POV: Down But Not Out (Joe Citrone)

Star Sports Social Media Manager Joe Citrone reflects on the relegation of his club, Oxford United, from the Championship over the weekend…

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It was a strange Saturday afternoon – my Oxford United side relegated before they’d even kicked a ball, with their fate sealed as Charlton Athletic beat Hull City in the lunchtime kick-off to condemn Matt Bloomfield’s U’s to League One football next season.

They then went on to thrash Sheffield Wednesday 4-1, with Spurs loanee Will Lankshear firing in a stunning goal, while veteran midfielder Will Vaulks marked his strike against his former club with a backflip of all the celebrations – only adding to the surreal, weird atmosphere at Grenoble Road.

And yet, for all the disappointment of dropping a division, the league we’re in feels almost incidental to me.

What has been most challenging about our Championship journey, which began a little under two years ago with a triumphant victory over Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final, is our style of football, which took a big swing in the wrong direction under previous manager Gary Rowett.

But I have seen Oxford United play in four separate divisions, from the Championship down to the National League; I can cope with us playing in League One.

If I wanted to be a glory supporter whose team wins all the time, in all honesty, I wouldn’t have selected Oxford United as my club. I signed up for ups and downs, highs and lows – this is just one of those lows.

What really matters is that sense of belonging that comes with supporting your local team – the shared identity, the matchdays, the people, the memories. And, above all, that quiet, stubborn belief that better days are always just over the horizon.

And following a football team is a never-ending journey. Today hurts, but tomorrow might be beautiful. That’s why, despite the frustration and the heartbreak, we’ll all be back at the start of next season, brimming full of hope and optimism for whatever the next chapter brings.

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