So many Oxford United players are worried about their futures that it's created an air of nerves in the dressing room, according to manager Ian Atkins.

But the situation is likely to continue for a few days yet because he is set to produce another list of players to be shown the door towards the end of this week.

Speaking after United's 2-0 defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday, which means the U's will definitely finish in their lowest ever League position, Atkins admitted: "There is an anxiety within the camp.

"It's probably come from two or three weeks ago when there was all the talk of players' contracts being up. That's not me making an excuse, it's making an excuse for them a little bit.

"There was a list in the paper with a lot of names on it, and a lot of players thought they were on free transfers. Since then, we've not got a lot out of some people.

"When a lot of contracts are up, people queston whether they are going to be here and it becomes a little cloud over us."

United, 21st in the table, have taken just one point from a possible 15 in their last five games, prompting one caller to the local radio phone-in to ask whether the team was any better now than before Atkins took over.

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