Oxford United are still hoping to take on Premiership opposition in pre-season, but may have to juggle their schedule to do so.

The U's announced their list of pre-season fixtures last night, with no big names featuring on the eight-match list.

It means that Darren Patterson's side will have a low-key build-up to their 2008-9 Blue Square Premier season, with home matches against Wycombe Wanderers and Cheltenham Town the highlights.

However, United secretary Mick Brown said that they have not given up hope of facing a big-name team, but felt they needed to make public their fixtures.

He explained: "Several clubs we are facing have already announced, or are keen to announce their pre-season matches.

"We wanted to avoid our matches coming out in dribs and drabs, and so felt that we needed to act now so people knew where we are at."

United are talking to Manchester United, Fulham and Portsmouth about trying to secure a match, but have yet to have a firm answer from any of them.

"We are still trying to get a match against a Premiership side, and if we do that, we may have to shuffle our fixtures around to accommodate that - and I am sure people will understand why," Brown added.

United director Jim Smith has been in discussions with Sir Alex Ferguson, Roy Hodgson and Harry Redknapp about getting a Premiership name to come to Oxford, but has had difficulties in getting a firm committment.

Oxford took on a Man Utd XI two years ago, and were fortunate then that the Old Trafford outfit included internationals like Cristiano Ronaldo - who scored twice in a 4-1 win - Gabriel Heinze, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, which boosted the gate to 11,500.

Our picture shows Oxford United's Yemi Odubade stretching the Portsmouth keeper Dean Kiely as Oxford piled on the pressure in the last minutes of the Pomey friendly back in 2006.

OXFORD UNITED PRE-SEASON Tuesday, July 8: Oxford City (a) (7.45). Saturday, July 12: Brackley Town (a) (3). Tuesday, July 15: Banbury United (a) (7.45). Tuesday, July 22: Bath City (a) (7.45). Saturday, July 26: Basingstoke (a) (3). Tuesday, July 29: WYCOMBE WANDERERS (h) (7.45). Thursday, July 31: Milton United (a) (7.30). Saturday, August 2: CHELTENHAM TOWN (h) (3).