‘Be Up For The Fight’ – Martin Ahead Of Oxford City

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‘Be Up For The Fight’ – Martin Ahead Of Oxford City

Russell Martin outlined the key characteristics we need to show during Friday’s Emirates FA Cup tie at Oxford City.

2026-11-06T07:15+00:00

by Sam Jones

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15 Hours 26 Mins Ago

‘Be Up For The Fight’ – Martin Ahead Of Oxford City

Russell Martin outlined the key characteristics we need to show during Friday’s Emirates FA Cup tie at Oxford City.

Sam Jones

2026-11-06T07:15+00:00

‘Be Up For The Fight’ – Martin Ahead Of Oxford City

Russell Martin outlined the key characteristics we need to show during Friday’s Emirates FA Cup tie at Oxford City.

Sam Jones

2026-11-06T07:15+00:00

‘Be Up For The Fight’ – Martin Ahead Of Oxford City

Russell Martin outlined the key characteristics we need to show during Friday’s Emirates FA Cup tie at Oxford City.

Sam Jones

2026-11-06T07:15+00:00

‘Be Up For The Fight’ – Martin Ahead Of Oxford City

Russell Martin outlined the key characteristics we need to show during Friday’s Emirates FA Cup tie at Oxford City.

Sam Jones

2026-11-06T07:15+00:00

The first round clash sees the Enterprise National League North outfit host Leicester City, with 63 places and three divisions currently separating the sides.

Martin’s Foxes head to Oxfordshire for the 7:45pm GMT kick-off fully aware of what will await them at MGroup Stadium, he says, with the 3,500-capacity ground likely to create a unique atmosphere.

Addressing the media in his pre-match press conference at LCFC Training Ground, our Manager also acknowledged the hosts' current standing, going well in the sixth tier so far this term, currently sitting second in the table and eyeing promotion to the National League.

“I’ve been really impressed with what we’ve seen of Oxford City,” Martin told reporters in Seagrave. “I’ve spoken to a few managers at that level and they have been really complimentary of what they’ve done and what they’ve built down there.

“They’ve been doing really well so it’s not going to be easy, it never is. We have to make sure we turn it into the game that we want.

“We have to be prepared for a real cup tie atmosphere under the lights on a different pitch. When you’re a lower league opposition in this cup, it’s a no-lose situation. You can approach it with a real level of courage, pride, intensity, which is maybe different to a lot of games.

“We have to be really prepared for a fast start to the game, be prepared for a tight, tough crowd and it’s going to be a different challenge to what a lot of the boys have faced. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they step up and rise to that challenge.”

The pitch at Oxford City has been another consideration this week, with the Foxes training on one of the artificial surfaces in Seagrave on Thursday, as Martin assured everyone is treating this match with the same level of respect and detail as any other, despite the gap between the teams.

“We used the outdoor one,” the 40-year-old explained. “We have to prepare as best we can. We’ve trained on it to get the guys used to it as much as possible. It can’t be an excuse. One team is used to it more than the other.

“There’s a lot of Academy players here who will have played on it a lot coming from playing Academy games. There’s no other option but to be ready and we are as well prepared as possible for that.

“It’s the most important game so far. And then, after tomorrow night, Tuesday will be the most important game. There’s not one game we have approached any differently so far this season.

“We’ve prepared, we’ve watched the opposition. The players are prepared, we’ve worked on us, we’ve worked on making sure we’re aware of what they can bring and now the guys have to deliver the game plan on the pitch and make sure we’re really up for the fight.”

Sharing his FA Cup memories, having grown up being involved in the competition as a young supporter, a player and now a manager, some are experiences he can now pass on to his players and use to their advantage. Knowing the neutral will be hoping for an upset, Martin believes his side will be equipped for the unique nature of this game.

“I loved it as a kid in Brighton,” he recalled. “My first memory is that we had the 1983 FA Cup Final on VHS. I wasn’t even born for it, but I used to watch that on video a lot.

“My parents were at that game. It was a missed opportunity for Brighton to win the FA Cup. As a player and a fan beyond that, there’s a lot. You always used to look forward to the FA Cup Final, watching it at the end of the season.

“As a player, I’ve got a mixed record in it. I’ve been in a lower league team as the underdog and gone to a Premier League team and loved it. I’ve also been in a Premier League team that got beat by a Conference team at Norwich.

“I hope I can understand both sides of it and hopefully we can utilise that, but we’ve been put on a Friday night on TV for one reason - because everyone wants to see an upset and that’s what’s the FA Cup is about.

“The FA Cup is an opportunity for the underdog to have a brilliant day and to really have something to remember for so long. We have to avoid that. We have to really rise to the challenge, which is a different one and keep showing how much we’re growing as a team. It’s one I’m really looking forward to.”

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