Oxford United chairman Grant Ferguson explains the difficult decision to sack Des Buckingham, following shock, surprise and backlash online.
Buckingham led the U’s to promotion to the Championship at the end of the 2023/24 season, back in the second tier for the first time in 25 years.
However, despite this success, and an initially impressive/responsible start, the team found itself struggling more recently, with only one win in their last 15 games, positioning them precariously just one point above the relegation zone.
Oxford United Chairman Grant Ferguson provides a Club update following the decision to part company with Des Buckingham 🗞️
Read more below ⤵️
— Oxford United (@OUFCOfficial) December 16, 2024
STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIRMAN:
As you know, we have made the difficult decision to part company with Des Buckingham as Head Coach, a decision that I understand will not be popular with everyone.
Des was not only an integral part of one of the best days in the Club’s history, he also holds deep ties to Oxford United and the city. We did not hire Des due to his Oxford connections, but fully understand how us parting ways impacts you as supporters.
I want to start by expressing my thanks to Des for everything he did for us. Des played an important role in the Club’s success as we reached the Championship for the first time in 25 years – an achievement which will live long in the memory, especially for the unforgettable day at Wembley. In just over a year as Head Coach, he took us a step closer to realising our overall ambition as a Football Club.
Since my appointment as Chairman in the summer of 2022, the Board, Tim Williams and I have been very clear about our ambition: to establish Oxford United as a stable and sustainable Championship club. Whilst we are now in the Championship, we acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. We will forever be grateful to Des for helping us reach this point, but we believe that in order to protect the best interests of the Club, this decision needed to be taken.
Our primary goal remains to secure our place in the Championship – not just for this season, but for the future. Although our expectations are realistic, we firmly believe that our current position and recent form are not reflective of the potential this squad holds. Many factors are taken into consideration with decisions like these but, ultimately, results are the defining one. Given performances over a number of months, and following the recent defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, we as the Board agreed that a change had to be made now.
Taking this course of action at this point in the season will ensure the new Head Coach has the best opportunity possible to work with the team and be involved in the upcoming January transfer window.
We are committed to appointing the right person as our next Head Coach and aim to do so in the very near future. We understand that you will want to know more details, and we will update you as soon as we are in a position to do so.
We have a fantastic, experienced coaching team already in place, but as we did with Des, the new Head Coach will be given the opportunity to add to their backroom staff in due course.
Looking ahead to January, we are working hard to ensure that we continue to strengthen the squad when the transfer window opens. Even though we do not have the largest budget in the league, the Board have committed significant resources to developing and building a competitive squad which was shown with our recruitment in the summer. There is budget in January for our new Head Coach and the Recruitment department, where we have also appointed Scott Mitchell as Head of Recruitment in recent weeks to work alongside Head of Football Operations, Ed Waldron.
We are focused on putting the foundations in place for the future of the Club, and we believe the appointment of a new Head Coach will strengthen us on the pitch, whilst the CEO and the wider Club strive to make improvements off it. We continue to invest in our infrastructure as we work towards our goal of becoming the stable Championship Club we want to be. A big part of this is the new stadium project and remaining in this league is vital to the long-term success of the Club as a whole.
I recognise there may be feelings of disappointment and frustration, but we hope that you will understand we have taken this decision in what we believe to be the best interests of the Club.
We have a crucial period ahead of us, with important games to come, and we need to remain united as a Club. Your support has been exceptional this season and I have seen first-hand the impact that it has both at home and away – thank you!
Kind Regards,
Grant
Des Buckingham issues statement on being sacked by boyhood club Oxford United
So here’s how fans reacted as Oxford United chairman Grant Ferguson explains the difficult decision to sack Des Buckingham…
@01jacobb: Good statement. Although, should have been the original statement.
@heyit5sam: Make it known that Des is welcome back at any point to watch us. Would’ve been easier to release this statement yesterday. At least give a bit of clarity as to why
@jamesoufc: Reactionary statement to fans disgust. Where do you expect us to be with this squad? Yours, one loyal customer.
@_amills_: This should have been released yesterday. Unfortunately the current squad is not capable to keep us in the Championship Grant. 🙃
@ConCowan9: A good statement. If this was the original statement, then there wouldn’t have been such a bitter taste in the mouths of many, although still a tough pill to swallow.
@archsimms_: Good statement. Footballs a result business
@YeloDB1: Sorry Grant, this squad isn’t good enough. We are a long way short. I hope the new manager brings miracles cos we are going to need them!!
@RaggedDan: Through the jargon, there is a fairly open and really the only reasonable sentiment that the board can have on the decision to remove Des. I can’t help but feel it wouldn’t have been sent if this was a popular decision; ambition to stay in Champ is good but not yet a done deal.
@YellowFrogDarts: While I do believe there’s an upgrade on Des out there, we should have had that upgrade in and announced today. Seems the board is desperate and erratic with this stadium project and poor finances looming over the club.
@LukeReyn97: Take the emotion out of it good update and a decision that needed to be made. Des leaves without a inventible relegation on his Cv & new man gets a January window.
@oufc_adam: Good statement @grant_fergie but big lesson here in PR, this should have been sent yesterday at the time. This just appears a reaction to backlash now. Do better to us fans please.
@LawrenceAfford: Taking emotions out (which clearly a lot are struggling with right now) can’t really argue with much that has been said there…Just came 24 hours too late
@lane_henry: Should of been similar statement in the first post on Sunday , in respect to des Buckingham, this post is reactive to criticism and makes me think it not be posted if not for large scale criticism
@guycalledsam: We have a league one squad that Des has kept out of the relegation zone all season. Bunch of 🤡
@hank_lufc: There’s a fine line between ambition and delusion. Who do they expect to appoint at this stage of the season in their current circumstance?
@JPlumby_: “we firmly believe that our current position and recent form are not reflective of the potential this squad holds” I’m sorry but that is a load of bs the squad is terrible for the level
@DebbieBarnett3: Maybe this should of been released Earlier? This stinks of a statement that has come off of the back lash of the Fans 😏 and shows very little sincerity 😏 You got this one Very Wrong!!
@vanessal1978: Absolutely disgusting it’s taken this long to put this out, and what a crock it is
@dan_willo94: The man clearly has ambition and sees this is the best way in taking the club forward, cue all the angry fans in the comments now saying how he’s ruined the club ect #OUFC
@jadeoxford2298: As if it has taken this long for a statement? No words. I’m opening a bottle of red.
@barneyGoxfordd: 👏🏼👏🏼 good statement and nice to hear the board are backing us in january with a good budget, hopefully now the fans can move on and get behind the new manager & team. Up the oxford roll on leeds saturday 💛💙
@fin_oufc: Why wasn’t this said originally. Good statement but should have been said from the start
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