RICKY Holmes has predicted Oxford United’s stay at the wrong end of the table will come to an end shortly if they can maintain their good habits.

While the side have spent the entire campaign in Sky Bet League One’s relegation zone, a four-game unbeaten run has changed the mood.

And a win tomorrow at home to Shrewsbury Town, in front of the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations, would likely be enough to lift them out of the bottom four.

Holmes believes United have gained a bullish attitude during their upturn in form, as shown by their dissatisfaction at only claiming a 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night.

He said: “People could go into their shells, I’ve been in a struggling team before and that seemed to be the case, but here it’s not.

“Some would be thinking ‘oh no, we’ve got Charlton away’ but we went there and said ‘why can’t we beat them?’

“That’s the attitude we have and I don’t think we’ll be lingering down the bottom for too much longer.”

While U’s boss Karl Robinson came under pressure during the dreadful start, Holmes always felt the players were to blame for underperforming.

But the 31-year-old also believes the squad’s senior members have been key to turning things round.

He said: “It’s a cliché in football that there’s always another game, but we were at the stage where there wasn’t, because managers start getting sacked.

“I said to them ‘we don’t want another manager, he’s good to us’, he’s brought us all in, don’t forget.

“Us older heads have gone round and said ‘time to stand up and be counted’.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you’re on the pitch you’re good enough.

“People coming on loan don’t really know what to expect. They’re used to 23s football where it doesn’t mean anything, it’s all about development, whereas this is people’s livelihoods.

“I’ve got a little ‘un, I’ve got a mortgage to pay and if I’m not performing I stop paying my bills.

“They’ve probably lived in digs and not really had bills to pay. It was time for them to realise this is our lives.

“It isn’t all pretty and three points means the world to fans and us.”

Holmes withdrew from last weekend’s goalless draw at Bristol Rovers with a back problem, but returned to play 90 minutes in midweek and has declared himself fit to face Shrewsbury.

He said: “If I played I could’ve been out for a couple of months.

“I still feel about 22, but it was me saying enough’s enough for one game.”