 | ||||
| Full name | Oxford United Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames |
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| Founded | 27 October 1893; 132 years ago (1893-10-27) (as Headington F.C.)[1] | |||
| Ground | Kassam Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 12,573 | |||
| Owner | Erick Thohir[2] | |||
| Chairman | Grant Ferguson | |||
| Head coach | Matt Bloomfield | |||
| League | EFL Championship | |||
| 2024–25 | EFL Championship, 17th of 24 | |||
| Website | oufc.co.uk | |||
 Current season | ||||
Oxford United Football Club (/ˈɒksfərd/) is a professionalfootball club based inOxford, England. The club compete in theEFL Championship, the second tier ofEnglish football. Founded as Headington Football Club in 1893, the club adopted its current name in 1960. Nicknamed The U's, it has played its home games at theKassam Stadium, replacing its former home ofManor Ground in 2001.
The club joined theFootball League in 1962 after winning theSouthern Football League, reaching theSecond Division in 1968.[3] After relegation in 1976, between 1984 and 1986 the club earned successive promotions into theFirst Division, and won theLeague Cup in1986.[4] However, Oxford were unable thereby to enter the1987UEFA Cup because of the UEFA ban on English clubs in European competitions.[5] Relegation from the top flight in 1988 began an 18-year decline which saw the club relegated to theConference in 2006, becoming the first winners of a major trophy to be relegated from the Football League. After four seasons, Oxford returned to League Two in 2010 via the play-offs, and six seasons later achieved promotion toLeague One, after finishing second in League Two in 2016. In 2024 they were promoted to theEFL Championship via theplay-offs.[6]
Some of the club's notable players, such asRon Atkinson who holds the record for the most overall appearances (560);John Shuker who holds the record for the most appearances in the Football League (478);[7] and Ron's late brotherGraham Atkinson holds the record for the most goals scored (107).[8] In total, nineteen players have made international appearances while playing for the club.[9]
The team's traditional kit colours are yellow shirts, along with navy coloured shorts and socks.[10] Their crest showcases anox, symbolizing both the name and historical background of the city, which was initially established as a market town for cattle located adjacent to a ford on theRiver Isis.[11] Oxford have a long-standing and fierce rivalry withSwindon Town, with whom they contest theA420 derby.[12]
Oxford United was founded on 27 October 1893 as Headington Football Club at the Britannia Inn,Headington in a meeting called by a local doctor, Robert Hitchings, as a way for the cricketers of Headington Cricket Club to maintain their fitness during the winter break. The fellow founder was the Revd John Scott-Tucker, vicar atSt. Andrew's Church, who was appointed first president of the club.[1] The suffix United was added in 1911 after merging with Headington Quarry.[13] The club's first football match played was against Cowley Barracks. Headington had no regular home until 1913, when they were able to purchase Wootten's Field on London Road, but this was redeveloped in 1920, forcing the club to move.[13] A permanent home was found in 1925, when they purchased theManor Ground site on London Road.[13] The facility was used as a cricket pitch in the summer, and a football pitch in the winter. In 1899, six years after their formation, Headington United joined the Oxfordshire District League Second Division, where they competed until the outbreak of theFirst World War; the Second Division was renamed the Oxfordshire Junior League after the resumption of football in 1919. In 1921, the club was admitted into theOxon Senior League.[5] The first season included a 9–0 victory, with eight of those goals coming from P. Drewitt. This remains a record for the highest number of goals scored by an Oxford player in a first-team match.[8] At this time a small rivalry existed with Cowley F.C., who were based a few miles south of Headington. During a league game onMay Day, the referee gave two penalties to Cowley; supporters broke past security and players, resulting in the referee being "freely baited".[6] The firstFA Cup tie played was in 1931, againstHounslow F.C. in the Preliminary Round, ending in an 8–2 defeat for Headington.[9] United spent two seasons in theSpartan League in 1947 and 1948, finishing fifth and fourth respectively. It was around this time that the cricket team left the Manor and moved to new premises nearCowley Barracks.
A move into professional football was first considered during the 1948–49 season. Vic Couling, the president at the time, had applied for Headington to become a member of a new Second Division in theSouthern League.[14] Other teams that applied includedWeymouth,Kettering Town and future league sideCambridge United. Although the plans were postponed, the First Division was going to be expanded by two clubs; Weymouth and Headington were elected. It was later discovered thatLlanelli had just one vote fewer than Headington.[14] Oxford's first season in the Southern League was in 1949, the same year they turned professional.[1] FormerFirst Division forwardHarry Thompson was hired as manager. In 1950, Headington United became the first professional club in Britain to install floodlights,[15] and used them on 18 December againstBanbury Spencer.[16] They initially played in orange and blue shirts, but changed to yellow home shirts for the 1957–58 season.[17] The reason for the change is unknown.
In 1960, Headington United was renamed Oxford United, to give the club a higher profile.[1] Two years later, in 1962, the club won theSouthern League title for the second successive season and was elected to theFootball League Fourth Division,[3] occupying the vacant place left by bankruptAccrington Stanley. Two successive eighteenth-place finishes followed,[18][19] before promotion to theThird Division was achieved in1965.[20] A year before the promotion, Oxford became the first Fourth Division club to reach the sixth round of theFA Cup,[21][22] but have not progressed that far in the competition since. Oxford won the Third Division title in1967–68,[23] their sixth season as a league club, but after eight years of relative stability the club was relegated from theSecond Division in1975–76.[24]
In 1982, as a Third Division side, Oxford United faced closure because of the club's inability to service the debts owed toBarclays Bank,[25] but were rescued when businessmanRobert Maxwell took over the club.[1] In April 1983, Maxwell proposed merging United with neighboursReading, to form a new club called theThames Valley Royals,[26] to play atDidcot.Jim Smith would have managed the club and been assisted by Reading bossMaurice Evans. The merger was called off as a result of fans of both clubs protesting against the decision. Furthermore, the Reading chairman stepped down and was replaced by an opponent of the merger.[27] Maxwell also threatened to fold the club if the merger did not go through.[28] Oxford won the Third Division title after the1983–84 season under the management of Jim Smith,[29] who also guided them to the Second Division titlethe following year.[30] This meant that Oxford United would be playingFirst Division football in the 1985–86 season, 23 years after joining the Football League. Smith moved toQueens Park Rangers shortly after the promotion success,[31] and made way for chief scout Maurice Evans, who, several seasons earlier, had won the Fourth Division title with Reading.[29]
Oxford United finished eighteenth in the1985–86 First Division, avoiding relegation on the last day of the season after defeatingArsenal 3–0.[32] They also won theFootball League Cup, known at the time as the Milk Cup under a sponsorship deal. As winners, Oxford would have qualified for the following season'sUEFA Cup, had it not been for the ban on English teams that had resulted from the previous year'sHeysel Stadium disaster.[33] After beating fellowFirst Division sideAston Villa in the semi-final 4–3 on aggregate,[34] Oxford facedQueens Park Rangers in thefinal, which was held atWembley Stadium on 20 April 1986. The game finished 3–0 with goals fromTrevor Hebberd,Ray Houghton andJeremy Charles. After the match long-serving physiotherapist, 72-year-old Ken Fish, collected one of the winner's medals, instead of managerMaurice Evans. Evans felt that Fish deserved the medal for his service to the club, and so gave him his, in what was seen as an "unprecedented gesture".[35] It was the last time the League Cup was played under the name "Milk Cup", sponsorsLittlewoods taking over the following season.[36]John Aldridge scored 23 goals across the season, while their survival was helped by the arrival of veteranSteve Perryman fromTottenham.
The1986–87 season saw Oxford United narrowly avoid relegation and stay in the First Division. Perryman left to become player-manager ofBrentford, while Aldridge scored 15 times in 25 league games but was sold toLiverpool mid-season for £750,000 whileDean Saunders joined fromBrighton for £60,000 andMartin Foyle was signed fromAldershot for £140,000. Robert Maxwell resigned as chairman in May 1987, to take over atDerby County, handing the club to his sonKevin.[37] The cup-winning team continued to break up however, as captainMalcolm Shotton was sold toPortsmouth,Kevin Brock joined former manager Jim Smith at QPR andWelsh international Charles was forced to retire due to injury. Oxford started the season respectably and spent much of the early stages around the fringes of the top 10, though Houghton would follow Aldridge to Liverpool for £825,000. However, after November the team would fail to win another game, and Maurice Evans was sacked in March 1988 with Oxford bottom of the First Division. FormerLiverpool defenderMark Lawrenson was named as Oxford's new manager, but was unable to prevent relegation to theSecond Division. He was sacked three months into the1988–89 Second Division campaign after a dispute with the chairman over the £1 million sale of strikerDean Saunders to Derby County;[38] Derby were owned by Robert Maxwell, father of the then Oxford United chairman, Kevin Maxwell. Following Robert Maxwell's death in 1991, his personal estate, including the club, became insolvent.[39] After a long search for a new owner, during which BioMass Recycling Ltd took over the club,Brian Horton was named as Oxford's new manager. He remained in charge until September 1993, when he moved toManchester City in the recently formedFA Premier League. Horton led United to mid-table finishes during his management spell, apart from a 21st-place finish at the end of the1991–92 season. A 2–1 win overTranmere Rovers, and a win forBlackburn Rovers overPlymouth Argyle, meant United survived relegation by two points. Oxford, now in the renamedFootball League Division One, briefly restored Maurice Evans as manager, before turning toBristol City managerDenis Smith. Despite Smith's efforts, Oxford were relegated to Division Two at the end of the1993–94 season, with just four wins in the last eleven games.[40]
Denis Smith brought in two strikers who were experienced in the top division:Southampton'sPaul Moody andNottingham Forest'sNigel Jemson. Oxford finished seventh in1994–95 season,[41] and in the following season gained promotion by finishing runners-up to rivalsSwindon Town, despite not winning an away game till the end of January.Robin Herd, co-owner of theMarch Racing Team, took control of the club in 1995. In June of that year, the board of directors unveiled plans for a new 16,000-seat stadium at Minchery Farm, to replace the dilapidatedManor Ground.[41] The club had hoped to move into the new stadium near theBlackbird Leys housing estate by the start of the 1998–99 season, but construction was suspended during the preceding season, because construction companyTaylor Woodrow had not been paid for the work already undertaken.[42]
The1996–97 season saw Oxford finish seventeenth, and included the sale of Scottish international defenderMatt Elliott toLeicester City. Despite Smith's departure toWest Bromwich Albion in December 1997, United finished twelfth the following season under his successor, and former captain,Malcolm Shotton. Shotton was previously the assistant manager of theBarnsley side that gained promotion to the Premier League. During October 1998, the backroom staff at the club went unpaid, due to United's financial situation with the new stadium, and the threat of administration caused a group of fans to set up apressure group called Fighting for Oxford United's Life (FOUL).[43] The group began to publicise the club's plight through a series of meetings and events, including a 'Scarf of Unity', which was a collection of scarves from various clubs which was long enough to stretch around the perimeter of the pitch.[43] Chairman Robin Herd stepped down to concentrate on his engineering projects, and in April 1999Firoz Kassam bought Herd's 89.9% controlling interest in Oxford United for £1, with which he also inherited the club's estimated £15 million debt.[44] Kassam reduced £9 million of the debt to just £900,000, by virtue of aCompany Voluntary Arrangement, by which unsecured creditors who were owed over £1,000 were reimbursed with 10p for every pound they were owed.[45] Secured creditors were paid off when Kassam sold the Manor to another of his companies, for £6 million. Kassam set about completing the unfinished stadium, gaining planning permission for a bowling alley, multiplex cinema and hotel next to the stadium, following a series of legal battles which were eventually all settled.[46] The season ended with relegation back to the Second Division.
Oxford's poor form continued into the1999–2000 season and, with the team in the relegation zone, Shotton resigned in late October. After a few months withMickey Lewis as player-manager, former managerDenis Smith returned to the club, managing a twentieth-place finish, one place clear of relegation.[47] Smith's second spell didn't last long, and he was replaced byDavid Kemp a few weeks into the following campaign. At the end of the2000–01 season, Oxford were relegated back to the Third Division for the first time in 35 years, with 100 goals conceded.[48] They suffered 33 league defeats, the second-highest number of league defeats ever endured by a league club in a single season.[49]
Oxford began the next season with a new manager and a new stadium, with the relocation to theKassam Stadium completed after six years of speculation. FormerLiverpool andEngland defenderMark Wright was given the manager's job, but resigned in late November, after being accused of making racist remarks to refereeJoe Ross.[50] Wright's successor,Ian Atkins, was unable to make an immediate impact and Oxford finished in 21st position in the league, at the time their lowest-ever league position.[51] United missed out on the play-off places in the following season by one place and one point.[52] Fifteen wins at the start of the 2003–04 season saw Oxford top of the table at the end of January.[53] However, Ian Atkins was sacked in March 2004 after allegedly agreeing to take charge at rivalsBristol Rovers.[citation needed]
Atkins's replacement,Graham Rix, could only manage a ninth-place finish at the end of the season, and was sacked the following November. Oxford replaced him withArgentineRamón Díaz, who managed the team to a mid-table finish. Diaz and his team of assistants left the club at the beginning of May 2005, after being banned from the ground by the chairman following failed negotiations.[54] During his time at the club, Diaz brought in a number of South American players including his own sons, andJuan Pablo Raponi.[55]Ex-England midfielder and formerWest Bromwich Albion managerBrian Talbot signed a two-year contract to replace Rix. Talbot found little success and was sacked in March 2006, with the club in 22nd place.[56] He was replaced by youth team coachDarren Patterson.
On 21 March 2006, Firoz Kassam sold the club, including its debts, for approximately £2 million to Florida-based businessmanNick Merry, who had played for United's youth team in the mid-1970s.[57][58] Merry immediately made changes to the club, including the hiring of former managerJim Smith in his second spell. Despite signing five new players on his first day in charge, Smith was unable to prevent relegation at the end of the2005–06 season. After 44 years in English league football, Oxford were relegated to the Conference National after finishing in 23rd place,[59] becoming the first former winners of a major trophy to be relegated from the league. Coincidentally,Accrington Stanley, the club whose bankruptcy in 1962 allowed United to be elected into the League, was one of the two clubs promoted to replace them.[60]
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Jim Smith was retained as manager for the following season, and it started positively for Oxford, with 14 wins and 8 draws from the opening 25 games.[61] A run of eleven league games without a win followed, and saw United drop to second, where they remained until the end of the season. OnBoxing Day 2006, a crowd of 11,065 watched United draw 0–0 withWoking at theKassam Stadium, the largest-ever attendance for aConference match (excluding play-offs).[62] Oxford qualified for theplay-offs by finishing second,[63] but lost on penalties in the semi-final toExeter City.
On 9 November 2007, Jim Smith resigned as manager and first-team coachDarren Patterson returned as manager.[64] In a lacklustre season which included defeats toDroylsden andTonbridge Angels, camouflaged by a belated run of eight wins in the last eleven games,[65] Oxford finished ninth in the Conference National in2007–08, 10 points off the last play-off place.[66]
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On 2 October 2008,Nick Merry stepped down as chairman to be replaced by Kelvin Thomas,[67] who had been part of the management team at the time of Merry's takeover. Just under two months later, Patterson was sacked after a poor run of form, and was replaced by formerHalifax Town managerChris Wilder.[68] Following Wilder's arrival, the team won 15 of the remaining 21 league matchesthat season.[69] A 5-point deduction for fielding an unregistered player resulted in a seventh-place finish, four points and two places short of the play-offs.[70]
Oxford led the table for most of the first half of the2009–10 season, but dropped into theplay-off places after a poor run, finishing third. They beatRushden & Diamonds over two legs to advance to theplay-off final againstYork City on 16 May 2010.[71] Oxford won the final 3–1, to return to the Football League for the2010–11 season.[72] The attendance was 42,669,[73] a new record for the final, with around 33,000 being United fans.
Oxford's first game back in the Football League was away toBurton, which finished in a 0–0 draw;[74] their first League win was on 4 September againstMorecambe at the Kassam Stadium, withJames Constable scoring ahat-trick in a 4–0 victory.[75] They finishedthe season in 12th place.[76]
The team spent much of the2011–12 season in or around the playoff places, and achieved the double over rivals (and eventual champions)Swindon Town for the first time since the1973–74 season.[77][78][79] However, they failed to win any of their last seven matches and finished the season in ninth place, two places and four points outside the play-offs.[80]
Chairman Kelvin Thomas stepped down during the 2012 close season, to be replaced by ownerIan Lenagan.[81] The2012–13 season was blighted by injuries and patchy form: after opening the season with three wins and briefly heading the table, United lost their next six games, a pattern of inconsistency that was to continue throughout the season. United finished outside the play-offs for the third consecutive season, but manager Chris Wilder was given a further one-year contract in April 2013. Some Oxford fans were unhappy about the decision to renew Wilder's contract, having pressed for his sacking during the second half of the 2012–13 season.[82]
After another bright start, Oxford led the table several times in the first half of the2013–14 season. On 25 January 2014, with the club faltering though still in the play-off places, Wilder resigned as manager to take up the reins at relegation-threatened Northampton.Mickey Lewis subsequently became the caretaker manager for a second time for the club. On 22 March 2014,Gary Waddock was appointed the head coach of the club after a lengthy interview process, leaving his job as Head of Coaching at MK Dons.[83] Under Lewis and Waddock, Oxford slipped out of the play-off places in the final few weeks of the season, finishing a disappointing eighth in the table, nine points off the last playoff place.
In July 2014, Waddock's contract was terminated after a change of ownership and he was replaced byMichael Appleton.[84] Waddock's surprise sacking ensured he had the worst record of any Oxford manager, winning only once and losing seven times in his eight games in charge of the club. After an indifferentfirst season under Appleton, Oxford achieved promotion toLeague One in his second year in charge, finishing the2015–16 season in second place with 86 points.[85] They also reached thefinal of theLeague Trophy atWembley Stadium, only the club's third appearance at the national stadium, but were defeated 3–2 by their League One opponentsBarnsley.[86] In2016–17, having soldKemar Roofe during the close season for a record £3m[87] and signedMarvin Johnson for an undisclosed fee also thought to be a club record,[88] Oxford finished eighth in League One, four points short of the playoff places,[89] and again lost in thefinal of theLeague Trophy at Wembley, this time to relegation-boundCoventry City.[90]
In June 2017, Appleton left the club to become assistant manager atLeicester City of the Premier League,[91] and was replaced byPep Clotet, formerly assistant manager atLeeds United.[92] On 22 January 2018, Clotet was sacked,[93] with the club in tenth place in League One after a home defeat to bottom clubBury.[94]
In February 2018, the club was bought by Thai businessman Sumrith "Tiger" Thanakarnjanasuth, who replaced Darryl Eales as chairman; Thanakarnjanasuth had previously been part of the consortium that ownedReading F.C.[95]
After a lengthy period under caretaker-managerDerek Fazackerley during which the team slipped to within 4 points of the relegation zone,[96]Karl Robinson, former manager ofMilton Keynes Dons andCharlton Athletic, was appointed on 22 March 2018. Robinson had to wait five games for his first win, but his aim of retaining the club's League One status was achieved with three wins from the last five games of the season. The club finished in 16th place on 56 points, six points above the relegation zone.
A 12th-place finished was achievedthe following year, despite the club spending over half of the season in the relegation zone. An improved fourth-place finished followed in the shortened2019–20 season, which was affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic. When the season was suspended, Oxford were third in the table, but following an agreement from clubs to end the season early, the U's dropped one place to fourth after the final table was decided under anunweighted points per game system.[97] The play-offs continued as normal, where United facedPortsmouth in the semi-final. Following a 1–1 draw in the first leg, United won 5–4 on penalties when the second game ended 1–1 after extra time.[98] In the final behind closed doors at Wembley, Oxford lost 2–1 toWycombe Wanderers, Joe Jacobson's penalty proving decisive in the tie.[99]
Oxford made the play-offs againthe following season, losing 6–3 on aggregate toBlackpool, who went on to win the final. In the2021–22 season, United were the league's joint top scorers and finished in 8th place. During the season, the club's ownership changed hands again, with Indonesian businessmen and minority shareholdersErick Thohir andAnindya Bakrie taking control after a series of transactions.[100] Thanakarnjanasuth's investment with the club remained, but he was replaced as chairman by Grant Ferguson.[101]
Oxford were promoted to the Championship in the2023–24 season, after beatingBolton Wanderers 2–0 in theplay-off final, marking their return to the division after a 25-year absence.[102]
Oxford United crest depicts anox to symbolise the location.[103] It reflects the name and history of the city, as Oxford was originally a market town situated near to aford on theRiver Isis, which was used by cattle. The shape and design of the crest has changed numerous times since it was first produced. When playing as Headington and during the early years of Oxford United, the crest included a full ox crossing the ford, as well as the initials H.U.F.C. (pre-1962) or the name Oxford United (post name-change). In 1972, the crest became circular.
In 1979, zoologistDesmond Morris, who at the time was a club director, designed the current ox-head logo which was based on a Minoan-style bull's head.[104] The first iteration of this design showed just the ox's head on a yellow and black background.[17] The words 'Oxford United Football Club' were placed around the ox. For the next 17 years, the crest was simply the ox's head coloured blue, with various combinations of wording surrounding it. For example, in the1987–88 season, the wording25th Anniversary was placed under the crest.[105] In 1996, the crest had ashield shape and contained the ox's head over the ford, on a yellow background. This version was retained until the move to the Kassam Stadium in 2001, when club steward Rob Alderman designed a new version.[103] It has a similar design to the preceding crest, but the ox and ford were contained in a circle with a yellow background, with the remainder of the crest being coloured blue. This was used until 2016 when the club reverted to the ox head with no shield and no wording.[17] In 2018 the crest was redesigned again to mark the club's 125th anniversary. This saw the return of the shield around the ox head with the name of the club above it. This is the version which remains in use currently.[106]
In 2008, a bronze statue of an ox was unveiled outside of what would have been the west stand.[107] It was subsequentlyvandalised in January 2011, being covered in pink paint[108] and the club used the opportunity to raise money for abreast cancercharity.[109]
While playing as Headington United, orange and blue striped shirts were worn with navy shorts and socks. The design of the shirt changed regularly, with the stripes being changed every few seasons. After joining theSouthern League, the blue stripes were lost for good and a lighter shade of orange was used for the shirt.[110] The yellow kit was first worn during the1957–58 season, with black shorts and yellow socks. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the black shorts were first replaced with yellow ones, and then with royal blue shorts. Since the early 1990s, the strip has been composed of the yellow shirt and navy coloured shorts and socks.[17] A large variety of away kits has been used over the years, ranging from red and black stripes on the shirts, to a fully white kit. The first sponsor to appear on the shirt wasSunday Journal, a local newspaper, in 1982.[17] Between 1983 and 1985, there were three sponsors: BPCC,Pergamon and theSunday People. Following those wereWang Laboratories (1985 to 1989), Pergamon (1989 to 1991),Unipart (1991 to 2000), Domino (2000 to 2001) andBuildbase (from the move to the Kassam Stadium in 2001 to 2010).[17][111]
Following the return to theFootball League,Bridle Insurance became new shirt sponsors.[112] The Bridle deal ended after the conclusion of the 2012–13 season. The home sponsor for the 2013–14 season was announced as Animalates, with the away kit being sponsored by Isinglass Consulting for that same season after winning an innovative prize draw. That one-year deal with Isinglass was extended for the 2014–15 season, again featuring on the away kits only.[113] The home kit that season was sponsored by tyre company Black n Rounds.[114] In July 2015, Oxford United announced a three-season deal with investment management companyLiontrust Asset Management covering both home and away shirts.[115] For the 2018–19 and 2019–20 season, the principal shirt sponsor was Thai beer firmSingha.[116] TheTourism Authority of Thailand were announced as the new shirt sponsors, as part of a principle partnership agreement, in August 2020, using the brand name "Amazing Thailand".[117]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1973–1977 | Umbro | — |
| 1977–1980 | Admiral Sportswear | |
| 1980–1982 | Adidas | |
| 1982 | Sunday Journal | |
| 1982–1985 | Spall | BPCC |
| 1985–1989 | Umbro | Wang Computers |
| 1989–1990 | Scoreline | — |
| 1990–1991 | Pergamon Press | |
| 1991–1994 | Matchwinner | Unipart |
| 1994–1996 | Manor Leisure | |
| 1996–1998 | Own Brand | |
| 1998–2000 | New Balance | |
| 2000–2001 | Domino | |
| 2001–2006 | TFG Sports | Buildbase |
| 2006–2009 | Carlotti | |
| 2009–2010 | Nike | |
| 2010–2013 | Bridle Insurance | |
| 2013–2014 | Animalates | |
| 2014–2015 | Avec | Black 'n' Rounds |
| 2015–2016 | — | Liontrust |
| 2016–2018 | Starter | |
| 2018–2020 | Puma | Singha |
| 2020–2021 | Visit Thailand | |
| 2021–2022 | EB Charging | |
| 2022–2024 | Macron | Bangkok Glass |
| 2024– | Baxi |
Oxford United had no regular home until 1913, switching between the Quarry Recreation Ground, Wootten's Field (now Stephen Road), Sandy Lane (now Osler Road) and the Britannia Field (now the top end of Lime Walk), all in Headington.[118] In 1913 they were able to purchase Wootten's Field on London Road, however, this was redeveloped in 1920 before a stadium could be built. Having purchased the Sandy Lane site, the club developed and played at theManor Ground between 1925 and 2001. The ground was originally shared with Headington Cricket Club until 1949, when they moved to Cowley Barracks.[119] The capacity at closure was 9,500, but hosted United's record crowd of 22,750 againstPreston North End in an FA Cup sixth-round match on 29 February 1964.[1] The four stands were named after the roads they were positioned on: The North, East, South and West stands were called Cuckoo Lane, Osler Road, London Road and Beech Road respectively.
In the 1990s, theTaylor Report was published calling for the improvement of football stadiums. The Manor Ground's terracing was becoming redundant and redeveloping the ground was too costly, so the club decided to move to a purpose-built all-seater stadium on the outskirts of the city, costing in the region of £15 million.[120] Construction work began in the early part of 1997, but was suspended later that year due to the club's financial problems.[42] Construction of the new stadium resumed in 1999 following a takeover deal and the last league match at the Manor on 1 May 2001 saw a 1–1 draw withPort Vale. The site was sold for £12 million and the stadium was later demolished. The land is now occupied by a private hospital.[121]
Since 2001, Oxford United have played at theKassam Stadium.[122] The all-seater stadium has a capacity of 12,500 and has only three stands instead of the usual four; when first planned in 1995 it was originally going to have a 16,000-seat capacity, but by the time the stadium opened Oxford were playing in a lower division, so the smaller capacity was deemed adequate. Construction of the fourth stand is not expected to take place, with the club focussing its plans on building a new stadium instead, although it did seem like a possibly at one stage, with foundations having already been put in place.[123] The record attendance is 12,243, which was achieved in the final game of the 2005–06 season, when a defeat againstLeyton Orient condemned them to relegation from theFootball League. The average attendance in theprevious season was 7,415, which was the second highest inLeague Two and the thirty-fourth highest in the whole Football League.[124] The average attendance was highest in theConference in two out of the four years the team spent in the division, with the average in the other two years placing second, behindExeter City andCambridge United respectively.[125] The stadium has also hostedrugby union matches, a woman's international football match (England v Sweden), an Under-17 international football tournament and music concerts.[126]
In 2021,[127] the club approached Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and requested that it transferc. 18 hectares (44.48 acres) of land for the development of a new 18,000-capacity football stadium with ancillary leisure and commercial facilities to include, hotel, retail, conference, and training/community grounds onOxford Green Belt land at Stratfield Brake nearKidlington.[128] On 18 January 2022, OCC recommended an engagement exercise be carried out first to gather feedback from the local community.[129] The survey was heavily publicised by Oxvox with respondents completing the survey from areas such as Orkney Islands.[130] Among local residents, 38 per cent were in favour, while 58 per cent were against.[131]
In January 2023, the County Council Cabinet agreed to enter into negotiations on plans to build the stadium at a different site in Kidlington known as the Triangle, between Frieze Way and Oxford Road south of Kidlington roundabout and east of the original Stratfield Brake site. OCC's cabinet consented to lease the proposed site to the club and, in February 2024, Oxford United unveiled plans to build a new 'all-electric',16,000-seat stadium on the site, with proposed pedestrian access fromOxford Parkway railway station,[132] to open in 2026.[133] The club's architect, AFL, submitted its full planning application for the scheme on 1 March 2024,[134] with the new ground likely to cost up to £150 million.[135] In June 2024, a decision on the application was postponed to early 2025 to allow further work on the proposals to "provide further clarity" for the planning committee. As a result, the club may need to find a temporary home after their lease at the Kassam expires.[136] In May 2025, a short-term extension was agreed between the club and Firoka Group to allow them to play at the stadium up to 2028, conditional on planning permission for the proposed new stadium being granted (Cherwell District Council will not make a decision on the plans until June 2025 at the earliest).[137][138] In July 2025, questions were raised about the Triangle location after a nearby area was initially designated as ancient woodland.[139] On 6 August 2025, following an appeal toNatural England which found that the woodland in question could not be properly deemed "ancient" as it was not found on contemporary maps, Cherwell District Council recommended that the site be approved,[140] and planning permission was granted on 14 August 2025.[141]
Oxford have a number of independent supporters' clubs and groups such as OxVox (the Oxford United Supporters' Trust) with a current membership of over 400, and the Oxford United Exiles.[142][143] OxVox was formed in 2002, to replace the disbanded FOUL group, which broke up after the immediate future of the club was secured.[144] It was the fiftieth supporters trust created under theSupporters' trust banner. The club itself also runs a Juniors club, aimed at younger fans and offering a number of bonuses to the club's members such as birthday cards and a free T-shirt.[145] The official matchday programme for home games costs £4 and was voted best Conference Premier Programme of the Year for the 2007–08 season.[146] A number of songs are sung during home games, such as "Yellow Submarine" (with adapted lyrics) and songs relating to the old Manor Ground.
The club have a number of celebrity supporters, includingTimmy Mallett,[147]Tim Henman[148] andJim Rosenthal.[149] The club's mascot is Ollie the Ox.[150] United were the best-supported club in the Conference National beforeLuton Town joined the division,[151][152] and the home match between Oxford and Luton, which drew a crowd of 10,600, was used to highlight the passion for English football during the2018 World Cup bid.[153] In 2009, a "12th man fund" was set up by a group of supporters in order to provide additional transfer funds to the club. As a result, the number 12 shirt was retired at the start of the2009–10 season (though it was reintroduced in2018–19). The fund raised over £40,000 and resulted in the signings ofMehdi Kerrouche (on loan) andJamie Cook, amongst others.[154][155]
Oxford United's fiercest rivalry is withSwindon Town; matches between the two are referred to as theA420 derby, a primary road between both cities, which are only 30 miles (48 km) apart.[156][157] There also exists a rivalry between Oxford andReading.[158][159] In addition,Wycombe Wanderers,Luton Town andNorthampton Town are also seen as rivals. The rivalry with Swindon stems from the clubs' close proximity, as well as the fact they have played each other 55 times since 1962. Oxford and Swindon met a few times in non-competitive fixtures before 1962. The earliest match on record was a friendly in the 1950–51 season at Headington. They also played each other in 1954–55 both home and away, and at Headington during 1958–59. All programmes are fairly scarce, with the single sheet issued at Swindon being very rare. The 1962–63 game was a testimonial, with the first league meetings coming in 1965–66.[160][161][162]
During the height offootball hooliganism, trouble flared up between the sets of fans. In 1998, during a match at theCounty Ground, 19 Swindon supporters were arrested,[163] while in 2002 there was an incident between supporters after Oxford fans returned from an away fixture.[164] In 2011, vandals burned the initials STFC into the Kassam Stadium's pitch.[165] Oxford fans refer to their Swindon rivals asmoonrakers, in reference to the myth that they tried to rake the reflection of the moon out of a pond.[166] The rivalry with Reading was heightened during the chairmanship of Robert Maxwell, because of his desire to merge the two clubs. This was met with strong opposition from both sets of fans, with United supporters staging a "sit-in" on the pitch before a game againstWigan in protest.[167] Despite being the second team in the city, there is less rivalry withOxford City because of their lower position in thepyramid system (there have been no competitive league matches between the two since 1959).[168]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Matt Bloomfield |
| Assistant coaches | Craig Short |
| Chris Hackett | |
| First-team goalkeeping coach |  Lewis Price |
| First-team fitness coach | Chris Short |
| First-team coach analyst | Joe Moore[170] |
| Head of performance | Nick Meace |
| First-team performance coaches | Luke Taylor |
| Dwayne Peasah | |
| First-team performance analyst | Isaac Alder |
| Head of medical services | Dan Simm |
| Club doctor | James Baldock |
| Sport therapist | John Elliot[171] |
| Academy manager | James Constable |
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Owner |  Erick Thohir |
| Chairman | Grant Ferguson[172] |
| Chief Executive Officer | Tim Williams |
| Director of Football | Ed Waldron |
| Football Adviser | Derek Fazackerley |
| Secretary | Vanessa Gomm |
The first manager appointed wasHarry Thompson in July 1949, soon after the club turned professional.[173] In a nine-year spell he led the team to theSouthern League title in 1953, as well as theSouthern League Cup in 1953 and 1954. He was replaced byArthur Turner in 1958, who would become the longest-serving manager in the club's history, serving more than a decade in charge. Turner led United to back-to-back Southern League titles, of which the second, in 1962, resulted in their election tothe Football League.[3] Promotion followed from theFourth Division in 1965, and the club was crownedThird Division champions three years later.[173] Turner left the club nine months after this success. Over the next thirteen years, five managers took charge.Ron Saunders was in charge for only a dozen games, moving toNorwich City at the end of the 1968–69 season.Gerry Summers was manager for six years, before being replaced byMick Brown. During Brown's four-year run, United wererelegated back to the Third Division after spending eight years in the Second.[24]
Jim Smith started his first spell as manager in 1981, and led Oxford into thetop tier ofEnglish football after consecutive promotions as champions in 1984 and 1985. However, he moved toQueens Park Rangers before the1985–86 season.[31] New manager, formerchief scoutMaurice Evans, had immediate success winning the 1986League Cup, beating his predecessor's new club inthe final.[174] For the next 24 years, the only manager to guide the club to promotion wasDenis Smith, who won promotion from the Second Division in 1996.Ramón Díaz, the club's first non-British manager, took charge for five months between December 2004 and May 2005. Jim Smith returned as manager in 2006, the year that Oxford United were relegated to theFootball Conference after 44 years in the Football League. Having missed out on promotion in the2006–07 season, Smith resigned andDarren Patterson was promoted to the post on 9 November 2007.[64]
Patterson was dismissed in December 2008 and was replaced byChris Wilder,[68] who led the club back into the Football League by winning the2010 Conference playoff Final and remained with the club for five years before resigning in January 2014.Gary Waddock was appointed head coach in March 2014, but was sacked in July following a change of shareholding in the club, to be replaced byMichael Appleton.[84] In his three seasons in charge, Appleton oversaw promotion to League One and two losing finals in theEFL Trophy, before leaving to become assistant manager atLeicester City. SpaniardPep Clotet was appointed as his replacement but was sacked midway throughhis first season in charge, to be replaced after a two-month spell under caretaker-managerDerek Fazackerley by formerCharlton bossKarl Robinson in March 2018.[175] Robinson was sacked in February 2023 following a poor run of results[176] and, after a short period under caretaker management and a brief period under the management ofLiam Manning,[177]Des Buckingham was appointed as manager[4][178] and he led the club to promotion to theChampionship after a 25-year absence. Buckingham was sacked on 15 December 2024 later to be replaced by former Millwall managerGary Rowett,[179][180] who in turn was sacked after a year in charge.[181]
Since turning professional, the club has had 26 full-time managers, of whom three (Jim Smith, Denis Smith and Darren Patterson) have had more than one spell in the post, and 12 periods ofcaretaker-management.
The largest recorded home attendance was during a match againstPreston North End in the sixth round of theFA Cup, at theManor Ground, on 29 February 1964. The attendance was 22,750,[182] which exceeded the stadium's capacity, so scaffolding was needed in order to create temporary stands for the additional supporters. The largest attendance at theKassam Stadium for a football match was 12,243 during the final game of the2005–06League Two season againstLeyton Orient. Oxford's largest-ever scoreline was a 9–1 win in the FA Cup first round versusDorchester Town on 11 November 1995. In the league, their largest win was 7–0 versusBarrow inDivision Four. Their largest defeat is 7–0 away toSunderland in 1998 and toWigan Athletic in 2017. Their longest unbeaten run in the league was 20 matches in 1984,[183] with their record longest winning run of nine games in the 2020–21 season.[184]
John Shuker holds the record for the most league appearances with 478 between 1962 and 1977.[7]John Aldridge holds the record for most league goals scored in a season in the1984–85 season, scoring 30.[185]Graham Atkinson holds the record for the most league goals with 77, as well as most overall goals with 107.[186] The mostcapped player in internationals isJim Magilton, with 18 caps forNorthern Ireland. The largest amount of money Oxford have received by selling a player was an estimated £3,000,000 forKemar Roofe's transfer toLeeds United in July 2016.[187] The largest transfer fee Oxford have paid was £470,000 forDean Windass' transfer fromAberdeen in August 1998,[188] though the undisclosed fee paid forMarvin Johnson at the start of the2016–17 season is thought to have exceeded this figure.[88] Oxford are the only team in history to have been promoted consecutively fromDivision Three to theFirst Division as champions.
League
Cup
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