Oxford United left back Chris Carruthers admitted this week that he was as shocked as many fans were when he was placed on the transfer list earlier in the season.

But he acknowledged boss Darren Patterson did it to try to get a reaction, and he has knuckled down hard to try and play well.

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t surprise me at the time, but I spoke to the manager about it,” he said after playing his part in United’s 1-0 victory over York City last Saturday, their fifth successive home win.

“The manager wasn’t pleas-ed with the performances and the results that we were getting and felt he had to make changes.

“All I’ve done is kept my head down, kept working hard and tried to do the business on the pitch, which I think I am at the moment, and hopefully it can continue.

“I said when I signed here that I wanted to play in front of the big crowds they have here and get my head down and work hard.”

The 25-year-old former Northampton and Bristol Rov-ers player believes Oxford stand as good a chance as any in the Blue Square Premier of having a successful season.

“I’ve always said we’ve got a good set of players here, we’ve got good quality as well, which is important.

“It’s important to win games like last Saturday if we are to move up the table and keep our hopes of promotion.“ “It breeds confidence to win those types of games, which is good. If we can keep winning our home games, any results on the road will then come as a bonus.”

Tomorrow, the U’s are back on the FA Cup trail, with a first round proper tie at home to Dorchester, and an opportunity to bring some vital money into the club.

Carruthers said the financial problems hadn’t impacted on the players, but they were all trying to do their bit.

“Our main job is to win on the Saturday,” he said.

“Everybody’s trying to do their bit, the players have been handing leaflets out around Oxford.

“We’re trying to do it as a group. We need everyone pull-ing together in these difficult times.”