KARL Robinson says the unbreakable bond between Joey Beauchamp and Oxford United is what football is all about.

U’s fans, staff and players have been rocked by the legendary winger’s death on Saturday, aged just 50.

Born and raised in Oxford, Beauchamp made 428 appearances, scored 77 goals and terrorised defences on a weekly basis to become one of United’s greatest players.

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The winger had the talent to reach the very top, but Robinson knows pulling on a yellow shirt was special enough.

The U’s head coach said: “When you see what Joey meant to Oxford United, and what Oxford United meant to him, it shows you the purpose of football.

“How it can unite people, how it can create legacies, extended family groups – it’s so much more than that 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon.

“We have to go above and beyond, not just because he was a legend of the club, but because he came from the academy.

“People say he should have played for England, but Oxford almost was his England.

“That was his dream, it’s all he ever wanted to do.”

Tragically, United have lost several club legends since Robinson arrived in March 2018.

Read also: The great and the good remember Joey Beauchamp

Jim Smith, widely thought of as the U’s greatest manager, and record Football League appearance-maker John Shuker died within weeks of each other in December 2019.

Last March, United lost much-loved former player, coach and caretaker boss Micky Lewis, with a charity game held in his honour in October.

Robinson said: “Since I’ve been here, Micky Lewis, Jim (Smith) and so many people have sadly passed, but this one will probably really scar people more.

“A generation of fans would have grown up with him as the iconic figure.

“He stood there as a ball boy looking on to the pitch, with admiration for his heroes, and one day played alongside them with tremendous pride. It shows what his journey was all about.”

Beauchamp was invited to train with United in March 2019 as Robinson attempted to make today’s players aware of the club’s history.

It was one of many interactions the head coach had with one of the U’s greatest sons and he recalled these fondly.

Robinson said: “You know how much I love wingers and we always used to laugh about that.

“He never spoke about himself, he was always about the team.

“But I once asked him how many goals he scored, he told me and then said ‘that was from the wing, by the way’.”