Thomas: The signing that showed Oxford United's intent (From Bicester Advertiser)
When It Happens Panel Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email
Thomas: The signing that showed Oxford United's intent
10:00am Monday 16th July 2012 in Oxford Utd
By Mark Edwards, Sports Editor. Call me on 01865 425451
Simon Clist joins Oxford United, and is welcomed to the club by the then chairman Kelvin Thomas
FORMER Oxford United chairman Kelvin Thomas feels that Simon Clist was the most significant player he signed during his four years in charge of the U’s.
But it was not the impact he made on the pitch that was critical, but more the intent it showed off it.
Thomas, who stepped down as U’s chief on Friday to be replaced by owner Ian Lenagan, reflected on his tenure at the Kassam Stadium with fondess.
He felt his most important acquisition was that of Chris Wilder, but while Thomas gave the green light for the manager to bring in a huge amount of new faces, it was that of Clist, who was signed for an undisclosed fee in February 2009, that he points to as the most important.
When Thomas took over as chairman, the club were on the brink of administration.
But he decided that the best way to attract more income off the pitch, was to have a better and more successful side on it.
So he gave new boss Wilder the thumbs-up to bring in new faces, some of which would cost money.
“Looking back, there are moments where we made big decisions,” he said.
“And one really big one was to invest in the playing squad.
“In the first transfer window myself and Chris were here, we signed Simon Clist.
“While Simon did well for us, it was the actual fact that we had signed somebody and paid money for them.
“It wasn’t big money, but anything over £10 at the time would have been a lot for us.
“But that showed real intent.”
He added: “Bringing Chris in was a major decision and he has played an enormous impact here.
“He has been a massive part of what we have achieved in terms of success on the pitch.
“We had a bit of a reputation of not winning big games, but I feel that we changed that.
“Ian has always said that getting into the Championship was the aim, and I think that is where Oxford United should be aiming.”
Comments(29)
karatavuk
says...
2:45pm Mon 16 Jul 12
How much did we sell him for?
Seriously though, thanks for all the good work Kelvin. You saved this club.
LeGod
says...
3:08pm Mon 16 Jul 12
karatavuk
says...
3:20pm Mon 16 Jul 12
See Rangers or Portsmouth for other examples.
dave from witney
says...
4:22pm Mon 16 Jul 12
LeGod wrote:Who cares what you think , why don't you just drip on in the Scuds Advertiser.
Who - For all you idiot fans on your forum who stated Swindon have a 6m wage budget this season is absolute rubbish. Where do you get your fantasy stories from and no our budget wasnt 4m last season either as our chairman has stated a couple of weeks ago our budget from last season will increase to a maximum of 4M this season. i think some of you make stories up for your teams failure last season to get promoted and make the sotries up. The fact of the matter are we have a better manager and players and have more ambition than your club and the owners of the club are prepared to put their money into the club and one of them even lives in Oxford which makes it even sweeter than he puts into our club and not your small conference thinking. club
06RUSS
says...
4:29pm Mon 16 Jul 12
LeGod wrote:No one cares.
Who - For all you idiot fans on your forum who stated Swindon have a 6m wage budget this season is absolute rubbish. Where do you get your fantasy stories from and no our budget wasnt 4m last season either as our chairman has stated a couple of weeks ago our budget from last season will increase to a maximum of 4M this season. i think some of you make stories up for your teams failure last season to get promoted and make the sotries up. The fact of the matter are we have a better manager and players and have more ambition than your club and the owners of the club are prepared to put their money into the club and one of them even lives in Oxford which makes it even sweeter than he puts into our club and not your small conference thinking. club
LeGod
says...
4:46pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Just keep making up the stories about us you sad lot as lets face facts you are going nowhere!!!!!!!!!! apart from stagnating in L2 - Oh what a shame.
Never mind just keep watching us rise up the leagues !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!
Hope you enjoy another season in a poor league and with what is going on at your club and with Rugby being played on your pitch be prepared for a poor surface and hoof ball as with that pitch that is how you will have to play.
Sad but never mind and we may come across you in a cup game at some stage if your lucky as we all know you enjoyed big crowds for the first time in years against us as we are the biggest attraction you will ever get at your ground.
FOREVER IN OUR SHADOW
06RUSS
says...
4:54pm Mon 16 Jul 12
LeGod wrote:As usual i'm not going to read past the first line of your post as your opinion on OUFC doesn't matter. i've never been on your forum as i couldn't care less about swindon.
You lot do care!!! as you keep talking about us on your forum as you are all jealous of the new money we have just had put in by the current owners.
Just keep making up the stories about us you sad lot as lets face facts you are going nowhere!!!!!!!!!! apart from stagnating in L2 - Oh what a shame.
Never mind just keep watching us rise up the leagues !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!
Hope you enjoy another season in a poor league and with what is going on at your club and with Rugby being played on your pitch be prepared for a poor surface and hoof ball as with that pitch that is how you will have to play.
Sad but never mind and we may come across you in a cup game at some stage if your lucky as we all know you enjoyed big crowds for the first time in years against us as we are the biggest attraction you will ever get at your ground.
FOREVER IN OUR SHADOW
bigchet
says...
5:50pm Mon 16 Jul 12
karatavuk
says...
6:38pm Mon 16 Jul 12
karatavuk
says...
6:48pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Alone on Pig Hill
The man with the foolish grin
Is sitting perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he's just a fool
And he never gives an answer
But the fool on Pig Hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round.
mandate
says...
6:52pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Chish and Fips
says...
7:13pm Mon 16 Jul 12
mandate wrote:I agree we are not as big as some clubs and look forward to meeting those big clubs - remember for all your sour grapes you lot are still in the 'hoof ball' league and now with 'egg chasers' running the club it may be even worse for you lot... slipping even more into the shadows of obscurity ... we looked into Bath playing temporarily at the CG thank god it never happened, have you seen the mess it can leave the pitches in when the weather is bad .. nah best of luck with that set up - disaster waiting to happen for football there, hope I'm wrong for your lots sake.
To Le God and his yokel boyfriends from Witlesshire. You seem to think your club is the centre of the Universe. You are in fact totally overshadowed by much bigger clubs in league 1. Teams like Sheffield United, Pompey, Preston North End, Coventry and a few more, make Swindon Town FC look very small. The fans of these BIGGER clubs regard STFC as being on the same level as Yeovil.
Chish and Fips
says...
7:20pm Mon 16 Jul 12
karatavuk wrote:Very good - considering
Day after day
Alone on Pig Hill
The man with the foolish grin
Is sitting perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he's just a fool
And he never gives an answer
But the fool on Pig Hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round.
.
Where's Pig Hill by the way..... by Pox Ford by any chance ... I'm lowering my standards to your level now by saying that.. so I'll leave it at that.
Megastar07
says...
8:07pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Home with ten men
Ha ha
mikek
says...
8:33pm Mon 16 Jul 12
yellowhoods
says...
9:48pm Mon 16 Jul 12
The Manager
says...
10:11pm Mon 16 Jul 12
BenkiuGuasu
says...
12:18am Tue 17 Jul 12
the wizard
says...
12:38am Tue 17 Jul 12
The Manager wrote:Tell me, what was it like in the Blue Square Conference. I'd like to know, because you have been there haven't you. Something despite the odd rubbish season we have managed to avoid. How long were you there ???? oh a few seasons, tut tut.
Yes O U F C are history better history than Swindon lasted longer at the top and never lost at Wembley but there is something about the Yellows which keep making you so called Robins keep popping up on this site.
Lets face it, both clubs have had their share of rubbish management, ups, downs, highs and lows, but really, I do think you guys are in for a shock when the standard of play is marred by the ruts, divots and humps and wallows in your pitch after 30 guys have been tearing it up in pursuit of the oval ball.
That is when it will hit home where the heart of your owner lays. RFU ! and that is what will be played at the Kassam from 2012 into 2013 and onwards. OU will get sold off again and nowhere to play, you'll be doing a ground share with Wycombe.
Chish and Fips
says...
7:42am Tue 17 Jul 12
The Manager wrote:Look forward not back - you can do something about the future ...
Yes O U F C are history better history than Swindon lasted longer at the top and never lost at Wembley but there is something about the Yellows which keep making you so called Robins keep popping up on this site.
AylesburyOx
says...
9:07am Tue 17 Jul 12
I've not been on the Swindon site but if this is all that happens to the news stories on there then their are some very sad supporters of both clubs (I know, hardly a shock!).
Well done to Kelvin Thomas, a great guy and will always have a place in the heart of Oxford fans.
Clisty was one of my favourite signings; a hardworking midfielder who scored some great goals for us.
mattyproper77
says...
12:14pm Wed 18 Jul 12
OXFORD = DISCOVERY OF BOYLE'S LAW
Chish and Fips
says...
4:46pm Thu 19 Jul 12
mattyproper77 wrote:I'm sure you lot are stuck in some kind of time warp on here... helllloooooo..
SWINDON = SMACKHEADS IN SPORTSDIRECT
OXFORD = DISCOVERY OF BOYLE'S LAW
its the 21st century now, all you lot keep bleating on about his past history.
mattyproper77
says...
5:22pm Thu 19 Jul 12
Chish and Fips wrote:OXFORD = BEST AT FIGHTING.
mattyproper77 wrote:I'm sure you lot are stuck in some kind of time warp on here... helllloooooo..
SWINDON = SMACKHEADS IN SPORTSDIRECT
OXFORD = DISCOVERY OF BOYLE'S LAW
its the 21st century now, all you lot keep bleating on about his past history.
OXFORD = 2 X RIVERS.
OXFORD = LARGEST UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING PRESS ON EARTH.
OXFORD = MUSIC.
SWINDON = £5 WIN ON SCRATCHCARDS TO BUY *SHARE* ON WRAP OF BROWN. WHILST WEARING A TRACKSUIT.
Chish and Fips
says...
7:26pm Thu 19 Jul 12
mattyproper77 wrote:a very silly childish post there... still keep em coming you make yourself look even smaller each time .. Two Rivers eh - stands back in amazement - concentrate on adding to the football theme on here not your own twisted views. - plonker !
Chish and Fips wrote:OXFORD = BEST AT FIGHTING.
mattyproper77 wrote:I'm sure you lot are stuck in some kind of time warp on here... helllloooooo..
SWINDON = SMACKHEADS IN SPORTSDIRECT
OXFORD = DISCOVERY OF BOYLE'S LAW
its the 21st century now, all you lot keep bleating on about his past history.
OXFORD = 2 X RIVERS.
OXFORD = LARGEST UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING PRESS ON EARTH.
OXFORD = MUSIC.
SWINDON = £5 WIN ON SCRATCHCARDS TO BUY *SHARE* ON WRAP OF BROWN. WHILST WEARING A TRACKSUIT.
saddletramp
says...
7:13am Fri 20 Jul 12
I mean they did beat us 11 years ago.
They were getting crowds of 1,800 when we were playing Man United in the top flight of English football for THREE seasons.
They havent qualified for Europe.
They mock our time in the CONference,but we took more to the CON play off final,than they took to the LEAGUE 1 play off.
We can sell 10,000 home tickets for our local derby.
We have a local paper that people from other regions,find so interesting that they want to read about places that they dont even know exist.
And last but not least,the scum team are so carp,that there fans read about Oxford United,Bristol Rovers/City,Reading,
Man Utd, Forest Green Rovers anyone, just to find a forum with someone on it.
Chish and Fips
says...
4:48pm Fri 20 Jul 12
saddletramp wrote:Yep, all in the past Mr Historian, and look where you now - you are still way back in our rear view mirror, which is what you ought to be more concerned about ..... that's the all important bit you missed out ... Living in the past is for mugs pal, but then it does suggest that is all you have to cling on to.
Come on lads you have got to agree we are forever in the scums shadow.
I mean they did beat us 11 years ago.
They were getting crowds of 1,800 when we were playing Man United in the top flight of English football for THREE seasons.
They havent qualified for Europe.
They mock our time in the CONference,but we took more to the CON play off final,than they took to the LEAGUE 1 play off.
We can sell 10,000 home tickets for our local derby.
We have a local paper that people from other regions,find so interesting that they want to read about places that they dont even know exist.
And last but not least,the scum team are so carp,that there fans read about Oxford United,Bristol Rovers/City,Reading,
Man Utd, Forest Green Rovers anyone, just to find a forum with someone on it.
Anyway blow the dust off of some more of your enthralling book of facts and post some more ... it needs some laughs on hear.
ho hum !! Think you have just signed a STFC cast off today . Cox m/f
Chish and Fips
says...
4:51pm Fri 20 Jul 12
Joe1 says...
12:30pm Mon 16 Jul 12
"COME ON YOU YELLOWS"