A footballer threw away his chance to play for a League One football club – because he refused to do a running test.

The deal collapsed at the last hurdle because the player refused to play ball in completing a fitness test as part of the club’s medical assessment for new players.

Oxford United’s club manager was calling the shots when he pulled out of signing the candidate and ended all discussions immediately.

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Karl Robinson said: “I am not going to apologise to ask a player to do a run – maybe some players can’t do it.

“There are some people you might think are great players but don’t have the running capacity. They mask it in some way.

“We can’t hide from that any more. We have got to be one of the fittest teams in the league.

“To achieve success you have to run further, faster and be prepared to put yourself through a wall.”