In these unprecedented times, no one knows what is happening with football. It’s on an enforced hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there’s no real sign of when this will be lifted. There’ll be a logistical backlog of games to get through. Aside from that, there is also the need to consider player contract situations – the projected end date for the season being past the traditional 30 June cut-off point for contracts.
Oxford United sit 3rd in League One and have won their last three league games. Karl Robinson’s side trail 2nd place Rotherham by two points and are one of three teams on 60 points; Portsmouth and Fleetwood being the others. They are one of the form sides in League One at present. Here are five Oxford United players whose contracts run out at the end of June.
Jamie Mackie (striker): 34-year-old former nine-cap Scotland international Mackie signed for Oxford United on a free transfer mid-July 2018, inking a two-year deal. Over those two years, the former QPR man has made 89 appearances for the League One side, scoring eight times and providing eight assists. This season has seen him feature 32 times, these appearances being roughly shared between the starting line-up and the bench. He’s featured in 45% of Oxford’s game action as they’ve stormed to 3rd, scoring two goals and adding one assist for a 4% share of the Us goal participation this campaign.
George Thorne (defensive midfield): 27-year-old Thorne joined Oxford United initially on loan from Derby County before being snapped up early in the January window on a deal until the end of this season. Once a £2million signing for Derby from West Brom, Thorne has made just four appearances this season in League One totalling just 104 minutes of on-pitch action. He’s featured twice in the Carabao Cup (46 minutes) and had a short run out (17 minutes) in the FA Cup.
John Mousinho (centre-back): Mousinho came into professional football in England after 18 months playing for the University of Notre Dame in America, signing for Brentford. 33-year-old London-born Mousinho joined Oxford on a free transfer from Burton Albion on deadline day 2017. Since being on the books at the Us, Mousinho has made 120 appearances, scoring three goals and adding three assists as well. This season has seen him feature in 26 of Oxford’s League One fixtures, earning 2,254 minutes on the pitch but not bothering the scorers.
Josh Ruffels (left-back): Ruffels has been at Oxford since the end of July 2013 after signing on a free transfer from boyhood club Coventry City. Since signing he has gone on to make 266 appearances, scoring 16 goals and adding 13 assists to his Us tally. This season he has featured in all 35 of United’s League One games, starting every one and has only been subbed off twice. He’s weighed in with three goals and four assists, giving him an 11% share of goal participation for the Kassam Stadium club.
Sam Long (right-back): 25-year-old Long is one of Oxford United’s homegrown players, graduating from the Under-18s at the start of July 203. Ahead of the 2018/19 season, Long had seen action on two loan deals away from the Kassam to Kidderminster Harriers and Hampton and Hampton and Richmond. He’s made 81 appearances in total for the Us, scoring three goals and tacking on four assists to his account. This season he has featured 16 times, scoring once and adding one assist.