LEE Cox is hoping his loan move at Oxford United from rivals Swindon Town can be extended until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old has been a big hit since making the trip up the A420 in July.

Adding some much-needed bite in midfield, he has been a virtual ever-present when fit, making nine starts this season so far.

The loan agreement runs out in January, but Swindon gave a clear indication that Cox is surplus to requirements after allowing him to play in the FA Cup last weekend.

The former Leicester trainee, whose contract at the County Ground does not expire until 2014, has little contact with the Robins.

He admits the future is uncertain, but after receiving regular first-team football with the U’s there is a clear willingness to stay if the two clubs can agree.

“I don’t really know anything at the minute,” Cox said.

“I’ve been getting a lot of injuries so I’m just focusing on the day-to-day training and game to game.

“My loan finishes in January, but I would love to stay with Oxford until the end of the season.

“I’m enjoying it here, there’s a great bunch of lads and I can see there’s a lot of potential to get in those promotion places.

“I just need to be playing football and I’m very happy at Oxford.

“There’s no contact to be honest. Oxford are looking after me very well and Swindon are just a club I’m contracted to.

“I’m concentrating on my time here and helping the team because they deserve to be up there.”

Cox joined Swindon in January, but was only a fringe player as they won the npower League Two title.

Despite United struggling in the bottom half of the table so far, he does not believe there is a big gulf in class between Chris Wilder’s men and last season’s champions.

He said: “There’s not a lot of difference whatsoever. “Training isn’t the same kind of drills but I’ve been very impressed with the quality here.”

Cox described Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat at home to Dagenham as a “horrible” game, but believes the key to United finding some consistency is relatively simple.

He said: “This team definitely deserves to be up there, but I think everyone needs to be more aggressive and want to win even more.

“We’re not losers in this team but if it means running around a bit more, getting into people I think we have to do the dirty side of the game better.”