The Oxford United Fan Advisory Board (FAB) has issued a strongly-worded statement condemning chairman Dusan Bogdanovic for his "wholly unacceptable" last-minute withdrawal from a scheduled quarterly meeting. The meeting was set for Tuesday evening, but the board states Bogdanovic pulled out with less than 24 hours' notice, undermining a commitment he made in August to attend the next session.
"The timing, method and content of this is wholly unacceptable to FAB," the statement read. "With less than 24 hours notice he has withdrawn from that meeting. Actions speak louder than words." The FAB has said it will seek to rearrange the meeting at the earliest opportunity but expressed deep frustration at the chairman's conduct.
Leadership Turmoil and Commercial Shifts
The cancellation exacerbates a period of significant off-field instability at the club. Chief executive Tim Williams resigned in August, and chief commercial officer Adam Benson is now set to leave for Burton Albion in late December. This leadership vacuum persists as the club continues to operate under a player registration embargo imposed by the EFL in July for non-compliance with salary cost management protocols. In its statement, the FAB demanded urgent updates on three critical issues: the ongoing embargo, progress on the proposed 16,000-capacity new stadium at the Triangle site, and clarity on the club's future executive structure.
On-Field Momentum Amid Off-Field Crisis
In stark contrast to the boardroom turmoil, Des Buckingham's team is enjoying an excellent start to the season on the pitch. Oxford United currently sit third in the League One standings, having amassed 22 points from their opening 11 games. They are just three points behind leaders Huddersfield Town and are unbeaten in their last five matches, with a sequence of results reading WDWDW. The latest victory was a 1-0 home win over Stockport County on Tuesday, secured by a second-half goal from striker Mark Harris. This result on 27 October was part of an unbeaten run of three wins and two draws from the last five games, which also included a 2-1 win over Wigan and a 2-2 draw at Exeter City. The team has scored 19 goals this season while conceding only 10, giving them a healthy goal difference of plus nine.
Harris, who scored the winner against Stockport, is the club's top scorer this season with five goals in 11 appearances. The club's immediate focus now shifts to the next fixture, an away trip to face Barnsley, who are 23rd in the table, on Saturday, 31 October.
Background and full detail: oxfordmail.co.uk
