KARL Robinson will accelerate his plans to reshape the Oxford United squad today after victory against Rochdale secured their Sky Bet League One status.

The final relegation worries were snuffed out when the U’s came from behind to win 2-1, thanks to second-half penalties from John Mousinho and Todd Kane.

There is still one game to play, at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, but Robinson will not hang around.

The United manager said: “We’ve spoken to a lot of players, some people know where their futures lie.

“I’ve got meetings with the players whose contracts are up on Monday now and then we go from there.”

A clear-out is expected, but the group also includes several assets.

While the likes of Curtis Nelson and Rob Hall have extension clauses which are expected to be triggered, there are others such as Joe Rothwell who are poised to become free agents.

Robinson is determined to hit the ground running when it comes to recruitment this summer, so the first step is working out which players from the existing squad will stay.

And this way the U’s boss is getting a week’s head start.

“It gives me the week after the season finishes to focus on ins,” he said.

“Letting players go is a part of my job that I hate more than any other.

“But it is what it is, when you sign up to be a manager it’s not always what you do on the grass, it’s the stuff you do off it that maybe has more of an effect on the team.”

Robinson has a clearer idea of what he will be working with next season following a five-hour recruitment meeting with U’s owner Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth on Thursday.

And without going into detail, he appears satisfied with the ammunition he will be given to change the squad in the close season.

He said: “We’re not going to spend massive amounts of money – don’t think we’re going to be a top-five team.

“But we’ll be in the top echelons of the group, the top-eight definitely.

“That’s competitive enough, because you can’t compete with a Sunderland, a Blackburn or a Wigan.

“We’ve got to be realistic as well, but we can do it in a unique way – an Oxford way.

“It’s about finding something that connects the group and that’s now got to be our job. That connection can make us very strong.”