ELLIOTT Moore believes Oxford United deserve to be playing in the second tier of English football.

The U’s skipper pointed to the city of Oxford, and the club’s plans for a new stadium as examples of how he reckons United are in a position to be a Sky Bet Championship team.

They will get the chance to achieve just that this afternoon, when they take on Bolton Wanderers at Wembley in the League One play-off final.

READ ALSO: Meet the fans going to Wembley from all the corners of the globe

Moore said: “It’s massive, and the lads know that. I know what it’ll mean to not just us as individuals, but to everyone surrounding Oxford and associated with the club.

“It’s somewhere that the club deserves to be, and hopefully we can be the squad that gets them there.

“It’s going to be massive for the gaffer. He’s settled in very well, and leading into this week especially, it’s just been head down and focus on getting the work done that needs to be done.”

Moore was in the U’s team in 2020, when Karl Robinson’s side lost to Wycombe Wanderers in a League One play-off final played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“That 2020 season was my first season, and we’ve always been pushing for the Championship, bar last season. That was a one-off,” said Moore.

“This club deserves to be in the Championship, not just from the playing point, but you see the changes going around the city and the community, and obviously with the new stadium hopefully taking shape, this club is destined for the Championship, and we need to make sure we get there.”

He added: “I’ve played in a final before, but unfortunately that was without fans, so compared to what the atmosphere will be like, this will be the biggest game of my career.

“It’s going to be brilliant. Both sets of fans have shown in numbers, and us as players know what the atmosphere will be like.

“The fans will get behind us as much as they can, and I think they’ll play a massive part in helping us.”

United were beaten 5-0 by Bolton back in March, but used the result as a turning point, losing just once in 10 games since.

Moore said: “I think it was a lot bigger than what people think. Inside from a players’ point of view, we looked back at that, and we analysed that performance, and we knew that things had to change there and then, to stand any chance of getting into the position we are now.

“We did that, and credit to the players and staff that made those changes. We go into this game knowing what they did to us, and that we want to put things right, and make sure we get a result.

“We know what they’re capable of, they’ve shown that, and that’s why they’re in the position they’re in.

“We’ve hopefully shown what we’re capable of as well, and it’s why we’re here playing against them in a play-off final.”