No-one could accuse Oxford United of not keeping fans on their toes and springing the odd surprise.

The latest off-the-field twist came last night when chairman Nick Merry threw in the towel after weeks of turmoil.

It is a sad end to a regime which promised so much in the early days.

Mr Merry and his team could not be blamed for the team's relegation from the Football League.

They took over far too late from Firoz Kassam to make a difference and avoid the drop to the Conference.

Under Mr Merry, everything started so well, with United beating all and sundry in the early part of their first season and holding a strong advantage at the top of the league.

But suddenly all that changed, the team lost their edge, failing to win promotion and an immediate return to football's top level.

Since then, United have been unable to mount a serious challenge among the league leaders and are now languishing near the bottom of the table.

The absence of disillusioned fans and the credit crunch have taken their toll on United's already stretched finances.

And there is no doubt that the failure to buy the stadium from Mr Kassam has been costly and a continuing source of frustration.

Supporters will be hoping that Kelvin Thomas, the relatively-unknown new chairman, can rescue United from its present dire situation.

He is making the right noises, promising to fight to save United.

We wish him well. What is important is that the team rise above the boardroom changes and concentrate on winning their games.

Given the present uncertainty, that may not be easy, but points on the board will be the make or break of the club.