KARL Robinson is keeping an eye on the fine details in a bid to maximise Oxford United’s chances of capping their 125th anniversary with three precious points against Shrewsbury Town.

Special events to mark the milestone are being held throughout the day and include a one-off change of kit with a nod to the club’s past as Headington United.

It involves switching from yellow to orange – and the squad will train in the kit today to familiarise themselves.

Bicester Advertiser:

  • Oxford United's one-off kit

“People might look at it and think you should be able to play in anything, but your eye does get used to something,” Robinson, United’s head coach, said.

“I do like to train in yellow bibs in the two days before a game just so we get used to it.”

While it is a special occasion which has been long in the planning for those behind the scenes at the club, the focus for the playing staff is on avoiding distractions.

Robinson said: “Going into this game with 125 years of history to support, it just shows you where this club has been and gives us some sort of focus on where we want to go.

“We feel immensely proud to be associated with this football club.

“(But) the party has no relevance to us. It is just a game.

“We feel we have to win, not because it’s the 125, it’s because we’re putting our shirt on and every time we do that we want to win.”

A couple of weeks ago it looked like the anniversary would be marked amid a gloomy atmosphere.

Four games without defeat have lifted United to their highest position of the season – but Robinson knows 21st is not something to shout about.

He said: “I’m nowhere near coming through it. I’m not proud sat here with where we are.

“It’s still an embarrassment, it’s still something I take personally, as I should.

“It doesn’t change me, it just hurts me over a period of time.

“I think that’s a good thing, it makes you want to fight and it’s a challenge.”

He added: “You can’t get too carried away with the emotion of the table.

“If I did it would be ultra-scary, or you can be ultra-excited and it can trip you up.”

United cannot afford to look too far ahead, but the goal is to get out of the relegation zone for the first time this season in the next two games.

“I’d like to think we could be out of that by the time we play in the FA Cup,” Robinson said.

“That has to be an internal challenge and then we’ll take stock. It’s not a case of stopping there.

“This shouldn’t be the conversation that we’re having.

“OK, we’ve had all these injuries and all these things that have gone against us, but there’s a lot more still to come from this team.”