IT’S back to league action this afternoon as we take on Fleetwood Town.

We made the journey yesterday – a practical decision because it meant we could drive up in the morning and beat the Friday afternoon traffic nightmare that seems to strike every motorway.

We trained at Blackpool to get the trip out of our legs and then will have a walk this morning and get set for the game.

I stress that we will be walking: Shaun Derry and Derek Fazackerley got it into their heads to have a swim in the sea at Plymouth the other week which I think we can label as a brave but foolish experiment!

Today’s match will be our fourth away game on the trot after Plymouth, Brentford and Cheltenham.

With two of those being in cup competitions, it is a chance to reset our sights and focus on the league again.

Obviously you adjust things playing against a Championship side or a League Two team, as we have just done, but we had been on a great run up until Christmas and today is a chance to get another one going.

There have been some positive signs in the last week or so.

Jordan Graham has come into the side and worked very hard.

He looks sharper with each training session and gives us options all along the front line.

Mark Sykes came on at Cheltenham for a bit of a cameo first appearance, and he made some excellent runs forward and showed some very nice touches.

We will also take Samir Carruthers with us for this weekend and he is edging closer to being involved.

He may be on the bench today, or may have to wait a little while longer.

From my point of view, there is nothing quite like being part of the squad, getting the buzz of a matchday and feeling part of things again.

It can be a lonely place coming back from injury and Samir is going to benefit from being involved again.

On that subject I wanted to mention the way that Jon Obika and Rob Hall have got around Shandon Baptiste this week.

Shandon was devastated to rupture his ACL at Brentford and will be out for a long time.

But in Rob and Jon, he has two very good guys there to help and support him and deal with the situation.

All three will come back from their injuries, and I am sure that all three will help each other along the way.

OUR under 18 side won their league title this week which was a terrific achievement.

They now face another massive test on Wednesday when they play Bournemouth at Court Place Farm in the FA Youth Cup.

I was asking around and not many people knew the last time Oxford United reached the fifth round of that competition.

But whether they achieve it or not the way those lads have played this season has got people sitting up and taking notice of our academy once again.

I thoroughly enjoyed the game at Burnley in the last round so if you want to come and enjoy a great game of football.

And see this exciting crop of talented young footballers in action, then come along and join us on Wednesday.

You won’t regret it.