I was pleased that Jon Murray’s piece about Nick Merry’s resignation as a director of Oxford United covered the impact Nick and Jim Smith had in 2005-6 on the future of the club.
Anyone around the Woodstock area at that time would have witnessed the highs and lows of the negotiations that went on between the Woodstock Partners and Mr Kassam and how the determined resilience of Nick and Jim in particular produced that uplifting purchase of the club when we all thought the club may be doomed.
Nobody put in more effort than the two of them at the time and Jim almost produced an immediate return to the Football League in his first season but not quite.
As we are all now bathing in anticipation and confidence that the remarkably able Kelvin Thomas and his inspired choice of Chris Wilder as manager can take the club up the leagues together, I just want supporters to recall and remember the absolutely vital role that those two genuine Oxford United fans made to the club during those dark days when nobody wanted to put their heads above the parapet.
We are thrilled at the prospects that Kelvin and Chris have produced prior to this season but do not want the importance of Nick’s role in 2006 air-brushed out of the bigger picture.
There may be three or four key moments in this incredible club’s history and Nick’s intervention in 2006 is right up there.
JOHN WEBB
Banbury Road
Oxford
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here