New conditioning coach Jordan Milsom says emphasis will be placed on Oxford United's players avoiding injuries as they set off on Monday on a longer-than-normal seven-week pre-season programme.

The players were reporting back this morning with Milson, who had previously been the club's fitness coach, now appointed as the conditioning coach.

But despite the slight change in title, there's little difference in the work Milsom will be doing, before he hands over the reins to first-team coach Mickey Lewis when the players start concentrating on ball-work.

"My job is going to be pretty much the same," Milsom said.

"I've just learned a few things over the last year, during my time with Swindon, Sheffield United and in China.

"In this job you're here and there, and always meeting up with people from other clubs and looking to pinch different ideas to use them in your own way.

"My preparation this year will be a combination of what we did at Oxford in the first season and the second season - the first season was predominantly running-based and there were very few injuries.

"In the second season it was more football-based work, and it was more enjoyable for the players, but then you increase the likelihood of contact injuries and stuff like that, which are part of football.

"We're probably going to marry them together and this year there's just going to be a lot more injury-prevention work, on a daily basis, and get the lads into a habit of doing that.

"It's simple stuff on the training field, you don't have to have fancy equipment, or special facilities.

"I think the players will respond to it and it will be a fairly important aspect of what we do. Keeping a fairly small squad, injury prevention will be important."

  • STEFAN Bailey, the 20-year-old midfielder who was released by QPR at the end of last season, has joined Oxford United's Blue Square rivals Grays Athletic.

Bailey had four games on loan with Oxford last season, and impressed, and may have been one of those U's boss Darren Patterson was looking at to strengthen his squad this summer.