Mickey Lewis and Alasdair Lane are no longer part of Oxford United’s coaching staff, the Oxford Mail understands.

Speculation has intensified among fans over the past few days and yesterday the club declined to comment.

It is thought an official announcement has been delayed until legal issues surrounding the pair’s departure have been ironed out.

Neither Lewis, United’s firstteam coach, or Lane, the club’s head of sports science, was available for comment yesterday.

If it all goes through, the double departure would represent a significant change to head coach Michael Appleton’s backroom set-up, less than five weeks before the start of the Sky Bet League Two campaign.

Lane arrived from Rotherham United in 2012, helping to address their injury problems.

Lewis’s association with the club began when he joined as a player in 1988, going on to make more than 350 appearances.

The 50-year-old started coaching in 1996, holding a variety of roles, including caretaker manager in 1999.

He left the following year, but returned to become youth team coach in 2007.

Lewis went on to serve as assistant to Darren Patterson – and he remained in the first-team set-up under four United bosses.

He had a second stint in caretaker charge after Chris Wilder left in January 2014, before serving under Gary Waddock and Appleton.

It is unclear what would happen to fill the gap, but one option is youth team coach Chris Allen.

The former U’s winger has brought through the club’s young talent. That contingent increased yesterday, with the announcement that Freddie Grant, AJ George and Robbie Cundy have signed their first professional contracts at the club.

SUCCESSIVE clean sheets from Oxford United’s Max Crocombe have kept New Zealand Under 23s on course for Olympic qualification.

The keeper played in victories over the Solomon Islands (2-0) and hosts Papua New Guinea (1-0) as the Kiwis reached the semi-finals of the Pacific Games.

The winners of the final on Sunday will earn a place at Rio de Janeiro next year