Duberry pledges to stay on at Oxford United

9:00am Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Sport

Michael Duberry has reassured Oxford United fans of his commitment to the club following rumours the defender was poised to retire or look for a move elsewhere.

And he is set to line up in pre- season alongside Deane Smalley, who has returned to the U’s determined to put a forgettable first year with the club behind him.

Speculation that Duberry was on his way out of the club was sparked by the veteran centre back’s actions on the final day of the season.

The former Chelsea and Leeds United player lingered on the pitch at Port Vale to applaud the travelling supporters and gave his boots away to fans.

It was seen by some as a farewell, but the 36-year-old, who made 37 appearances for the U’s this season, made it clear on Twitter he intended to see out the second year of his deal.

Immediately after the Vale game, he tweeted: “Why does everyone seem to think I am not coming next season?? Not retiring! I am and raring to go!! #OUFC.”

He repeated the sentiment this week: “To the many #OUFC tweople out there, I am staying at the club for another season. I will be wearing a #YellowandBlue shirt next year.”

While the news about the influential defender will be welcomed by United’s fans, they may reserve judgement over Smalley.

The U’s fought off competition from several other clubs to sign the forward last summer, but he failed to live up to expectations.

After two goals in 26 appearances, the 23-year-old was loaned out to Bradford City in January.

But United boss Chris Wilder is hopeful Smalley can recapture the form which saw him play a key role in Chesterfield’s League Two title-winning side in the 2010/11 season.

“Deane must do better and he knows that,” the manager said.

“The boy wants to come back, we’ve kept in contact with him and he knows he’s not done himself justice.

“I think he owes himself and he owes me, because I put my trust in him.

“When you’re forward it’s so important to get off the mark early and I’m sure he can kick on and show everybody what he’s capable of.”

Meanwhile, U's midfielder Asa Hall has completed his move to Shrewsbury.

Comments(33)

adlibber says...
9:35am Wed 16 May 12

Dubes can maybe stop scoring own goals picking up cheap cards and giving away penalties next season-thanks. Not looking good if all we can do is hang on to veterans and recall a 2 goal in a season striker really. Oh and I'm glad Wilder has such a high opinion of himself thinking a player 'owes' him - I'm assuming Wilder will,by his own logic accepts the he owes fans?

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gnash21 says...
9:37am Wed 16 May 12

I never had any doubts that Duberry was going! Roll on next season. If we are going to play Smalley then he needs to start scoring or we need try and cash in and buy someone else or maybe get in a coach that is attack minded and get the strikers on form and scoring goals!

COYY

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LeGod says...
10:39am Wed 16 May 12

Wow - That will give you the feel good factor for next season.

Lets see if he can score more own goals than the season just gone.

:)

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dave from witney says...
10:51am Wed 16 May 12

Really happy that Dubes will be here for another season, hopefully Smalley can turn it around. I seem to remember the talk when he was loaned to Bradford was that he could not settle down south. If this was true, seems strange that he is looking forward to coming back. Mind you the northern sunshine did not seem to generate any goals up there for him, think his scoring tally them was zero.

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Inkpot says...
11:39am Wed 16 May 12

Smalley is a no hoper!!!!!!

Get rid asap. let him go for free if we can find anyone mug anough to have him.

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Brian Gibbs says...
12:59pm Wed 16 May 12

I see Rotherham have had a bid for Jack Midson turned down and whatever your thoughts on Evans his record shows he knows a good player.

Perhaps this tells us as much about Chris Wilder and his lack of ability when it comes to the right formation up front.

In January I posted that we would not get promotion without a forward coach and I am still of the same view.

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YellowRose says...
2:47pm Wed 16 May 12

Suggestions for a forward coach? How about A. Shearer - used to working with Us!!

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Chickengeorge44 says...
3:15pm Wed 16 May 12

1 hour 39 mins today.

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sdyerUsa says...
4:15pm Wed 16 May 12

Come on Oxford.... Give us something good to think about for next season... Spend some of that Money that our fans put into the club week i and week out, Give us something to make us want to buy Tickets ANYTHING!!!

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Chickengeorge44 says...
4:32pm Wed 16 May 12

sdyerUsa wrote:
Come on Oxford.... Give us something good to think about for next season... Spend some of that Money that our fans put into the club week i and week out, Give us something to make us want to buy Tickets ANYTHING!!!
Well said. Time to repay the loyalty shown for the last 20 years.

If we have to pay too much rent then lets move. Oxford City, Didcot town,cutteslowe park, anywhere but the Shatzam.

Let's get out and start again. Brighton did it. What do we have to lose??? We've been to the conference, lost our home.

If money is that tight due to rent costs that we can't improve to squad the let's start all over again.

Build it and they will come!!

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yellowhoods says...
4:41pm Wed 16 May 12

Well thats the top three sorted, for a minute I thought dubes was a 50 yr old cart horse picking up a last pay packet.

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pop up pirate says...
4:44pm Wed 16 May 12

LeGod wrote:
Wow - That will give you the feel good factor for next season.

Lets see if he can score more own goals than the season just gone.

:)
Why do you keep coming on our site? your just like a stalker...for the love of GOD we dont give a flying f**k what you think. It's about time you grew up & went onto your own site as all your doing here is taking up space.

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CamView says...
4:57pm Wed 16 May 12

Great news - Smalley is coming back - so we can count on another league goal then.

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BigAlBiker says...
5:51pm Wed 16 May 12

I also notice not only Rotheram after one of our giveaways but Matt Green who scored 30 goals last season is attracting interest and how long before Mansfield can resist the cash?

Two good players CW gave away, and no news on Adam Chapman yet, yes time for the manager to go the same way as King Kenny.

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bigchet says...
5:54pm Wed 16 May 12

on a non utd subject, i felt that the actions of joey barton v man city were a disgrace, it showed a total lack of respect to his club,their fans and the game that gives him a very good living.a red card for an illtimed challenge is one thing but what he did to get the card and when leaving the pitch demonstated just what a thug he is. ihope the fa throw the book at him and qpr fine him and try to unload him if they can find someone willing to take him on. the excuse for an apology that he posted was very much like it or lump it.both he and john terry set a very poor example of captaincy at the top level

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horsham says...
6:16pm Wed 16 May 12

bigchet wrote:
on a non utd subject, i felt that the actions of joey barton v man city were a disgrace, it showed a total lack of respect to his club,their fans and the game that gives him a very good living.a red card for an illtimed challenge is one thing but what he did to get the card and when leaving the pitch demonstated just what a thug he is. ihope the fa throw the book at him and qpr fine him and try to unload him if they can find someone willing to take him on. the excuse for an apology that he posted was very much like it or lump it.both he and john terry set a very poor example of captaincy at the top level
Chickengeorge:Bright
on got their new stadium on a long 15 year battle and journey, backed by Tony Bloom, their wealthy Chairman. Oxford do not have money for a new stadium and moving from the Kassam makes no sense. Shrewd buys in the transfer market are the key...I've yet to see that Chris Wilder is the man, but if he is and promotion is possible, then the talk of moving stadium will disappear

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yellowhoods says...
6:38pm Wed 16 May 12

Wilder gets the sack after 8 games, duberry takes over. Relegation battle next year.

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Chickengeorge44 says...
7:05pm Wed 16 May 12

horsham wrote:
bigchet wrote:
on a non utd subject, i felt that the actions of joey barton v man city were a disgrace, it showed a total lack of respect to his club,their fans and the game that gives him a very good living.a red card for an illtimed challenge is one thing but what he did to get the card and when leaving the pitch demonstated just what a thug he is. ihope the fa throw the book at him and qpr fine him and try to unload him if they can find someone willing to take him on. the excuse for an apology that he posted was very much like it or lump it.both he and john terry set a very poor example of captaincy at the top level
Chickengeorge:Bright

on got their new stadium on a long 15 year battle and journey, backed by Tony Bloom, their wealthy Chairman. Oxford do not have money for a new stadium and moving from the Kassam makes no sense. Shrewd buys in the transfer market are the key...I've yet to see that Chris Wilder is the man, but if he is and promotion is possible, then the talk of moving stadium will disappear
15 years doesn't sound so bad. At the mo we're in a stadium no-one likes and we don't own.

Sold down the river. What do we have at the minute?? No ground and half a squad. I know it'll be really tough. But worse that an eyesore miles from Oxford town centre?

If we were to invest in players to move up the leagues then move, great. But we seem to be losing money whilst attracting poor loanees.

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foxvox says...
9:04pm Wed 16 May 12

Chicken George. Why would we want to be near the town centre? There aren't many fans there. Have you seen how many fans walk from Blackbird Leys? We need to do what Ian Lenaghan is trying to do - run the club without making a loss, buy the stadium and build the fourth stand while gradually and sustainably improving. Good progress so far despite the frustrating home form. And don't worry about half a squad, look at what Graham Westley has just done at Preston.

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NottsOxon says...
10:05pm Wed 16 May 12

Yawn, the rent's not that much of an issue, compare it to Coventry's million a year for a stadium much less than 4 times the size of ours.

£250k a year is about £10k a home league game so hardly breaks the bank.

That's about the revenue 750 fans per home game.

Given that our home attendance was 7,451 or third in the league, it knocks us down to 4th. So I don't buy that rental is the problem peeps make it out to be.

The question is if Shrewsbury can get promoted on smaller crowds and revenues, why is it we are underperforming and they are overperforming?

Compare our gates and revenues of

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LeGod says...
8:20am Thu 17 May 12

pop up pirate - well hello sailor after all the flack you were giving us about Paolo being our manager last summer how the tables have turned with you lot constantly knocking Wilder. Now Southend have lost out in the play off they will be another contender for promotion next season so Rotherham-Southend-C
hesterfield-Exeter-W
ycombe-Plymouth-Rove
rs-Northampton will all end up above Oxford.

I see a season of mid table mediocrity for you next season.

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gnash21 says...
9:10am Thu 17 May 12

LeGod wrote:
pop up pirate - well hello sailor after all the flack you were giving us about Paolo being our manager last summer how the tables have turned with you lot constantly knocking Wilder. Now Southend have lost out in the play off they will be another contender for promotion next season so Rotherham-Southend-C

hesterfield-Exeter-W

ycombe-Plymouth-Rove

rs-Northampton will all end up above Oxford.

I see a season of mid table mediocrity for you next season.
Haha wait and see! Look what happened to Chesterfield they spent big got promotion then got relegated the next season! Just the same as your Sh*t! Meet you in the cup I hope so we can beat you again.

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badger86 says...
10:37am Thu 17 May 12

LeGod wrote:
pop up pirate - well hello sailor after all the flack you were giving us about Paolo being our manager last summer how the tables have turned with you lot constantly knocking Wilder. Now Southend have lost out in the play off they will be another contender for promotion next season so Rotherham-Southend-C

hesterfield-Exeter-W

ycombe-Plymouth-Rove

rs-Northampton will all end up above Oxford.

I see a season of mid table mediocrity for you next season.
we dont care and we dont read your posts

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Inkpot says...
11:00am Thu 17 May 12

Chickengeorge you are an idiot!!

You may not like the Kas but most of the u's fans are perfectly happy with both the stadium and the location even though it's only got 3 stands thanks to FK.

What would moving to another site do for the club?....f**k all.

You say "no ground & half a squad"......total balls!!

don't bother coming on this site if you've nothing constructive to say.

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pop up pirate says...
12:23pm Thu 17 May 12

NottsOxon wrote:
Yawn, the rent's not that much of an issue, compare it to Coventry's million a year for a stadium much less than 4 times the size of ours. £250k a year is about £10k a home league game so hardly breaks the bank. That's about the revenue 750 fans per home game. Given that our home attendance was 7,451 or third in the league, it knocks us down to 4th. So I don't buy that rental is the problem peeps make it out to be. The question is if Shrewsbury can get promoted on smaller crowds and revenues, why is it we are underperforming and they are overperforming? Compare our gates and revenues of
well we did give pdc a few choice words at your place & ours & yes I was there at them BOTH very very very happy days they were. As for giving wilder a hard time I haven't but I do believe we will need to go up this season for his sake as well as ours. As for me personally beating you twice & not going up I would take that result every time. Also as for Hello Sailor… what ever floats YOUR boat Le God... What ever floats YOUR boat!

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pop up pirate says...
12:25pm Thu 17 May 12

Sorry notts oxon the quote should have been from Le God.

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Chish and Fips says...
3:39pm Thu 17 May 12

pop up pirate wrote:
NottsOxon wrote:
Yawn, the rent's not that much of an issue, compare it to Coventry's million a year for a stadium much less than 4 times the size of ours. £250k a year is about £10k a home league game so hardly breaks the bank. That's about the revenue 750 fans per home game. Given that our home attendance was 7,451 or third in the league, it knocks us down to 4th. So I don't buy that rental is the problem peeps make it out to be. The question is if Shrewsbury can get promoted on smaller crowds and revenues, why is it we are underperforming and they are overperforming? Compare our gates and revenues of
well we did give pdc a few choice words at your place & ours & yes I was there at them BOTH very very very happy days they were. As for giving wilder a hard time I haven't but I do believe we will need to go up this season for his sake as well as ours. As for me personally beating you twice & not going up I would take that result every time. Also as for Hello Sailor… what ever floats YOUR boat Le God... What ever floats YOUR boat!
Quote PUP- "As for me personally beating you twice & not going up I would take that result every time."

Well PUP - we'll accept the 2 defeats if we go up every time ... thank you .

Are you really serious about that - or is it trying to make the most of another season going flat on its face .

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Chish and Fips says...
3:49pm Thu 17 May 12

badger86 wrote:
LeGod wrote:
pop up pirate - well hello sailor after all the flack you were giving us about Paolo being our manager last summer how the tables have turned with you lot constantly knocking Wilder. Now Southend have lost out in the play off they will be another contender for promotion next season so Rotherham-Southend-C


hesterfield-Exeter-W


ycombe-Plymouth-Rove


rs-Northampton will all end up above Oxford.

I see a season of mid table mediocrity for you next season.
we dont care and we dont read your posts
Just quote them eh ... !!

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pop up pirate says...
6:51pm Thu 17 May 12

serious

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Chickengeorge44 says...
7:47pm Thu 17 May 12

Inkpot wrote:
Chickengeorge you are an idiot!!

You may not like the Kas but most of the u's fans are perfectly happy with both the stadium and the location even though it's only got 3 stands thanks to FK.

What would moving to another site do for the club?....f**k all.

You say "no ground & half a squad"......total balls!!

don't bother coming on this site if you've nothing constructive to say.
I wouldn't say most fans Inkpot. But agreed the stadium is here to stay.

I think the team needs improving in all areas, especially upfront.

Thanks for the idiot quote. Nice touch.

I'll leave you to argue with Chish, LeGod and the other Swimdon boys.

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learned says...
7:49pm Thu 17 May 12

Look I've said it before and I will say it again. Wilder is mad if he believes Smalley is any good....I've been watching United for many years now and he is one of the worst strikers we have everany had....Compares with Anthrobus as the worst....j

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yellowhoods says...
8:50pm Thu 17 May 12

Cool it people please, we are all human( apart from mick e aka dumbo)

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FarmerG says...
12:56pm Tue 22 May 12

I wonder if Private Eye had Oxford United in mind in their parody of a football team, Neasden United. The Manager, "ashen-faced Ron Knee (59)", one-legged goal minder Wally Foot, Striker Pevsner (og) and fans Sid and Doris Bonkers sound eerily familiar!

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