Monday 10 September 2018

125th Anniversary Celebrations At Oxford United

Founded as Headington United in 1893, 2018 marks the 125th anniversary of Oxford United Football Club.

No institution reaches 125 not out without coming through its fair share of adverse circumstances and the U's are no different.

Long before unscrupulous owners became fashionable in the English game Oxford supporters were mobilising in the face of Robert Maxwell’s plan to merge them with Reading and create the Thames Valley Royals.

That low was followed by the high of a League Cup triumph at Wembley and a period in and around the top division before a gradual decline accelerated into something more.

As with many clubs (think Chesterfield at present and my own Sky Blues) a move to a new stadium was supposed to mark an upturn in fortunes, the trade off for the years of memories built into the fabrics of grounds such as Saltergate, Highfield Road and the Manor Ground but the Kassam Stadium witnessed a new nadir in 2006 when the Football League status so hard-won in 1962 was lost.

Chris Wilder led the U’s back into League Two before a further promotion was achieved in 2016 under Michael Appleton's management.

The club have made a special request to play a game on the exact date of their founding and to mark the occasion tickets for the visit of Shrewsbury Town on 27 October have been reduced to £12.50 for Adults and £1.25 for Under 7's (Under 13's in the Family Area).

More details on the official club website.

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