WE have no game today due to the international break, so we restructured our week and gave the players a bit of time off before we start again on Monday and prepare for our next match, away at Charlton.

We wanted to go into the break on the back of a win, but we put in a poor performance against MK and left the ground feeling very flat.

We tried, everyone really tried, but when Marcus Browne hit one post and Cameron Brannagan’s follow up struck a defender in the face and bounced off the other post even I started to wonder if we were ever going to get the thinnest slice of good fortune.

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Two minutes later John Mousinho put the ball in his own net and I think I had my answer!

That made for a miserable weekend. I hate losing and I’m not going to lie, I knew we would get criticism after that result.

I’m big enough to face that and will always accept people’s opinions, but we now have to use the enforced gap as a positive, reset and get ready to go again.

We gave everyone Monday off for The Queen’s funeral; that was the right thing to do and I thought it was a remarkable day and so sad.

We can’t have been the only people who went in to work a little flat on Tuesday, but as luck would have it we were reporting to beautiful Blenheim Palace for the team photoshoot.

The sun came out, we were in a wonderful setting and it was the perfect reminder that we are so lucky to do the job we do every day.

By the time we got to the training ground, people were smiling again and the session we did was fantastic.

It was physically challenging, given that we had no game to build towards, but people worked hard, worked together, and when we did a similar session the next day they were ready and raring to go again.

The whole week has been positive, so we let the players have time off this weekend and then we will be back on Monday, hopefully in a much better place.

People can question recent results but I hope they never doubt the spirit or work ethic of this remarkable football club.

And with a little luck, and your continued support, we can come back and find both consistency and momentum. Enjoy your weekend.

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I have now seen off two Oxford Mail sports reporters. First of all, Dave Pritchard left and now James Roberts has moved on.

James is a fan at heart and I want to thank him for his professionalism and company over the last couple of years.

With lockdown as well, I am sure this part of his career will be something that he never ever forgets.

The relationship a club has with its local newspaper is so important for both parties and James has done an exceptional job covering United, especially on the occasions when he has seemed to be watching a different game to me! He leaves with our thanks and best wishes.