It was like one of those Magic Eye pictures from 2005. I was standing in the new Velocity Hospitality suite chatting to a lively group of Men In Smart Casual. All in their mid to late 40s, this was a reunion and I slowly recognised that these must have been a football team at some stage. Then I noticed that one was Mark Druce. Ah, he’s next to Paul Evans, son of Maurice. Oh, and that’s Jon Muttock…

This was the Oxford United youth team of the late 80s. The Lost Generation. These were the best local young footballers in the area and they were at the Manor Ground during the club’s greatest ever era. How exciting. But at the same time their path to the first team was made far more difficult, as Jon told me as we chatted.

“It was an unbelievable experience but to get into that Oxford United team I had to get ahead of Andy Melville, Tommy Caton and Ceri Evans who were all international players. All three were brilliant with me, really top men, and don’t forget you had people like Micky Lewis around as well, so it was brilliant but it was frustrating in equal measures.

“We’re here today (against Radcliffe) as an Oxford United reunion but I love coming back here because it’s a great club and what they have done is amazing plus they make everyone so welcome here whether you played for the club or not.

“I did two years as an apprentice at United then got a pro deal and that became a second year so I was playing in what’s now the Championship at 17. Brian Horton was the Manager who gave me that chance. I made my debut against Wolves who had Steve Bull up front who played for England!

I was sub two more times and then the season ended and I moved on and I came to City. I do look back and think I could have done more as a young pro but things happen for a reason and I loved on and ended up with the opportunity of playing at Wembley with City.

“Playing for United was great but the best day of my footballing career was playing for City at Wembley.

“ I came here and played regularly and we got on an amazing run that ended up with the FA Trophy Final at Wembley in against. I think any young player would have dreamed of playing there. It’s amazing to have played there and I still tell everyone I meet about it! But when you’re playing you don’t realise how lucky you are.

“We were lucky in some of the earlier rounds but we deserved our chance. I can say I played there but losing the game maybe took five or ten percent off the memories. We had the England changing room, we had the whole experience so it was a great day for the whole club and maybe that’s why I still have such a connection here.

“Looking at how it is progressing here, with the new building and all the other things the club is doing it’s really impressive and I look forward to coming back many times and seeing that growth continue to happen.”