Matt Day says he doesn't intend to let go of Oxford United's No 2 shirt after signing a new one-year deal with the club.

Eddie Anaclet's switch to Stevenage has left the shirt vacant for either 21-year-old Day, or promising 18-year-old James Clarke.

Former Portsmouth player Day said: "I want to make that right back position my own and be there week in, week out, but in my eyes, James is a threat, of course.

"If I'm going to be in the team to start with, I'm going to have to be top drawer every game because he'll be there, wanting to play as much as I do. It's going to be a tough battle between us really."

The new deal finally ends all uncertainty over whether Day would be staying at Oxford after he was transfer-listed at the start of the year.

But he believes being listed gave him the kick up the backside he needed, and he buckled down to work hard, lose weight and eventually fought his way back into the side for the successful last two months of the 2007-8 campaign.

He said: "I was quite glad I got put on the transfer list because it was a shock for me and It made me realise I had to settle down. I told myself that I've got to really concentrate on training because Clarkey came in and he did really, really well.

"It was a battle for me against him. I concentrated really hard in training, worked hard, got myself fit again, got myself back in the team and managed to stay there for the last 11 games, which I was really happy with.

"If you look at the form we finished with last season, with nine wins out of the last 11 games, I think it's going to be a promising season next year. If we can get some strikers in, and a replacement for Eddie on the wing, we could have a great season."

Manager Darren Patterson said: "Matty is still a young lad but has good experience already and we think he has potential to get even better.

"He knows there are things he has to improve but he's willing to listen, he works hard and it's up to him to keep working at his game and to cement a place in the team every week in one position.

"With the experience of Barry Quinn, Luke Foster and Chris Willmott and the promise of youngsters like Matty and James Clarke, we are starting to shape up defensively - and that's a good base to start from."