At the second time of asking we get to play Swindon today in a game which should have seen a capacity crowd and an unbelievable atmosphere at the Kassam Stadium.

It’s a game we have been looking forward to ever since the fixture list was first published and if I’m honest we probably all thought there would be supporters at the games again by now.

Instead you will all have to watch on iFollow and we have to try to make sure there are people punching the air and celebrating a victory across the county, rather than just one small area of Oxfordshire.

Simon Eastwood: Derby day is different to anything else

People keep saying to me ‘just make sure the players know what it means to us’.

I can promise you they are all very aware of the importance of the derby game.

Local lads like Josh Ruffels, Sam Long, Jordan Obita and Matty Taylor understand the rivalry and Simon Eastwood and Rob Hall have played in matches against Swindon before.

One thing’s for sure: we will be prepared and ready by three o’clock today.

Ultimately there are still only three points available and we have to focus on that after a hugely positive week.

After winning away at Wigan last Saturday, we then went to Portsmouth and came away with a draw.

I think I wrote on this page last week that one win and one good performance would give everyone a lift and I want to take this opportunity to praise the mental resilience and the strength of character that runs throughout this squad and the staff.

I am very proud to work with all of them and hopefully we can use the last two games as a starting point and now start to put together a run of results on a much more consistent basis.

We are going to miss the fans so much this afternoon, of course we are, but all we can do is try to find that extra little bit of motivation from within.

Swindon will be saying the same and it’s not going to be easy today, but I refer you to what I said at the start of this column; we will be ready.

I was so sad to hear of the death of Diego Maradona earlier this week.

There were some fantastic players who I idolised when I was growing up, but there was only one Maradona; the best player in the world and on a different level to everyone else.

People mention the skill and his ability to beat people but he was so strong and had such balance.

It was an absolute joy to see him glide past people – well maybe not the whole England defence that one time!

Few players have ever played with that freedom, while somehow making that work within a team system.

Clearly he had his troubles off the pitch.

I can’t help but think of George Best; different demons but a similar battle.

Like George, Maradona defined an era in football and I think it’s a sad week for everyone involved in the sport.