KARL Robinson had no doubts Rob Dickie would thrive in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Queens Park Rangers centre back could face his former club when Oxford United visit Loftus Road in the Carabao Cup second round tonight.

Next Wednesday marks a year since Dickie left the U’s for west London for an undisclosed fee, and the last 12 months have been filled with personal success.

After winning the supporters’ player of the year award at United in 2019/20, the 25-year-old scooped the same prize at QPR last term – as well as players’ player and goal of the season for his screamer at Middlesbrough in April.

Dickie picked up where he left off and is his club’s top-scorer in the current campaign, scoring three times.

It is as many goals as he managed in two-and-a-half years at United, but otherwise none of his progress has come as a shock to Robinson.

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The U’s head coach said: “I’ve seen players from this level step up before and I had true confidence that he could probably go again.

“That’s why when we were negotiating one of the sticking points was the percentage of the sell-on clause, because we believe the kid has got that potential.

“I’ve got friends of mine who watch him week-in, week-out and they always tell me he’s been outstanding.

“People will always talk about flaws, but we all have flaws unless you’re Virgil Van Dijk at the top level.

“He’s going to have deficiencies, but he manages to get around that.

“He’s an incredible centre back and his future looks extremely bright.

“As a person, he deserves it.”

Dickie joined United from Reading in January 2018, two months before Robinson arrived.

Nobody played more times under the U’s head coach than his 108 games between that March and the end of last season.

Dickie’s final three United matches were behind closed doors, in last July’s play-off campaign.

Robinson said: “It’ll be great to see him, he knows what we think of him.

“I’m sure our fans would like to see him again and he’d like to say thank you as well.

“He’s an amazing young man and he’s done extremely well.

“Let’s hope that goalscoring streak of his doesn’t continue.”

Striker Matty Taylor added: “He’s flying and he’s finally found his goalscoring touch.

“He’s not got too many weaknesses, he’s a good player and a lovely lad.”