OXFORD United co-owner Anindya Bakrie says there is no reason why the club shouldn’t ‘dream big and get to the Premier League’.
The U’s beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 in the Sky Bet League One play-off final on Saturday, sealing a return to the second tier of English football for the first time in 25 years.
Bakrie was unable to make the game at Wembley due to a family emergency, but watched on from Indonesia.
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He told the PA news agency: “It’s something you dream of every day, you can make it and win at Wembley.
“It is indeed an exciting time to take part with this club, who have made it to the Championship for the first time in the last 25 years.
“When they put the trophy on the TV, I was holding it. I felt like I was at Wembley. I was in Indonesia, the plane was booked, but sometimes family needs to come first when it comes to emergency, but the fans and my fellow co-owners were there.”
Ipswich Town won promotion from League One last season, backing that up with a second-place finish in the Championship, to earn a place in the Premier League.
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United midfielder Cameron Brannagan has already said that the Tractor Boys are a big inspiration for him, and Bakrie is similarly ambitions when it comes to the fortunes of the U’s.
He said: “We do want to keep our best players. It is going to be challenging we have no doubt.
“The Premier League is a dream for owners. Being a part of Oxford is something we are proud of, and we take it very seriously.
“To be able to bring the club to the Championship is a dream and the aspiration is to move forward, but we will not think of it as an overnight thing.
“But, like anything in life, with hard work and togetherness through good times and bad, there is no reason why we should not dream big and get to the Premier League.”
Bakrie also praised United head coach Des Buckingham for the essential role he played in promotion this season.
“I think Des fits right in and is willing to take the challenges,” said Bakrie.
“He sees eye to eye with the squad, the management team and he knows being an Oxford man, he has a lot of hopes, aspirations and challenges also on his shoulders.
“I could see he was nervous in the beginning but that’s normal being a human being, he’s a fighter and he wants to do the best he can.
“I see confidence and progress, a journey, a desire to do better game by game which is all you can ask for as an owner.”
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