Club Timeline 1893 - 2024

1893
27 October: Headington FC are formed at a meeting at the Britannia Inn on London Road, called by Windmill Road resident Dr Robert Hitchings, the captain of Headington United Cricket Club, “for the welfare of the young men of the parish”.

25 November: The club’s first recorded friendly, versus Cowley Barracks. Headington lost 2-1.

1894
17 November: Headington’s first competitive game, against Clarendon Press in the City Junior League A Division at home on Quarry Recreation Ground. Clarendon won 4-0.

8 December: Headington’s first competitive victory, beating Wanderers 2nd 2-1 away, with goals from H Knowles and F Collett.

1898
19 March: Headington win their first silverware, beating St Mary Magdalene 1-0 at White House Road in the City Junior League final replay with a goal from H Knowles.

1899
16 March: Headington repeat the previous season’s feat, with St Mary Magdalene the opponents again. This time the score in the City Junior League final replay is an emphatic 3-0, with goals from H Fletcher, H Knowles, and a Couling own goal.

1 April: Headington are beaten 2-1 by Chipping Norton in the final of the Oxfordshire Shield at the Witney ground, after a 0-0 draw at Oxford City’s ground. However, the competition was declared incomplete after it was discovered that Chippy had fielded two ineligible players.

1902
19 March: Headington lose 3-2 to Culham College in the final of the County Senior Cup at the White House Road ground, after a 0-0 draw. Packford and Wakelin are Headington’s scorers in front of a crowd of 250.

1907
September: Headington Quarry formed by members of the Strete Temperance.

1911
25 July: Headington and Headington Quarry merge to become Headington United.

1912
18 April: Headington United’s reserves are beaten 1-0 in the City Junior League Division One final, following a goalless draw. A White House Road crowd of 1,000 watches the replay, some 400 less than saw the first match.

1914
18 April: United are beaten 3-0 by YMCA at the White House before 800 people in the Oxfordshire Junior Shield final. This is United’s last match before the First World War ends competitive football in the county for five years, and capped the side’s best season so far after they won the Oxfordshire Junior League Section C title.

1920
5 April: Two thousand people are at the White House to watch Cowley beat United 1-0 in the Oxford City FA Division 1 final. In their first post-war season Headington won the Oxfordshire Junior League Section D title.

1921
14 April: United lose 2-1 to Oxford Gasworks in the County Junior Shield final replay at the White House.

17 September: Headington make the step up to senior football by joining the Oxfordshire Senior League. Their first game is a 6-0 defeat at Banbury Stones’ Athletic.

1922 
15 April: In their first season as a senior side United make it through to the Oxfordshire Senior Cup final, losing 2-1 to Cowley at White House Road. A crowd of 3,200 sees Adams scores for Headington.

30 September: United enter the FA Amateur Cup for the first time, drawing 2-2 in the first preliminary round at St Frideswide with goals from Baskerville and Adams. Headington won the replay 4-0.

1924
8 March: Headington reach the final of the Oxfordshire Charity Cup for the first time, losing 2-1 to Witney Town at Oxford City’s ground. Durran scores United’s goal in front of 2,600.

1925
26 September: Headington play their first game at the Manor, losing 2-1 to Deddington in the Oxfordshire Senior League. United’s President, Major Melville Lee, performs the ceremonial kick-off, with Grain scoring United’s goal.

1931
5 September: Headington’s first FA Cup tie, at home to Hounslow. The London side win 8-2 in the extra preliminary round.

1932
7 May: In the Oxfordshire Charity Cup final, United are beaten 5-4 by Banbury Harriers. Goals by Douglas, Milner, Schultz, and Margetts aren’t enough at the White House.

1933
15 April: Headington finally win the Oxfordshire Charity Cup, beating Bicester Town 1-0 with a goal from Margetts in the White House Road final.

1936
2 May: Headington beat Banbury Spencer 1-0 in the final of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup, Maurice Lonie scoring the only goal of the replay before a White House Road crowd of 5,000. The first game, on 13 April, ended 1-1, with 5,638 in attendance and Jones scoring for United.

1939
21 January: Headington beat Banbury Harriers 16-1 in the Oxfordshire Senior League to record the club’s record win, on their way to an unbeaten OSL title. Headington scored 124 goals in their 26 games, conceding just 21.

13 May: United complete their best season so far by beating Bicester Town 1-0 in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup final at White House Road, with Lonie scoring the only goal.

1946
29 April: After finishing level with Milton RAF at the top of the Oxfordshire Senior League Section A, a decider was played at the White House ground. The game went to extra time, with Milton winning 4-0 to deny United the title. One week earlier Headington were beaten 4-0 by Oxford City at the White House in the Senior Cup final.

1947
30 August: Headington United’s first game in the Spartan League was a 2-1 defeat at Marlow, with Ray Mansell scoring Headington’s goal.

1948
29 March: Headington caused an upset by beating Oxford City 1-0 in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup final, held before a crowd of 7,796 at the Iffley Road stadium. Jack Ramsden scored the goal.

8 May: Headington emerged as the city’s senior club with another 1-0 win over Oxford City, this time at their own White House Road ground, in the Oxford Hospital Cup final. Pringle scored the goal before a crowd of 6,474.

15 July: Headington United vote to turn professional.

1949
14 May: A measure of revenge for Oxford City, as they beat Headington 4-1 at the White House in the Oxfordshire Benevolent Cup final in front of over 6,000 fans. Blake scored United’s consolation goal.

20 August: Headington United play their first game as a semi-professional outfit, losing 5-2 at Hastings United in the Southern League. Ray Mansell and Peter Roberts score for United.

3 September: United’s first home game as a professional side is an astonishing 9-4 win over Huntley & Palmer’s from Reading in the FA Cup extra preliminary round. This remains a record aggregate score since the U's turned professional.

1950
7 April: For the fifth time of the season a new Manor ground record attendance is set, as 10,160 watch Headington and Yeovil Town draw 1-1.

1952
13 September: United’s 8-0 win at Marlow in the FA Cup preliminary round remains the club’s best away win since turning professional.

1953
27 April: United win the Southern League Cup with a 3-1 extra-time second leg win over Weymouth at the Manor, after the first game was won 2-1 by the Dorset side. A new ground record attendance of 10.302 is set.

2 May: In the final Southern League game of the season Headington beat Hastings United 2-0 to win the title on goal average from Merthyr Tydfil and complete the Southern League double.

17 December: United’s first competitive victory over a Football League side comes with a 1-0 win over Millwall in the FA Cup second round replay, after the sides drew 3-3 at the Den.

1954
30 January: Another new ground attendance record is set as 16,670 cram onto specially extended terraces to watch the Us lose 4-2 to First Division Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup fourth round.

28 April: United retain the Southern League Cup with a 2-0 home win over Lovell’s Athletic, after drawing the away leg 0-0. Ronnie Steel and Harry Yates were on target for the Us.

1959
1 January: Arthur Turner takes up the post of Manager.

1960
25 June: Headington United receive permission to change their name to Oxford United.

10 December: Oxford’s 9-0 win over Wisbech in the Southern Premier League remains the club’s best win since turning professional. Tony Jones scored five of the goals.

1961
19 April: As a result of Chelmsford City’s 1-0 defeat at Folkestone, Oxford win the Southern League championship for the second time, eventually finishing seven points clear of Chelmsford.

1962
20 April: A 1-0 win over Bath City at Twerton Park earns United a second successive Southern League title, Johnny Love scoring the all-important goal. Bud Houghton scored a club record 43 goals as the side notched up 118 goals, another record.

2 June: Oxford United are elected into the Football League to replace Accrington Stanley.

18 August: Oxford’s first game as a League club is at Holker Street, Barrow winning 3-2 after United led 2-1. Graham Atkinson scored United’s first League goal.

22 August: The first home game, and first victory, in the Football League is a 2-1 win over Lincoln City, watched by 10,483.

1964
15 February: Oxford beat First Division Blackburn Rovers 3-1 in the FA Cup fifth round to become the first Fourth Division side to reach the Cup’s quarter-finals. Goals from Tony Jones (2) and Bill Calder in front of a Manor record crowd of 21,700 see Unite through.

29 February: Two weeks after beating Blackburn, Oxford lose 2-1 to Preston North End in front of an unbeaten record Manor gate of 22,750. Tony Jones scored Oxford’s consolation.

19 December: United beat Barrow 7-0 to record their best win in the Football League.

1965
27 April: Doncaster Rovers beat Tranmere Rovers 1-0 to ensure that Oxford finish in fourth place and are promoted to the Third Division.

1968
11 May: A David Sloan goal gives Oxford a 1-0 win over Southport and earns them promotion to the Second Division, just six seasons after joining the League.

1976
24 April: United conclude the season with a 2-1 defeat at Leyton Orient. The season ends with the U's third from bottom and condemned to the first relegation in the club’s history.

1977
20 March: Peter Houseman dies in a car crash.

1982
6 January: Robert Maxwell becomes Chairman of Oxford United.

2 March: Jim Smith is appointed United’s Manager.

1984
18 February: United lose 3-0 to Sheffield Wednesday in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Having reached the fifth round of the League Cup in January, Oxford were the first Third Division side to reach that stage of both competitions in the same season.

7 May: Thanks to Gillingham’s 3-1 win at Wimbledon earlier in the day, Oxford knew that they were already promoted to the Second Division before their 2-1 win at Leyton Orient, which guarantees the Third Division title.

1985
24 April: A goal by David Langan gives Oxford a 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town and confirms promotion to the top flight for the first time in United’s history.

11 May: The U's beat Barnsley 4-0 to win the Second Division championship and become the first side to win the Third and Second Divisions in successive seasons.

17 August: United make their entrance to the First Division with a 1-1 draw at West Brom. Bobby McDonald has the honour of scoring the club’s first goal in the country’s top division.

21 August: Tottenham Hotspur are the first visitors to the Manor for a top-flight League game. Jeremy Charles scores Oxford’s goal in a 1-1 draw. United’s first victory arrives three days later, when Leicester City are beaten 5-0, Oxford’s best result in the First Division.

1986
20 April: Oxford United step out at Wembley Stadium for the first time, beating Jim Smith’s Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the League Cup final. Goals from man-of-the-match Trevor Hebberd, Ray Houghton, and Jeremy Charles seal the victory in front of 90,396, comfortably the largest crowd to have watched the U's play.

5 May: A 3-0 win over Arsenal on the last day of the season confirms Oxford’s survival in the First Division and condemns Ipswich Town to relegation.

1987
5 May: United win 3-2 at Luton Town in the penultimate game of the season to ensure that First Division football will be seen at the Manor for a third consecutive season.

1988
7 May: United’s last game as a First Division side is a 5-3 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

1992
2 May: Oxford avoid relegation to the Third Division on the final day of the season, thanks to a 2-1 win at Tranmere Rovers with goals from John Durnin and Joey Beauchamp.

1994
8 May: Despite beating Notts County 2-1, Oxford are relegated to the third tier, newly renamed Division Two.

1995
11 November: Oxford’s 9-1 win over Dorchester Town in the first round remains the club’s best FA Cup victory.

1996
4 May: Oxford cruise to a 4-0 win over Peterborough United, with all the goals coming in the second half, to win automatic promotion back to Division One in second place, following a storming end of season run that saw them lose just one of their last 17 games.

1997
16 January: Matt Elliott is sold to Leicester City for a club record £1.6 million.

1998
9 July: Oxford pay Aberdeen £475,000 for Dean Windass, a new club record.

1999
9 May: Oxford beat Stockport County 5-0, but results elsewhere mean that United are relegated back to the third tier.

2001
1 May: Oxford, already long-since relegated to the basement, draw 1-1 with Port Vale in the last game to be played at the Manor.

11 August: A crowd of 8,842 is in attendance to watch Oxford lose 2-1 to Rochdale in the first game to be played at the club’s new Kassam Stadium. Jamie Brooks scores United’s goal.

2006
6 May: A new ground attendance record is set as 12,243 watch Oxford lose 3-2 to Leyton Orient to suffer relegation to the Conference.

4 November: Oxford beat Aldershot 2-0 to complete a 19-game unbeaten start to the season, a record for both club and Conference.

26 December: Oxford set a new Conference attendance record of 11,065 in their 0-0 draw with Woking.

2007
8 May: United lose 2-1 at home to Exeter City in the play-off semi-finals, having finished second in the Conference behind Dagenham & Redbridge. United had won the first leg 1-0 in their first ever play-off game, but they were knocked out on penalties by the Grecians.

2008
21 December: Chris Wilder is appointed manager of Oxford.

2010
3 May: Another new Conference attendance record is set when 11,963 watch Oxford beat Rushden & Diamonds 2-0 in the play-off semi-final, having drawn the first leg 1-1 at Nene Park.

16 May: Oxford beat York City 3-1 at Wembley to win the play-off final and seal a return to the Football League, after finishing in third place in the Conference. A new Conference play-off final crowd record is set as 42,669 are at the game, with over 33,000 following Oxford.

2014
4 July: Darryl Eales becomes Oxford United's chairman, with Mark Ashton CEO. Michael Appleton is appointed head coach.

2016
3 April: Oxford play Barnsley at Wembley in the final of the Football League Trophy, losing 3-2.

7 May: United beat Wycombe Wanderers 3-0 on the final day of the season to finish second in League Two and win promotion to League One.

2017 
2 April: Oxford reach Wembley for the second season running, losing 2-1 to Coventry City in the final of the Football League Trophy.

2020
13 July: In a season curtailed by Covid-19, United finish fourth on Points Per Game and beat Portsmouth over two legs in the play-off semi-final to reach Wembley, where Oxford go down 2-1 to Wycombe Wanderers in the League One play-off final.

2021
21 May: Due to the Covid pandemic, the majority of games this season were played with no supporters present. United finished sixth to reach the play-offs for the second successive season, but were beaten in the semi-finals by Blackpool.

2022
30th April: United end the season just short of the play-off places despite a record 82 goals scored in Karl Robinson's fourth season in charge.

2023
26th February: After a run of eight games without a win, Robinson was dismissed to be replaced by Liam Manning.

16th November: Following Manning's departure for Bristol City, Oxford appoint local boy, and former U's first-team coach, Des Buckingham as Head Coach.

2024
18th May: United beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 in the League One Play-Off final at Wembley to secure a return to the Championship for the first time in 25 years.