonesia as Oxford United kick-off their pre-season - but we know one name who won't be joining.

Forward Ruben Rodrigues departed the club last Thursday for Brazilian side EC Vitoria.

A surprising exit? Former U's defender Ben Purkiss thinks the move to the Championship hasn't proved as fruitful as hoped for the Portuguese attacker.

"Rodrigues has done well for Gary [Rowett] but I don't think he's perhaps been as creative as what the side's needed," Purkiss said.

"Probably a part of it is that the side has played quite deep under Gary, so it was very difficult for him to get into those positions where he's able to impact and affect the game.

"But equally when he did get into those positions, did he really make those key contributions that you need from a number 10 at this level?"

Includes an interview with U's boss Gary Rowett.

Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.

The EFL fixture list is out and we know you are bursting to know what you've got to look forward to - or dread - from your team this upcoming season.

Here are some key dates to put in your diary:

• 9 August - v Portsmouth (H)

• 16 August - v Hull City (A)

• 26 December - v Southampton (H)

• 1 January 2026 - v Ipswich (A)

• 2 May - v Millwall (A)

See Oxford United's full fixture list here.

Your club will soon discover their schedule for the upcoming EFL season. As soon as Thursday, in fact.

Want to know who your side will face on opening day? The EFL fixtures will be announced at 12:00 BST - but that's not all.

The day will be rounded off by the first round of Carabao Cup being drawn at 16:30 BST.

So check back on 26 June to see who your team faces first, last and everything in between.

"This is what the big Premier League clubs do, this is the sort of pre-season tour that they have."

The Dub is back and it's a full house.

The team talk pre-season business, the curious case of Stuart Findlay, and the squad's upcoming tour in Indonesia's Presidents Cup.

But can a trip across the world make a difference in Oxford's upcoming Championship campaign? The Dub team think so.

"It will be warm, it'll be humid, but I think it will be potentially, if successful, a moment we look back on and say 'yep, that's when Oxford United became a little bit more big time," says BBC Radio Oxford presenter Jerome Sale.

"We look back on the Austria tour in 2015 and how that kick-started things for Oxford United.

"The hope will be that this will do the same in a different way."

Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Charlton Athletic striker Danny Hylton has announced his retirement from professional football and will continue his role as part of Nathan Jones' backroom staff.

The 36-year-old made 10 appearances for the Addicks after joining as player-coach in September.

The former Oxford United and Luton Town forward's only goal for Jones' side came in a 5-0 thumping of his former club Northampton Town in December.

"It's time to say goodbye to playing the beautiful game, a career I can now look back on and be immensely proud of," he said in a post on his LinkedIn page, external.

"Thank you to every club I have played for for allowing me to represent your club.

"Thank you to the fans for all your support, thank you to everyone that has been part of my journey."

Hylton began his career at Aldershot Town, where he scored 48 goals in 209 appearances before moving Rotherham United in 2013.

He made just two appearances for the Millers before moving to Oxford the following year, where he scored 30 goals in 101 games and helped the U's to League Two promotion in his second season.

Hylton enjoyed his most successful spell with Luton, spending six years with the Hatters and twice working under Jones.

He scored 62 goals in 170 appearances during a memorable era for the club as they rose from League Two to the Championship.

A two-year stint at Northampton brought no goals before his move to The Valley last year.