Oxford United will be desperate to remain in the promotion mix from now until the end of the season despite facing a challenging task in doing so.

Facing MK Dons, Sunderland and Rotherham United between now and the end of 2021/22, it will be a tall order for them to secure their place in the top six and this isn't even taking into account the strength of multiple teams in the promotion mix.

With recently-relegated Wycombe Wanderers and a strengthened Ipswich Town breathing down their neck, with the latter bringing in 19 players during last summer's transfer window, they should even be looking behind them as opposed to those above them.

Nonetheless, many of those involved in this season's squad will be remembered fondly if they can achieve promotion to the second tier, including James Henry who will be remembered by supporters for many years to come regardless after his long years of service at the Kassam Stadium.

There are those that will easily be forgotten about though, including the following eight players who made a very limited number of appearances for the U's.

The most widely-known player in this list is Martinez, who endured several loan spells away from Arsenal during his time at the Emirates Stadium, the first of which was at Oxford when he joined on an emergency basis.

This was back in May 2012 when he was a barely-known figure in the English capital, arriving at the then-League Two side for the final game of the season against Port Vale.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a successful one for the Argentinian who played in a 3-0 loss - and his temporary deal wasn't renewed for next season so that was his only appearance for the U's before going on to become a lot more successful.

Arriving back in September 2019, Zamouri is perhaps one of the strangest signings made by the club in recent memory, only putting pen to paper on a short-term contract and failing to make any sort of impact.

In fact, his only appearance at the club came in the EFL Trophy, managing to record an assist in a 4-1 victory away at Crawley Town but being replaced just after the hour mark.

He didn't renew his deal at the club and instead chose to play his trade with Croatian outfit Inter Zapresic, moving on to the Dutch second tier since then.

Considering his success at Blackpool, it's often easy to forget that Gnanduillet had an unsuccessful time at the Kassam, making just four appearances during his loan spell away from Chesterfield.

Joining in March 2015 until the end of the campaign, he made just four substitute appearances in the fourth tier and actually picked up more yellow cards than he scored goals, not managing to get himself on the scoresheet during his time at the club.

This was partly due to the fact he was recalled early by his then-parent club though, spending less than a month at Oxford before linking back up with Paul Cook.

He now plies his trade with French third-tier outfit Le Mans following a spell at Scottish side Hearts.

Doudou is a player who endured a reasonably strange career, previously looking promising as he spent his earlier playing days at Monaco before linking up with Queens Park Rangers and being a semi-regular figure at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

He then signed for non-league outfit Farnborough Town before returning to professional football with Oxford, but played just one half of football for the latter in a match against Bury before never appearing for the club again.

Considering he was plying his trade in non-league football before, this was seemingly a gamble that just didn't work out.

Midfielder Rasulo looked set for a reasonably successful career, appearing for England at a youth international level and even getting himself on the scoresheet for his country.

This didn't exactly translate into domestic success though, failing to make a full breakthrough at MK Dons and being sent out on several loan spells.

One of his loan sides was the U's, arriving in 2015 but only making a very brief cameo before not playing for the club again. That match was against Plymouth Argyle, with Gnanduillet also coming on in that tie.

The 25-year-old is currently playing for Banbury United, who have just won the Southern League Premier Central.

Like Doudou, Smith was another non-league punt as he joined from Lewes back in February 2019, holding an impressive record in East Sussex and impressing on trial, earning himself a short-term contract.

But despite appearing multiple times at an international level for Bermuda like fellow countryman and Bristol City forward Nahki Wells, he was unable to make a meaningful contribution in the EFL.

At the Kassam Stadium, he appeared in a very short cameo against Blackpool but spent the rest of his time at the club either as an unused substitute or out of the squad entirely.

Fitzgerald thrived in the second tier during the 2003/04 season with Watford under the stewardship of Ray Lewington, scoring 10 goals in 44 league appearances.

Unfortunately, that was where his career peaked, although Oxford looked to revive his career during the 2005/06 campaign on a loan spell from Brentford.

His temporary stay at the current third-tier side was anything but a success though, scoring once as he made just three league appearances before returning to Griffin Park.

Like Gnanduillet, Vassell enjoyed a successful time at Blackpool but endured a less fruitful spell at Oxford.

Plying his trade for a whole range of EFL clubs, one of his least eventful spells was at the Kassam, scoring once in six league appearances before returning to then-parent club Peterborough United.

Spending the entirety of his professional career in England up until January this year, he then moved to the United States to compete with San Diego Loyal, though it remains to be seen whether he will ply his trade there for the long term at 29.

You feel he still has plenty of seasons left in the tank, so a return to England could be on the cards at some stage.