With Oxford United about to enter a hectic schedule of matches – probably having to play Saturday and midweek for the next 13 weeks – one person who knows he’s going to be in for a busy time is physio Jon Brown.

The toll that so many games in such a short spell takes on players is inevitable, but at least most other clubs are in the same boat.

Brown, 26, from Witney, is in his first season as United’s physio, or sports therapist, and has Charlie Greig assisting, with Lindsay Davis the club’s sports massage therapist.

“It’s going really well,” he said. “I’m enjoying it.

“I think we’ve been pretty fortunate on the injury front this season, which obviously makes it a lot easier.

“We’ve not had anybody out for any long period of time, we’ve been fortunate to have generally a fully-fit squad.

“From now until the end of the season we’ve got pretty much two games a week, the pitches are getting a bit heavier, players are starting to get a bit more fatigued, so things will start to creep up on you.

“I think I’ll definitely have my work cut out from now until the end of the season.”

Brown graduated from Oxford Brookes University, worked for the NHS for a couple of years, then moved to the university sports clinic for the rowing, football and rugby teams before he got the job as Oxford United physio.

“You get different types of injuries in the different sports,” he said. “Rugby is high-impact injuries, rowing is more back-related, repetitive strain, whereas here it’s the typical hamstring, knee, foot and ankle problems.

“But I’m obviously competent in all areas, so it’s no problem for me.”

Physios, nowadays, are an integral part of the backroom team, so Brown is in constant communication with manager Chris Wilder.

“The preparation through the week to the Saturday is a team effort from all the staff – kit man, masseur, the coaching staff, players, physio, everyone digs in and does their bit,” he said.

There have been three main injuries. “We’ve had Matt Green, who had a medial tear in his knee. Fortunately, although it was quite a bad tear, he worked really, really hard on his rehab and was back quite quick.

“Rhys Day had a similar problem a few weeks into the season. Again, it was the same attitude with him, he worked really hard and was back quickly.

“Damian Batt had a recurring hamstring problem that has affected him in the past and has been fiddly to get 100 per cent right, but again I couldn’t have asked much more from him. He’s worked hard to get back and raring to go.”

Brown, who played local football in the Hellenic League, around Oxford, is someone who himself looks incredibly fit, but then he does do much of the same training that the players do.

“I always believe in practising what you preach if you’re trying to get players fit.

“It’s good if you can train with them, so I train alongside them. I don’t think any player likes to be in the gym, they’d much rather be playing football, so if you go on the treadmill, and push them on a bit, that just helps.”

In the past, United have sometimes had a full-time fitness trainer as well as physio, but Brown and Davis help out on the training ground alongside Wilder and Mickey Lewis.

“It was a bit different before. The physio would get the players fit, and in the gym, then hand them over to the fitness coach, whereas I obviously do that side of it now – but that’s the part you get to really enjoy, being out on the training ground, and that’s where you see the results.”