List of Oxford United F.C. players

Oxford United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Oxford. As of the 2022–23 season, the team plays in the League One, which is the third level of the English football league system. The club was formed in 1893 as Headington before adding the suffix United six years later to become Headington United F.C. The club retained this name until 1960, when it was changed to Oxford United to give it a higher profile.[1] The club was elected into the Southern Football League in 1949, where they stayed until replacing Accrington Stanley in the Football League in 1962. The club spent 44 years in the Football League, reaching the First Division at the end of the 1984–85 season and spending three years in the top tier.[2] Oxford United spent four years in non-league football, before being promoted through the play-offs at the end of the 2009–10 season.

A man sitting in a dugout with his arms folded during a football match. He is wearing a pair of sunglasses as he is looking into the sun.
Ron Atkinson played a record 560 matches for Oxford United.

Ron Atkinson made 560 appearances, including 125 matches in the Southern League (a semi-professional league). John Shuker, the man who succeeded Atkinson as captain, made a total of 534 appearances with 478 in the Football League. He holds the club record for the most league appearances and the most overall appearances since 1962, when Oxford joined the Football League. Graham Atkinson holds the record for league goals scored with 97, as well as being the all-time top goalscorer, netting 107 times. Irish forward John Aldridge holds two records, the first being the most league goals scored in a season with 30, and the second the most goals scored in a season with 34. Both of these were set during the 1984–85 season, the year Oxford was promoted to the First Division. David Sloan made his international debut in 1968 for Northern Ireland, becoming the first of twenty players to receive an international cap while playing for the club.[3] Of the players in this list, 119 are from the United Kingdom, five from Ireland, and five are from the rest of the world.

List of players

The list comprises players with 100 or more appearances and those who have received international caps while at the club or hold a club record, since 1949 when the club turned professional. Appearances and goals are for matches in the Football League, Conference National, Southern League, FA Cup, Football League Cup, Football League Trophy, Football League Group Cup, Anglo-Italian Cup, Full Members' Cup, FA Trophy and Southern League Cup. Substitute appearances are included. Statistics correct as of 21 March 2021. Players marked in bold are still playing for the club.

  * International appearances while at club.
  Club record holder.
NameNationalityPosition[A]Oxford United career[B]AppearancesGoalsRecordsNotes[C]
John Aldridge  Republic of Ireland*Forward1984–198714190[E]
Chris Allen  EnglandMidfielder1991–199618117[4]
Jack Ansell  EnglandGoalkeeper1952–19551490
Andre Arendse  South Africa*Goalkeeper1999–2000190[D]
Jon Ashton  EnglandDefender2003–20061031[5]
Graham Atkinson  EnglandForward1959–1974398107[F][G]
Ron Atkinson  EnglandMidfielder1959–197156021[H]
Steve Aylott  EnglandDefender1971–19751679
Shandon Baptiste  Grenada*Midfielder2017–2020435[6]
Jim Barron  EnglandGoalkeeper1966–19701650
Steve Basham  EnglandForward2002–200718749[7]
Damian Batt  EnglandDefender2009–20131813[8]
Joey Beauchamp  EnglandMidfielder1989–1994
1995–2002
42978[9]
Cyril Beavon  EnglandDefender1959–196946411
Paul Berry  EnglandMidfielder1977–198212120
Andy Bodel  ScotlandDefender1975–198014111
Matthew Bound  EnglandDefender2001–20041112[10]
Cameron Brannagan  EnglandMidfielder2018–13114[11]
Gary Briggs  EnglandDefender1978–198950822
Max Briggs  EnglandMidfielder1974–19771051
Kevin Brock  EnglandMidfielder1979–198730532
Roy Burton  EnglandGoalkeeper1971–19824470
Nigel Cassidy  EnglandForward1970–197413534
Jeremy Charles  Wales*Forward1985–19865616
Colin Clarke  ScotlandDefender1966–197849726
Derek Clarke  EnglandForward1970–197619540
Ryan Clarke  EnglandGoalkeeper2009–20152670[12]
James Constable  EnglandForward2008–2014280106[13]
Jamie Cook  EnglandForward1997–2000
2009–2010
10410[D]
Bobby Craig  EnglandDefender1951–195518910
Johnnie Crichton  EnglandDefender1951–195518524
Andy Crosby  EnglandDefender2001–200412213[14]
Hugh Curran  ScotlandForward1972–197812143
Craig Davies  Wales*Forward2004–2006558[D]
Geoff Denial  EnglandDefender1956–196219451
Rob Dickie  EnglandDefender2018–202011313[15]
Bobby McDonald  ScotlandDefender1983–198712521
Ben Duncan  EnglandForward1950–195518730
Colin Duncan  EnglandMidfielder1974–19802077
John Durnin  EnglandMidfielder1989–199318047[16]
Simon Eastwood  EnglandGoalkeeper2016–2150[17]
Matt Elliott  ScotlandDefender1993–199718124[I][18]
Ceri Evans  New Zealand*Defender1989–19931303[D]
John Evanson  EnglandForward1966–197417911
Harry Fearnley  EnglandGoalkeeper1963–19661040
David Fogg  EnglandDefender1976–198533621
Peter Foley  EnglandForward1975–198332190
Bobby Ford  EnglandMidfielder1993–1997
2002–2003
19012[19]
Mike Ford  EnglandDefender1988–1998
2000
33922[20]
Luke Foster  EnglandDefender2007–20101173[D][21]
Steve Foster  EnglandDefender1989–199211312[22]
Martin Foyle  EnglandForward1987–199115144[23]
Kevin Francis  Saint Kitts and Nevis*Forward1998–2000357[D]
Ray Gaston  Northern Ireland*Forward1968–1969132
Adriel Jared George  Antigua and Barbuda*Midfielder2014–201640[24]
Phil Gilchrist  EnglandDefender1995–1999
2006–2007
24812[25]
Martin Gray  EnglandMidfielder1996–19991344[26]
Phil Gray  Northern Ireland*Forward2000–20024813[D]
Chris Hackett  EnglandMidfielder2000–20061429[16]
Rob Hall  EnglandForward2011
2016–
11225[27]
Billy Hamilton  Northern Ireland*Forward1984–19874120
Steve Hardwick  EnglandGoalkeeper1983–19881960
Tony Harper  EnglandDefender1955–19591366
Colin Harrington  EnglandMidfielder1963–197126030
Trevor Hebberd  EnglandMidfielder1982–198832643
James Henry  EnglandMidfielder2017–17444[28]
Brian Houghton  EnglandForward1961–196311475
Ray Houghton  Republic of Ireland*Midfielder1985–198710514
Ernie Hudson  EnglandDefender1952–19571091
Danny Hylton  EnglandForward2014–201610130[29]
Billy Jeffrey  ScotlandMidfielder1973–198235626
Nigel Jemson  EnglandForward1996–1998
2000
10033[30]
Mark Jones  EnglandMidfielder1980–19861577
Tony Jones  EnglandMidfielder1959–1967356100
Alan Judge  EnglandGoalkeeper1985–1991
2003–2004
1020[D]
Mick Kearns  Republic of Ireland*Goalkeeper1969–1972780
Paul Kee  Northern Ireland*Goalkeeper1989–1993640[D]
Peter Knight  EnglandMidfielder1960–196420033
Maurice Kyle  EnglandDefender1959–19694484
David Langan  Republic of Ireland*Defender1984–19871363
George Lawrence  EnglandMidfielder1982–198410127
Mickey Lewis  EnglandDefender1988–20003507[31]
Sam Long  EnglandDefender2012–1206[32]
Johnny Love  EnglandMidfielder1955–196331640
Dick Lucas  EnglandDefender1967–19752194
John Lundstram  EnglandMidfielder2015–20171044[33]
Hugh McGrogan  EnglandMidfielder1975–198014115
Jim Magilton  Northern Ireland*Midfielder1990–199417342[34][35]
Stuart Massey  EnglandMidfielder1994–199812913[36]
Owen Medlock  EnglandGoalkeeper1959–19631330
Andy Melville  Wales*Defender1990–199315915[37][38]
Paul Moody  EnglandForward1994–1997
2001–2002
19775[D]
John Mousinho  EnglandDefender2017–1323[39]
John Mullins  EnglandDefender2012–20161499[40]
Matt Murphy  EnglandMidfielder1993–200129055[41]
Curtis Nelson  EnglandDefender2016–20191218[42]
Callum O'Dowda  Republic of Ireland*Midfielder2013–201610614[43]
Yemi Odubade  NigeriaForward2006–200913031[44]
David Penney  EnglandForward1989–199412916[45]
Les Phillips  EnglandMidfielder1984–199322415[D]
Alfie Potter  EnglandMidfielder2009–201519428[46]
Paul Powell  EnglandMidfielder1995–200320023[47]
Pat Quartermain  EnglandDefender1955–19673060
Barry Quinn  Republic of IrelandMidfielder2004–20091996[48]
Frank Ramshaw  EnglandDefender1950–19583581
Billy Rees  WalesForward1955–195912258
Peter Rhoades-Brown  EnglandMidfielder1984–198814216
Dave Roberts  Wales*Defender1971–19751768
Les Robinson  EnglandDefender1990–20004596[49]
Matthew Robinson  EnglandDefender2002–20061924[50]
Danny Rose  EnglandMidfielder2007–2008
2013–2016
14310[51]
Josh Ruffels  EnglandVarious2013–30721[52]
David Rush  EnglandForward1994–199611024[53]
Dean Saunders  Wales*Forward1987–19887333
Jason Seacole  EnglandMidfielder1976–198213426
Liam Sercombe  EnglandMidfielder2015–201710122[54]
Malcolm Shotton  EnglandDefender1980–198733815
John Shuker  EnglandForward1962–197753447[J]
Paul Simpson  EnglandMidfielder1988–199216850[55]
Joe Skarz  EnglandDefender2015–20171070[56]
Ken Skeen  EnglandVarious1967–197427040
Neil Slatter  Wales*Defender1985–19891159
David Sloan  Northern Ireland*Forward1968–197320034[K]
Gary Smart  EnglandDefender1988–19942040[D]
Dave Smith  EnglandMidfielder1994–19992314[57]
Jim Smith  EnglandMidfielder1949–195514322
Tim Smithers  EnglandMidfielder1980–19831247
Rodney Smithson  EnglandMidfielder1965–19741806
Ronnie Steel  EnglandMidfielder1952–195513032
Paul Tait  EnglandMidfielder1999–20021053[58]
Les Taylor  EnglandMidfielder1975–198023916
Andy Thomas  EnglandMidfielder1981–198615045
Cyril Toulouse  EnglandMidfielder1950–195415220
John Trewick  EnglandMidfielder1984–19871424
Billy Turley  EnglandGoalkeeper2005–20101860[D][21]
Paul Wanless  EnglandMidfielder1991–1995
2003–2005
1097[59]
Mark Watson  Canada*Defender1998–2000690[D]
Dean Windass  EnglandForward1998–19993818[L][60]
Andy Whing  EnglandMidfielder2011–20151112[61]
Dean Whitehead  EnglandMidfielder1999–20041369[62]
Phil Whitehead  EnglandGoalkeeper1993–19982380[63]
Gavin Whyte  Republic of Ireland*Defender2018–2019479[64]
Alan Willey  EnglandForward1961–196612848
Andy Woodman  EnglandGoalkeeper2002–20041120[65]
Jake Wright  EnglandDefender2010–20162810[66][M]
Harry Yates  EnglandMidfielder1952–195510354

Footnotes

A. ^ For a full description of positions see Association football positions.

B. ^ The dates for the career represent the first and last first team appearances. When there are two sets of dates, the second set represents a player's second spell at the club.

C. ^ Unless otherwise stated, appearances and goals taken from Howland, Andy and Roger (1989). Oxford United: A Complete Record (1893–1989). Breedon Books. ISBN 0-907969-52-6.

D. ^ Statistics taken from Brodetsky, Martin (2009). Oxford United, The Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-715-3.

E. ^ John Aldridge holds the club record for the most league goals scored in a season with 30, and the most goals scored in a season, 34, during the 1984–85 season.[67]

F. ^ Graham Atkinson holds the club record for the most goals scored with 107.[68]

G. ^ Graham Atkinson holds the club record for the most league goals scored with 97.[68]

H. ^ Ron Atkinson holds the club record for the most overall appearances in all competitions (including matches in the Southern League) with 560.[69]

I. ^ Matt Elliott holds the club record for the highest transfer fee received of £1,600,000 from Leicester City in 1997.[1]

J. ^ John Shuker holds the club record for the most league appearances, with 478, and the most overall appearances (excluding matches in the Southern League), with 534.[70]

K. ^ David Sloan was the first Oxford United player to play a full international, for Northern Ireland in 1968.[71]

L. ^ Dean Windass holds the club record for the highest transfer fee paid of £470,000 to Aberdeen in 1998.[72]

M. ^ Soccerbase does not include the three FA Trophy appearances.

References

General
  • Howland, Andy and Roger (1989). Oxford United: A Complete Record (1893–1989). Breedon Books. ISBN 0-907969-52-6.
  • Brodetsky, Martin (2009). Oxford United: The Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-715-3.
Specific