On This Day

Anything yellow and blue
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 16th 1981

Oxford United were in mourning on this day 36 years ago as Head of Youth Development and Chief Scout, Fred Ford,
passed away aged 65 at his home in Kidlington. Ford had previously managed Bristol City, Bristol Rovers and Sw!ndon Town
and after a short spell at Torquay United, Gerry Summers brought him to the Manor in 1972 to overhaul the
youth department. He did this to huge effect.

Ford was largely responsible for spotting talent and guiding players through to the U's first team.
He developed players such as Paul Berry, Kevin Brock, John Doyle, Colin Duncan, Peter Foley, Billy Jeffrey,
Mark Jones, Andy Kingston, Hughie McGrogan, Jason Seacole, Mick Tait, Les Taylor , Andy Thomas
Gary Watson and Mark Wright.
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 18th 1986

The U’s travelled to Liverpool to take on the reds and were boosted by the new signing
of big striker Billy Whitehurst who joined United from Newcastle United for £180,000.
It was not a good day as United were thumped 4-0 with first half goals from Ian Rush
and Kenny Dalglish. Jan Molby added a second half pen. before Rush added a late fourth.
The U’s under Maurice Evans were outclassed and lost Whitehurst to a back injury
in the first half.

U’s: Tony Parks; David Langan, Gary Briggs, Neil Slatter, John Dreyer; Ray Houghton,
Trevor Hebberd, John Trewick, Phillips L; Whitehurst, Aldridge

Liverpool: Bruce Grobbelaar; Barry Venison, Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson, Gary Gillespie;
Steve Nicol, Jan Molby, Steve McMahon, Ronnie Whelan; Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish

Att: 34,512
Last edited by OUFC4eva on Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 19th 1987

On this day thirty years ago Oxford sold midfield dynamo Ray Houghton to Liverpool for £825,000.
This transfer effectively sealed the clubs' relegation to the second division. Houghton had declined
a move to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest to sign for the Merseysiders. He made 83 appearances
for the U's scoring 10 goals.
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 24th 1988

On this Monday morning 29 years ago, Oxford manager Mark Lawrenson
resigns his post after the U's sell star striker Dean Saunders to Derby for £1M.
Two days earlier Saunders played his last game for Oxford in a 1-1 Manor Ground
draw with Blackburn Rovers.
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 26th 1983

United defeated Newcastle United 2-1 in a second round League Cup replay
with first half goals from Neil Whatmore and Andy Thomas.
Gary Briggs was dismissed for a foul on Kevin Keegan in the second
period and Keegan himself pulled a goal back near the end but United
deserved their victory outplaying the Magpies for large spells.

U’s: Hardwick; Fogg, Briggs, Shotton, McDonald; Lawrence, Hebberd, Thomas, Brock; Barnett, Whatmore

Newcastle: Martin Thomas; John Anderson; Wes Saunders, Steve Carney, John Ryan; Chris Waddle, Terry McDermott,
David McCreery, Kenny Wharton; Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley

Att: 13,040
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 28th 2000

Rock bottom U's travelled to second from top Reading, managed by Alan Pardew.
This remains United's last visit to their Berkshire rivals.
Despite a much improved performance, United contrived to lose two late goals
to collapse to a 4-3 defeat. United moved into a 3-2 second half lead due to goals
from Derek Lilley, an Adie Viveash own goal and a header from Jon Richardson.
Two late goals from Sub. Tony Rougier earned the Royals the hard fought victory.
Reading's other goals came from a Darren Caskey penalty and a strike from
Jamie Cureton.

U's: Knight, Robertson, Jarman, Richardson, Linighan, McGowan; Fear, Murphy, Weatherstone S; Anthrobus, Lilley

Reading: Phil Whitehead; Andy Gurney, Adrian Viveash, John Mackie, Ricky Newman; Darren Caskey, Tom Jones,
Phil Parkinson, Lee Hodges; Jamie Cureton, Martin Butler

Att: 16,022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXYRr4vDyFo
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 29th 1977

The recently formed London Road Club arranged its first away trip with a visit
to Ron Atkinson's Cambridge United on this day 40 years ago.
Annual membership cost 20p and the Cambridge coach fare was £1.80
with the coaches leaving Gloucester Green at 11am.

In a match marred by serious crowd trouble, United lost 2-1 after Hugh Curran headed Oxford into a half time lead.
Cambridge won 19 of 23 homes games that season and were promoted as runners up under Big Ron.

The supporters' coaches were stopped by the police outside Cambridge and searched.

Gary Whiting, the Supporters Club secretary wrote in the following weeks'
match programme: " For those of you who travelled on the coaches and who
don't know the reason for the search I can tell you that this was due entirely
to certain "so called supporters" who decided to travel to Cambridge earlier than the rest of our
supporters for the sole purpose of causing wilful destruction in the various town and city centres
en route. It is these louts who hire private coaches, and then proceed to go on the rampage thereby
tarring every Oxford supporter, young or old with the same brush; that of all "soccer vandals".

"Not only were these people satisfied with what they had done in the town centre they decided to carry
it one stage further and wreck the Cambridge ground and I must admit that I was one of the unfortunate
Oxford United officials who had to witness such animalistic actions".

"An investigation after the match revealed that none of those arrested were connected with
the London Road Travel Club, which must prove that we have at least some sensible
supporters who realise that time is rapidly running out."

Cambridge United’s board decided to construct steel and wire mesh fences (soon dubbed ‘cages’)
at both ends of the ground to prevent a recurrence of such behaviour; the view of spectators behind them
was thus restricted. The bill would amount to another £4,000, and the ‘cages’ stayed in place for over ten years.

U's: Burton; Kingston, Bodel, Clarke C, Fogg; Duncan, Jeffrey, Taylor, McGrogan; Foley, Curran

Cambridge: Malcolm Webster, Brendon Batson, Lindsay Smith, Steve Fallon,David Stringer; Trevor Howard,
Steve Spriggs, Sammy Morgan,Graham Watson; Alan Biley, Tom Finney

Att: 5,737
Last edited by OUFC4eva on Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: On This Day

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OUFC4eva wrote: Sun Oct 29, 2017 1:11 pm U's: Burton; Fogg, Bodel, Clarke C, Fogg; Duncan, Jeffrey, Taylor, McGrogan; Foley, Curran
David Fogg - so good they played him twice!
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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It was a Foggy day !

Now amended with Andy Kingston.
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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30th October 2010

On this day seven years ago, United crashed a dreadful 5-0 defeat at Valley Parade
to Peter Taylor's Bradford City. The U's had Mark Creighton dismissed for two bookable offences
in a match that signalled the end of his U's Football League career. He started the following match,
the week after, in the FA Cup at Burton and then joined Wrexham.

Chris Wilder brought in Bury central defender Ben Futcher along with Plymouth Argyle duo
Steve Maclean and Paul Wotton. Jack Midson also left to join Southend on loan.

Captain Jake Wright was also sent off at Bradford for retaliation after being elbowed by James Hanson,
who also saw red. The game was 0-0 at half time before the U's collapsed following strikes from Omar Daley (2)
Lee Hendrie (pen),David Syers and Louis Moult (now prolific at Motherwell).

U's: Clarke; Purkiss, Creighton, Wright, Tonkin; Potter, Heslop, Payne, Hall A; Craddock, Constable

Subs: Eastwood, Baker, Worley, Batt, Cole, Midson and Green.

Bantams: Lenny Pidgley; Zesh Rehman, Luke Oliver, Steve Williams, Luke O'Brien; Lee Hendrie,
Tom Adeyemi, Tommy Doherty, Omar Daley; Leon Osbourne, James Hanson

Att: 11,376
Old Abingdonian
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Re: On This Day

Post by Old Abingdonian »

I was there, and this was a real 'low' as a yellows fan. I took my youngest with a friend who was a Bantams fan - cringe!

We were awful in the second half. Bradford, as far as I remember, were not great at the time, and Bantams fans were stunned by how good they looked. Daley in particular looked world class.
Radley Rambler
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Re: On This Day

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I also went to this match with another Forumite. On our way back to the car, one of the home fans hilariously said ‘long way to drive home from a 5-0 pasting’ to which my erudite companion replied ‘yes but at least we get to drive home away from here’. Made me smile at the time.
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 31st 2000

Oxford United chairman and owner Firoz Kassam announced on this day that United's new
management team would be David Kemp assisted by former Millwall manager Alan McLeary.
This followed a strong recommendation from recently appointed director of football Joe Kinnear.
Kemp had worked as Kinnear's assistant at Wimbledon.

Previous manager Denis Smith - sacked earlier in the month - was to remain
on the clubs' payroll in a scouting capacity. Both Mike Ford and Mickey Lewis' future
was yet to be determined. Separately, Kassam revealed that work on the clubs' new
stadium at Minchery Farm would restart within days with Birse being appointed the main
contractor. Kassam also stated that the associated leisure complex, for which he had
recently received planning permission, together with the stadium, represented a £40m investment.
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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October 31st 1984

Oxford Utd defeat top flight Arsenal 3-2 at the Manor Ground thanks to goals from
Aldridge, Hamilton and Langan.Arsenal scorers were Graham Rix and Ian Allinson.

Att: 14,393
OUFC4eva
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Re: On This Day

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November 1st 2007

United endured another live TV humiliation on this Thursday night ten years ago.
Jim Smith and his troops visited east Northamptonshire and found themselves 3-0 down inside 14 minutes
as Rushden and Diamonds, managed by Garry Hill, tore into this weak U's outfit who capitulated.

The final score was 5-0 and fans called for the sacking of the experienced Smith.

Jim Smith did stand down after this latest embarrassment and was replaced by Darren Patterson
for the forthcoming home FA Cup match against Northwich Victoria.

U's: Turley; Day; Foster, Willmott, Gilchrist, Jeannin; Quinn, Bailey, Trainer, St. Aimee; Rhodes

Diamonds: Paul Nicholls; Curtis Osano, Dean Howell, Chris Hope, Phil Gulliver; Jon Challinor, Andy Burgess,
Martin Foster, Marcus Kelly; Craig McAllister , Simeon Jackson

Att: 1,990 (426)
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