After the news this morning Pep Clotet has been sacked as Oxford United manager, we look back on the ups and downs of his 205 days in charge.

  • July 1: After emerging as the preferred candidate to replace Michael Appleton, Pep Clotet is unveiled as the new Oxford United manager.
  • July 5: Clotet’s first interviews take place four days after the announcement, but neither chairman Darryl Eales or any other board members are present.

He said: “My idea is to build on the ideas here and make sure we keep the same track the club has chosen to take.”

  • July 6: Striker Jon Obika becomes the first signing under Clotet.
  • July 16: United return from their pre-season training camp in Portugal. Clotet said: “On the personal side it’s been fantastic because everyone has welcomed me to the club – the players, the staff, the board, the fans and even you as the press. I’m delighted.”

Oxford Mail:

During the week away James Henry and Dwight Tiendalli (above) signed contracts. Tiendalli is the first of several overseas signings, most of whom have worked with the U’s boss in the past, with Xemi, Ricardinho and Ivo Pekalski quickly arriving.

  • July 22: After last season’s top scorer Chris Maguire signs for Bury, Clotet insists United did all they could to bring him back.

He said: “We made a good offer for him to stay in terms that we thought it was the best offer we could give.

“Obviously, he is free to check his options and he took another decision.”

  • July 25: John Lundstram is sold to Sheffield United for a fee in the region of £700,000.
  • August 5: Goals from Wes Thomas and Josh Ruffels give Clotet the perfect start with a 2-0 win at Oldham Athletic – United’s first victory at the Latics.
  • August 8: The U’s lead 3-1 at half-time in the Carabao Cup first round against Cheltenham Town, but lose 4-3 to the League Two side after extra-time.

Oxford Mail:

GALLERY - Clotet's United reign in pictures

  • August 10: Ivo Pekalski, the only player United paid a fee for in the summer, ruptures cruciate knee ligaments in his first training session and is ruled out until the new year.
  • August 12: A 3-0 win against Portsmouth, capped off by a stunning debut goal from Gino van Kessel, takes United top of the Sky Bet League One table. (Videos via Oxford United's official Youtube channel).

  • August 18: Pep Clotet buys a Rover Metro for use as a forfeit for United’s worst trainer.
  • August 23: Kane Hemmings is allowed to leave on loan to Mansfield Town.
  • August 31: Deadline day sees Marvin Johnson sold to Middlesbrough for around £2.5m, with John Mousinho arriving as a free agent and Alex Mowatt joining on loan.
  • September 8: After Agon Mehmeti becomes the latest signing who has worked with Clotet overseas, the U’s manager says the foreign contingent will add something, but: “For me the main part of the squad must always remain British and English if possible, because they know the most about the game here.”
  • September 14: Despite conceding a last-gasp equaliser to Bradford City, Clotet is happy with United’s progress.

He said: “I thought it’d take much longer for them to produce the football they are producing now.”

  • September 19: United’s squad visit Gibraltar Barracks in Surrey for a training camp. It is sandwiched by defeats to Blackpool and Walsall.
  • September 30: A three-game losing streak is ended in style, with a terrific 4-1 demolition of high-flying Peterborough United at London Road.

  • October 28: United concede twice after the 88th minute to lose 2-0 at Fleetwood Town.
  • November 3: For the first time since 2011, United crash out of the FA Cup in the first round, losing limply 2-0 to League Two strugglers Port Vale.
  • November 14: Skipper Curtis Nelson is ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles tendon injury.
  • November 16: Rob Hall is ruled out for four months with a knee injury.
  • November 18: United bounce back from a 4-2 home defeat to Blackburn Rovers – where they were 3-0 down after 22 minutes – by hammering Plymouth Argyle 4-0 (below - picture: David Fleming).

Oxford Mail:

  • November 22: Christian Ribeiro forced to retire with a knee injury.
  • November 26: The squad fly out to a training camp near Barcelona, taking advantage of a break in fixtures caused by their FA Cup exit.
  • December 23: United suffer a record home league defeat as leaders Wigan Athletic win 7-0 at the Kassam Stadium.

Oxford Mail:

Afterwards, Clotet defends his players’ efforts: “I will defend them, because they have put a lot of work into it.”

He wrote: “The key imperative remains building for the long term and returning to a closer model that has served us well over the past three seasons.”

He said: “We already lost two really important players in the summer. If we lose an important player now I would start to think ‘what are we doing?’.”

  • January 15: Influential loanee Jack Payne is recalled by Huddersfield Town and joins Blackburn Rovers.
  • January 20: After seeing his side collapse late on to lose 2-1 against bottom side Bury, Clotet was at a loss to explain the costly errors.

He said: “It gets me back to those moments where we were starting to create a good momentum and then we lost or made simple mistakes because of a lack of concentration and then we’re back to square one.

Oxford Mail:

  • January 22: United sack Clotet after 36 games in charge in all competitions (W12 D11 L13).