DES Buckingham celebrates one whole year as Oxford United head coach today, and it’s been quite the ride for one of the club’s very own.
The 39-year-old replaced Liam Manning, taking over a United side sitting second in Sky Bet League One.
It wasn’t a smooth-sailing journey initially, but ultimately Buckingham guided the U’s to promotion via the play-offs and a return to the second tier of English football for the first time in 25 years.
We had a look at 12 games which have defined Buckingham’s year at United.
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November 25: Cheltenham Town (A)
Buckingham’s first game ended in a 2-0 defeat on the road against a struggling Robins side.
Rob Street gave the hosts the lead with a fine strike, but he was then shown a straight red card for an elbow on Stephan Negru in stoppage time at the end of the first 45 minutes.
Ruben Rodrigues made sure both sides played the final 22 minutes with 10 men when he picked up a second yellow card, while Will Goodwin gave the Robins a two-goal buffer when he scrambled the ball in from close range.
December 16: Burton Albion (H)
Two draws and a defeat followed the Robins clash, with progress in the FA Cup and EFL Trophy.
Buckingham tasted a first league win though at home against the Brewers, courtesy of a Rodrigues brace and stunning strike from Marcus McGuane late on.
March 12: Bolton Wanderers (A)
Form remained patchy though, with five wins and five draws from the next 16 league games.
And the U’s were outclassed from the first whistle as the Trotters romped to a 5-0 thumping on a humiliating night in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Wing backs Nathanael Ogbeta and Josh Dacres-Cogley ensured the hosts had a two-goal lead at the break, before a ruthless 10-minute spell saw the Trotters net three more times in the second period.
March 16: Port Vale (A)
It was imperative United responded with a win at all costs in the next game.
They got that, as Ciaron Brown smashed in from a corner, before Josh Murphy doubled the advantage with a wonderful effort from a short corner.
April 13: Peterborough United (H)
As dismal as the Trotters defeat was, the U’s were just as majestic against the Posh.
Mark Harris put United in front from the penalty spot, with the lead doubled by Murphy just after half an hour had been played.
Rodrigues netted seven minutes to before the break, and made it a brace with a lovely diving header before an hour had played.
Billy Bodin put the icing on the cake before stoppage time when his audacious lob sailed into the back of the net.
The U’s went into the final day of the season sitting seventh and outside the play-offs on goal difference.
Harris gave United an important early lead, before a Cameron Brannagan penalty five minutes before half-time doubled the advantage.
Millenic Alli ensured it would be a nervy second period when he scored seven minutes after the break, but the U’s held on.
Lincoln City’s 2-0 defeat at home to Portsmouth ensured United a top six spot.
May 4: Peterborough United (H)
Finishing fifth set up a semi-final with a Posh side seeking revenge for their mauling just a few weeks earlier.
United earned a slender lead in the home leg thanks to Elliott Moore’s header eight minutes into the second half.
The U’s booked a trip to Wembley after a hard-fought draw in the second leg of the semi-final.
Josh Knight levelled the tie four minutes before half-time when he arrived at the back post to find the net from a free kick, but United responded quickly as Brannagan scored from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time.
Jamie Cumming’s heroics kept the Posh at bay, with jubilant scenes at full-time.
May 18: Bolton Wanderers (N)
Murphy’s role in the weeks leading up to Wembley had continued to grow with each game, and he was quite simply unstoppable in the play-off final.
A first half brace saw an effort take a nick and deflect into the top corner, while the finish for his double was sensational.
Despite being underdogs for the game, Buckingham produced a tactical masterclass to thwart the Trotters, who failed to even register a shot on target.
The opening game of the Championship season couldn’t have been much harder, up against a Canaries side which had finished in the play-offs a few months earlier.
A relentless press helped Harris open the scoring just before the half hour mark, before Brannagan slammed the U’s into a 2-0 lead as the game approached the hour.
August 31: Preston North End (H)
Defeats by the one goal followed at Coventry City and Blackburn Rovers, and United could’ve feared the worst when Emil Riis scrambled the Lilywhites in front after just three minutes.
Harris headed in as the clock hit 20 minutes though, while Tyler Goodrham struck a sensational effort in from distance to put the U’s in front nine minutes into the second half.
Liam Lindsay was shown a second yellow card, and from the free kick, United grabbed their third goal of the afternoon, as Greg Leigh poked in from close range.
September 28: Burnley (H)
The Clarets were relegated from the Premier League last season, and are among the favourites for promotion this year.
Burnley dominated possession, but the U’s were organised superbly and held the visitors to a goalless draw, demonstrating that United could adjust their style against the biggest teams in the division.
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