Denis Smith provides some fascinating insights into his two stints as Oxford United manager in his new autobiography Just One of Seven.

Like the novel way striker David Rush managed to pay for a round of drinks at his local pub, and how hard-man Phil Gilchrist got his own back on him in training, to the extent that Smith effectively hung up his boots.

He describes Nigel Jemson as "a peculiar case, who took the most handling of almost any player I've had in my managerial career".

And he described Firoz Kassam as "flamboyant, peacock-ish and most definitely rich. He proved to be a very difficult man to get on with and pin down".

Smith relives the success he had in his first spell at Oxford, and does not hide his huge admiration for the skilful Joey Beauchamp.

But he also admits his mistake in becoming a director and stumping up £10,000, which he lost, and to making several poor signings when he came back as manager for a second time.

"We failed with the likes of Ian McGuckin, Robert Quinn and Andy Scott," he writes. "We were also forced to turn to far too many kids to allow for a healthy and solid development of the team. It was all dictated by the uncooperative and difficult chairman."

The former Stoke City centre half opens the lid on his playing days alongside the likes of Gordon Banks and on his 25 years of management.

Banks, England’s legendary goalkeeper, says in his foreword: “I thought Denis was the strongest, bravest centre half I ever player behind” and described him as “a tiger of a player”.

“As well as being the strongest guy around, he was a great sportsman,” he added.

Smith wrote how Oxford United’s 3-2 extra-time win at Leeds United in the FA Cup fourth round, when Jim Magilton scored a dramatic winner after Leeds had fought back from two goals down, was “one of the best results of my career, up there with defeating Arsenal and drawing with Liverpool twice”.

A very amusing tale he relates is of fans’ favourite Rush, who came from one of his former clubs, Sunderland.

The London Road terrace would sing “David Rush, David Rush, David David Rush, He has a pint, He has a fight, David David Rush.”

Smith recalled one memorable incident with Rush.

“One night he took his dog for a walk and fancied a pint, so called in to his local pub. The problem was he was completely brassic, so he came up with a way of eliciting some beer from the bar. When he returned home his partner said, ‘David, where is the dog?’ “‘Er, I sold him in the pub to get some money for a few rounds,’ he replied.

Smith has a great affection for Oxford United but he admits in the book that he shouldn’t have gone back to manage them for a second time in 2000, when the club had so many off-the-field troubles.

“I realise now rejoining Oxford was a mistake, irrespective of the euphoria of helping the club avoid relegation. In truth, it was merely a delay of the inevitable.”

It was, he writes, “a sad end to my time with a club I had really enjoyed working with”.

There are many amusing anecdotes throughout the book, like when Gilchrist clattered into him in training.

“I trained every day until I was 50 and the last injury I got was when I was manager of Oxford. Even then I liked to put it about a bit and I clattered into a few of the opposing team in a practice match we were playing.

“So one of them, centre half Phil Gilchrist, decided to take a bit of revenge on me and clattered me back, right over the top. That made me finally decide it was probably the end of the line for me to be competing in training regularly with players 25 or 30 years my junior.”

Just One of Seven, the autobiography of Denis Smith, is published by Know The Score Books, priced £17.99.

DENIS Smith is United’s guest tomorrow as the U’s take on York City, another of his former clubs, and will be signing copies of his autobiography in the club shop (1-1.40pm).