Oxford United F.C.

This article is about the men's football club based in England. For the women's team, see Oxford United W.F.C. For other uses, see Oxford United (disambiguation).

Oxford United
Full nameOxford United Football Club
Nickname(s)
  • The U's
  • Yellows
Founded27 October 1893; 131 years ago (1893-10-27)
(as Headington F.C.)[1]
GroundKassam Stadium
Capacity12,573
OwnerErick Thohir and Anindya Bakrie
ChairmanGrant Ferguson
ManagerDes Buckingham
LeagueEFL Championship
2023–24EFL League One, 5th of 24 (promoted via play-offs)
Websiteoufc.co.uk
Current season

Oxford United Football Club (/ˈɒksfərd/) is a professional football club based in Oxford, England. The club compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football, after achieving promotion in the 2024 EFL League One play-off final. 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 the Kassam Stadium, replacing its former home of Manor Ground in 2001.

The club joined the Football League in 1962 after winning the Southern Football League, reaching the Second Division in 1968.[2] After relegation in 1976, between 1984 and 1986 the club earned successive promotions into the First Division, and won the League Cup in 1986.[3] However, Oxford were unable thereby to enter the 1987 UEFA Cup because of the UEFA ban on English clubs in European competitions.[4] Relegation from the top flight in 1988 began an 18-year decline which saw the club relegated to the Conference 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 to League One, after finishing second in League Two in 2016. In 2024 they were promoted to the EFL Championship via the play-offs.[5]

Some of the club's notable players, such as Ron 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);[6] and Ron's late brother Graham Atkinson holds the record for the most goals scored (107).[7] In total, nineteen players have made international appearances while playing for the club.[8]

The team's traditional kit colours are yellow shirts, along with navy coloured shorts and socks.[9] Their crest showcases an ox, 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 the River Isis.[10] Oxford have a long-standing and fierce rivalry with Swindon Town, with whom they contest the A420 derby.[11]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference founded was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 61/62 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Happy Milk Cup Final Day | Oxford United Football Club". www.oufc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Oxford United all-time records". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Oxford United". historicalkits. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  10. ^ "Oxford United Crest". Football Crests. Archived from the original on 11 January 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2007.
  11. ^ "Oxford United v Swindon Town rivalry explained". BBC Sport. 1 March 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2024.