Ex Player Mark Sykes goes to Bristol City.

[Essexyellows]

I`m not sure Sykes himself wants to be here next season, seems a bit like a kid having a strop not getting his own way.
Again it's the "luxury player" thing where they can be utter dross 70% of the time and a rip-roaring matchwinner in the other 30%.

How many players like that can we afford?

Personally, I would rather every game finished 3-2 rather than 1-0, as it is supposed to be entertainment, and for that you need flair players.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Would anyone really be that gutted if Sykes wasn’t with us next season? A decent player who’s flattered to deceive and not really had that many runs of great games. Looked his best at right wing back for a while but then we stopped playing that formation.

There are a few players that you would really notice if they were out for a period of time…Taylor, Brannagan, McNally, Moore, Gorrin, Browne.
No matter what Sykes or his agent thinks, he is replaceable and we already have players in the building such as Henry and Bodin who could fill his place.

 

[tonyw]

I'm not going to accuse Sykes of not trying yesterday, because he did put a shift in as he always does.

But he also did look like a player trying not to get injured. Definitely didn't fancy the big 50:50 challenges. Which, when the game is a season-defining last-chance saloon tilt, is not really what you want to see from your players. Even if you can understand a guy looking out for his own long term interests.

He'll be gone in the summer, but he's certainanly not irreplacable. Hell, we might have done so already if Smyth is as good as we hope.

 

[Jolteon]

I said last summer when Ipswich were interested I wouldn't be fussed if he left.

I ate my words a few months later.

Going into this summer I'm now back to where I was last summer; if he goes I won't be at all bothered as he is very replaceable at this level. McGuane has had a full season and will hopefully kick on next year, and the reports on Smyth are exciting. I don't even necessarily think we NEED to replace Sykes - as I said on the Kane thread I'd much rather we prioritise a proper CDM and a powerful box to box midfielder than a more attacking, flair midfielder.

 

[Northernyellow]

I'm not going to accuse Sykes of not trying yesterday, because he did put a shift in as he always does.

But he also did look like a player trying not to get injured. Definitely didn't fancy the big 50:50 challenges. Which, when the game is a season-defining last-chance saloon tilt, is not really what you want to see from your players. Even if you can understand a guy looking out for his own long term interests.

He'll be gone in the summer, but he's certainanly not irreplacable. Hell, we might have done so already if Smyth is as good as we hope.

I was there on Saturday, and he very obviously pulled out of a couple of 50/50's. I was also chatting last week in Belfast to a chap whose son played with him at Glenavon. The chap said of Sykes (and this is almost word for word). 'How's he getting on? I always thought he was a nice player, but a bit lightweight. When he got in a tight spot at Glenavon, he'd do the stepover thing, someone kicked him and he'd fall over. Not a bad player, but not sure he's as good as he thinks he is.' Which- three years on- just about sums him up. If he goes, I won't be too fussed. Bodin (as an example) is a better player imo.

 

[Kiewhite]

There are a few players that you would really notice if they were out for a period of time…Taylor, Brannagan, McNally, Moore, Gorrin, Browne.
No matter what Sykes or his agent thinks, he is replaceable and we already have players in the building such as Henry and Bodin who could fill his place.

If bodin stays fit I’d go as far as to say it’s a upgrade

 

[NorthWestOx]

Sadly, now that the season is over for us, I agree that Sykes should be left out of the squad completely on Saturday.

I've always rated him as a player and think he will have a great career, but you could see against Rotherham that he wasn't doing anything that could get himself injured, and quite frankly, with no contract yet for next season, who could blame him.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Sadly, now that the season is over for us, I agree that Sykes should be left out of the squad completely on Saturday.

I've always rated him as a player and think he will have a great career, but you could see against Rotherham that he wasn't doing anything that could get himself injured, and quite frankly, with no contract yet for next season, who could blame him.

Nah that would look petty. He deserves a chance to give us a wave and get his applause.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

If he comes back to the Kassam I'll boo him. He thinks he's better than us? Let's see Sykes. You didn't do it nearly enough for us so not sure how you've got such a huge ego on you.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

Nah that would look petty. He deserves a chance to give us a wave and get his applause.

He doesn't bother applauding our fans though. Straight down the tunnel. Why should we clap him?

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

If Sykes is definitely leaving I see no point in playing him - for player or club. He won’t want to get injured and we may as well give players who will be here next season, or young players, the chance to develop by playing in front of a decent crowd.

 

[OUFCGav]

Nah that would look petty. He deserves a chance to give us a wave and get his applause.

Well, from the last few home games that won't happen. either standing on the half way line ignoring the crowd, or straight off down the tunnel.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

If Sykes is definitely leaving I see no point in playing him - for player or club. He won’t want to get injured and we may as well give players who will be here next season, or young players, the chance to develop by playing in front of a decent crowd.

f**k him why would we want players pulling on the shirt who don't even want to be here, surely an academy kid would be absolutely buzzing with the chance? Guy has shown cowardice and no loyalty amazed anyone cares about clapping him off. Good riddance get out of our club.

 

[Leysboy]

Have to agree. If the lad doesn’t want to sign a contract, and stay with us! Then what’s the point in playing him. I’d rather give youth a game, and see what they have to offer. I’d give a couple of others a rest too.

 

[Big Ron]

T

If bodin stays fit I’d go as far as to say it’s a upgrade

That's a big 'if' though - I really like Bodin but he's played about 60 games over the past 4 seasons. Sykes has played double that in his time at Oxford and that includes time trying to establish himself.

I agree his form has been disappointing in the 2nd half of the season and it seems obvious he has ambitions elsewhere. He's also been played out of position and there is some serious over-reaction here. He's stayed fit and put some mileage in and there are other under performers over the season - Winnall, Holland, MacGuane, Kane (2nd half of the season and out of position as well), Seddon, Long (seemingly never recovering fully from his illness and nothing like the player we saw last year) and Stephens.

I thought we had a real player on our hands up to January but for whatever reason, his form dropped off but nothing worth working yourself into a frenzy as the occasional poster is doing here.

As for playing youth players - it seems fairly obvious that Robinson thinks most of the players we've seen in recent years are not up to it, in spite of all of the self-congratulation at giving 10 year-olds a debut in the pizza cup.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Sadly, now that the season is over for us, I agree that Sykes should be left out of the squad completely on Saturday.

I've always rated him as a player and think he will have a great career, but you could see against Rotherham that he wasn't doing anything that could get himself injured, and quite frankly, with no contract yet for next season, who could blame him.

Well for starters he could of had a contract with us for next season but he thinks he is better than Oxford United.
Secondly, who can blame him for not wanting to get injured? It was a must win game where we still had a chance of making the play offs. He cheated all the travelling fans and the club who pay his wages by putting in a half arsed performance.

If Brannagan, Moore, McNally move on then they will go with our best wishes. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about Sykes.

The difference between those players and Sykes is a thing called class.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t play at the weekend, given he got taken off at Rotherham with the old tight hamstring that so many players who are on the verge of leaving a club suffer from. I think he’s a mercenary of the highest order but I don’t really care about that side of the industry - clubs think nothing of making players with families unemployed if they don’t rate them, so I don’t see why players shouldn’t look out for themselves if they have the chance to sign multi-year deals on 3/4/5 times their salary. OUFC tried to sell Sykes more than once in the past so fair is fair.

Providing they put a shift in, that is, which I’ve always felt Sykes has when I’ve seen him. Perhaps it’s been different in recent weeks.

 

[Big Ron]

Wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t play at the weekend, given he got taken off at Rotherham with the old tight hamstring that so many players who are on the verge of leaving a club suffer from. I think he’s a mercenary of the highest order but I don’t really care about that side of the industry - clubs think nothing of making players with families unemployed if they don’t rate them, so I don’t see why players shouldn’t look out for themselves if they have the chance to sign multi-year deals on 3/4/5 times their salary. OUFC tried to sell Sykes more than once in the past so fair is fair.

Providing they put a shift in, that is, which I’ve always felt Sykes has when I’ve seen him. Perhaps it’s been different in recent weeks.

Exactly this.

The 'cowardice' accusations strike me as the most ridiculous here. There's more than one player in this club who is sometimes reluctant to go in at full throttle - Holland & McGuane anyone? For what it's worth, I remember Sykes pulling out of two particular tackles, both near the half-way line and with the opponent coming in at full pelt. Both were effectively in no man's land and went for an Oxford throw. Neither were last ditch bits of defending and didn't seem that ridiculous to me.

Still, it's the usual pattern of finding a scapegoat.

 

[Osleroad]

I'm sure that we'd want to reach the max points total possible and not throw a makeshift team out there as if it was the tinpot trophy or something regardless..perhaps the powers that be would pass on the fact that it hasn't gone unnoticed that certain players need to stay on and acknowledge the fans.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

Well for starters he could of had a contract with us for next season but he thinks he is better than Oxford United.
Secondly, who can blame him for not wanting to get injured? It was a must win game where we still had a chance of making the play offs. He cheated all the travelling fans and the club who pay his wages by putting in a half arsed performance.

If Brannagan, Moore, McNally move on then they will go with our best wishes. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about Sykes.

The difference between those players and Sykes is a thing called class.

Post of the season