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Jim Smith

Oxford United could have a pre-season friendly against the Premier League's Houdini team, Fulham.

That was one the upshots of Jim Smith's special evening at 10 Downing Street, when he was inducted into the Show Racism The Red Card Hall of Fame.

Smith, United's director and former manager, mixed with a number of managers and celebrated footballers on the Prime Minister's lawn and it was during his discussions with Fulham boss Roy Hodgson that the Kassam Stadium friendly was firmed up.

Smith said: "Funnily enough, I'd just spoken with Roy earlier in the day, but neither of us mentioned that we were going to be at Downing Street later that evening!

"We chatted again when we were there and now hopefully we could have a pre-season friendly between Oxford United and Fulham, which would be a very good fixture for us."

Asked how likely it was, Smith replied: "It's a strong possibility."

United already have home pre-season games against Championship side QPR on July 19 and against League One Cheltenham on August 2, the Saturday before the new season starts on August 9.

Fulham produced one of the greatest escape acts in Premier League history by winning five of their last six games to stay up, their 1-0 victory at Portsmouth on Sunday sending both Reading and Birmingham City down.

Smith said it was a memorable occasion for him at 10 Downing Street, where he and others including Sol Campbell, Avram Grant, Tony Pulis, George Burley and David O'Leary got to meet PM Gordon Brown.

"It was very nice," he said. "A lot of players were presented with their memberships of the society and then there were quite a few of us who joined the Hall of Fame. Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, did that ceremony.

"Then Gordon Brown came down and gave a speech and had his photo opportunity.

"I had a chance to speak to him and told him that now he knew how it felt to be a football manager!"

"Speaking to people like Robbie Earle and Sol Campbell, it is apparent that football has made massive strides in fighting racism, but it is an ongoing thing and evenings like this are all about getting the message across that we still need to keep working to give racism the red card."

The Bald Eagle added: "I thought, with the weather and being in the garden, it might have meant not seeing the house, but they gave us a full tour of Downing Street inside, and we were able to look at all the separate state rooms, which was very interesting.

"It was a lovely evening, and very well organised."

11:26pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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