JOE Skarz admitted it took plenty of thought to drop two divisions and join Oxford United, but was swayed by the club’s potential.

The left back has started 17 games in the Sky Bet Championship for Rotherham United this season before falling out of favour.

Preferring to move on instead of sitting on the bench, Skarz agreed to terminate his contract with the Millers last week.

There was no shortage of interest from clubs in League One, but United won the race to bring him in on an initial deal until the end of the season.

Skarz, who signed too late to play in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Exeter City, acknowledged the move needed consideration.

He said: “That was a major decision I had to think about when Oxford came in.

“I had to ponder it because you’re going from the Championship to League Two, but the ambition of the club and me seeing the potential outweighed that factor really.

“There were a few clubs interested in League One, but when I spoke to the manager and he outlaid his plans my mind was made up.

“I’m only 25, so I think I can still develop as a player.

“That’s what I want to do, as well as helping Oxford on the pitch.”

Skarz has won automatic promotion twice from League Two, with Rotherham and Bury.

At the start of the Shakers’ successful season in 2010/11 he played at the Kassam Stadium against the U’s, who had just returned to the Football League.

The memory of that day stuck with the ex-Huddersfield Town trainee.

“We won 2-1 but the atmosphere that day was electric and a lot of the lads on the coach on the way back were saying it was a massive club for this level,” he said.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind and was a club that was too big to turn down.”

When he turned up for training for the first time yesterday he was assured of a warm welcome from several familiar faces.

He played with Johnny Mullins and Danny Hylton at Rotherham, while Michael Collins was a teammate at Huddersfield, where a young Skarz once cleaned the midfielder’s boots.

The new signing spoke to all three, who gave strong references about United, before putting pen to paper.

He said: “You keep in touch with former teammates and they’re all top lads.

“They only had positive things to say and I’m excited now to get started.”