JAMES Henry admitted he gave Oxford United boss Karl Robinson a nudge over a new contract after extending the best goalscoring run of his career.

The midfielder’s highest tally for an entire campaign is 11, but his double in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Peterborough took him to ten al- ready.

An impressive seven goals have come in his last eight games and although he still has 18 months left on the contract he signed in 2017, Henry made a tongue-in-cheek request as he walked off the pitch at London Road.

He said: “We’ll see what happens. I just gave him a little push.

“It’s just a bit of banter and I was just testing the waters I guess.

“I think everyone has a good relationship with him and the boys have a great camaraderie.

“I’ll just keep going and hopefully chip in with a few assists as well to see where we end up.”

Henry’s form is bound to catch the eye, particularly as it comes just before the start of the January transfer window.

Robinson joked it was too late for the 29-year-old to attract interest.

But the U’s boss acknowledged just how important Henry had been – netting more than 30 per cent of the side’s league goals since he took over in March.

“He’s too old for a move,” Robinson teased.

“But to get ten goals before the turn of the year as a central midfield player is top drawer.

“Since I’ve been here when we were fighting to stay up last year he scored some key goals.

“He’s worth his weight in gold.”

The hot streak in front of goal has come after a switch in formation which has seen Henry move from a wide role into a three-man midfield.

Robinson said: “I was worried about moving a winger/No 10 into a midfield zone.

“But he said when he played for Bolton that was his position.

“The penny dropped, I watched a few games and he impressed me.

“We’ve not looked back since. Sometimes you fall on things and we’ve certainly done that with him.”