SCOTT Davies will be treating tomorrow’s friendly against Birmingham City as seriously as the opening day of the season.

The midfielder has featured in all three of Oxford United’s pre-season games so far and is keen to press his claims for a place in manager Chris Wilder’s first-choice XI.

A game against Championship opposition marks a significant step up in quality for the U’s.

Davies knows with just two weeks until the start of the season players have to start impressing.

He said: “It’s crunch time, it’s not a case of it being pre-season anymore.

“The gaffer said yesterday the season starts from now.

“We’ve had a trip to Scotland and a game against Ardley, which was a good fitness test.

“Everyone would love to be playing against Birmingham week-in week-out in the Championship.

“For us to be able to test ourselves against them is brilliant.”

The 25-year-old faces a battle for a shirt, with competition for a place in central midfield fierce.

New signings Jon Meades, Asa Hall and Danny Rose are all in the running alongside Davies’s partner at the end of last season, Andy Whing.

But the former Reading youngster, who signed a one-year contract this summer, is happy to play in a wider role, if it means regular football.

He said: “There’s loads of us in the middle, the gaffer has obviously bought strength in depth in that area.

“I’ve had a couple of games wide on the right so far and I enjoy it because you get a lot of the ball.

“I want to contribute this season and I’m willing to do it from anywhere on the pitch.

“I love it here to be honest.

“I’ve been at League Two clubs where the facilities and the way we get treated are nowhere near as good as here.

“This is way above League Two standard from what I’ve seen.”