Wilder's happy anniversary (From The Oxford Times)

Wilder's happy anniversary

12:00am Monday 21st December 2009 in

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Chris Wilder today celebrates the anniversary of his appointment as Oxford United boss with the club having made massive strides during his 12 months in charge.

As well as the team sitting proudly on top of the table, big improvements have come off the field as well.

And while chairman Kelvin Thomas also takes a lot of credit for these, it is Wilder who has played a significant part in helping to bring a feel-good factor back to Oxford United.

Fans want to come and watch his winning, and often attractive team, local businesses want to be associated with the club again, and the playing squad, coaching staff and training ground have all been strengthened.

The new base at Bicester Sports Association provides a very professional working environment.

Former Wales international Andy Melville supplements the coaching knowledge and know-how of Mickey Lewis, Alan Hodgkinson and Wilder himself, while the U’s now have a solid group of 18 or 19 players who can comfortably come into the first team without really weakening it.

It was on December 21, 2008 that ex-Halifax Town manager Wilder, who had been working as the No 2 at Bury, was unveiled by Thomas as Oxford United’s new manager in succession to Darren Patterson.

It was just a few days before Christmas and he had little time to prepare the team for their Boxing Day at Salisbury.

And when, on a bitterly cold afternoon in south Wiltshire he saw Oxford two goals down early in the first half, and then lose Sam Deering, their outstanding player, to a broken leg, he knew then what a tough job it was going to be.

But what a year it’s been since then.

Wilder insists, though, that nothing has been achieved yet.

However, after just missing out on the play-offs last season, following the club’s five-point deduction for an administrative error in not registering Eddie Hutchinson, United are very well placed to go –- at the very least – one better this campaign.