On This Day

[OUFC4eva]

6th January 1996 - third tier United travelled to Bermondsey,
South East London for a FA Cup third round tie against Jimmy Nicholl's Millwall who were a
league higher.Millwall featured two Russian internationals in their team - Sergei Yuran and Vasili Kulkov
but a late Robert Ford leveller, direct from an inswinging corner, salvaged a 3-3 draw
and a replay in Headington. The other U's scorers were Stuart Massey and Paul Moody.
Utd defeated The Lions in the replay thanks to another Massey strike at the Cuckoo Lane End
on a foggy January night.

U's - Whitehead; Robinson, M.Ford, Elliott, Gilchrist; Massey, Smith, R.Ford, Angel; Moody, Rush.

Att: 7,564

[OUFC4eva]

7th January 2006 - just 3,702 were in attendance as United crashed to
an embarrassing 0-3 defeat at Grenoble Road to Shrewsbury Town under Brian Talbot.
This was Chris Hackett's last appearance for the U's before a move to Hearts.
Rushden midfielder Andy Burgess was signed a week or so later for a reported fee of £75,000.

United - Tardif; Stirling, Roget, Ashton, Robinson; Griffin, Quinn, Bradbury, Hackett; Sabin, Basham.

[Kernow Yellow]

Thanks for the memories OUFC4eva - those cup games at Chelsea and Millwall have been real highlights of my time supporting the Us. And today at Rotherham added to that. There's something special about the FA Cup for teams like Us, and I hope our fans never forget that or take it for granted...

[OUFC4eva]

8th January 1983 - This was my first ever FA Cup third round game. Third Division United were held 1-1
by Fourth Division strugglers Torquay United, managed by Bruce Rioch.
Foley scored to put Jim Smith's Oxford a goal up.Smith was awarded Bells Whisky Manager of the Month
before the game after eight successive wins.

Former United full back John Doyle played for Torquay
who equalised through Steve Cooper.

U's - Butcher; Linney, Smithers, Shotton, Fogg; Barnett, Brock, Hebberd, Lawrence; Foley, Vinter.

Att: 6,880. United lost the replay in south Devon 2-1 just four days later. David Fogg with a second half penalty
with the U's trailing 2-0.

[OUFC4eva]

9th January 1982 - with much of the league programme abandoned due to
Snow and ice across England, United's match at Huddersfield Town
somehow survived a late pitch inspection and the Match of the Day team
were urgently desptached to Leeds Road for this top of the table clash.
The sheepskin wearing John Motson commentated on the match - which should
never have been played - with Ian Greaves' U's losing 2-0.

United: Burton; Doyle, Briggs, Shotton, Fogg; Berry, Jeffrey, Thomas, Smithers; Foley, Cassells.

At: 7,070

[OUFC4eva]

10th January 2016 - Fourth tier United cause a major FA Cup shock as the U's
knock out Premier League Swansea City 3-2 at Grenoble Road. After going behind early to Montero's
brilliant piece of skill, United went 3-1 up through a Sercombe penalty and two second half strikes from Roofe.
Gomis netted a second for the Swans who were well beaten.

United - Slocombe; Baldock, Mullins, Wright, Skarz; MacDonald, Sercombe, Lundstram, Maguire; Taylor, Roofe.

Swansea- Nordfeldt; Shephard, Bartley, Amat, Tabanou; Montero, Shelvey, Cork, Grimes; Emnes, Gomis,

Att: 11,673

[OUFC4eva]

11th January 1997 - Denis Smith and his men travelled to Valley Parade for a second tier clash
and were defeated 2-0. The game was significant in that it marked the final game in a yellow shirt
for the talismanic and hugely talented central defender, Matt Elliott.

Elliott was sold to Leicester City for a reported then club record fee of £1.6m.
Former Scunthorpe defender Elliott played 148 times for the U's scoring 21 goals.

As a replacement United were linked with a host of potential recruits including
Celtic centre half Malky Mackay and Bristol Rovers' stopper Andy Tillson. However
Denis Smith surprisingly opted to sign Surinam born defender Brian Wilsterman from belgian
outfit Beerschot AC for a fee of £200,000.

[Dr Bob]

If memory serves me right, Mackay's agent played silly-buggers with us, so Smith turned elsewhere. After that, I think he was sacked by Mackay. Or have I been dreaming that for the last 20 years?

[Kernow Yellow]

Did we really pay £200k for Brian Wilsterman? Blimey.

[OUFC4eva]

12th January 2002 - United's first season at Grenoble Road and Ian Atkins was at the helm
and oversaw a 2-1 win for the U's over Swansea City on this day.
Goals from Andy Scott and Paul Moody earned the victory

Meanwhile owner and chairman Firoz Kassam's programme notes made interesting reading.
He wrote (the piece was most probably ghost written) 15 years ago:

" I cannot deny that many times along the way I have thought to myself what have I got myself into,
what was I thinking? With hindsight, we might have made the battle easier to fight.But in the end,
we did get things done, the stadium is a reality and the hotel is being built. We can now concentrate
on seeking funding for the fourth stand and strengthening the playing squad."

United - McCaldon; Stockley, Richardson, Crosby, Morley; Ricketts; Quinn, Whitehead, Powell; Moody, Scott

Att: 5,934

[OUFC4eva]

13th January 1984 - Chelsea FC sign Mickey Thomas and subsequently allow
22 year old winger Peter Rhoades-Brown to join Oxford Utd for £85,000.
He did have to wait to make his debut due to United's involvement with
Everton in the 5th Round of the League Cup that season.
33 years later PRB is still involved at United as Business Development Manager.

[OUFC4eva]

14th January 2006 - US based businessman and former U's youth team player Nick Merry is spotted
at Moss Rose, Macclesfield along side former U's legendary manager Jim Smith. The two were later that
winter to conclude a deal to buy the club. Struggling United, under Brian Talbot
salvaged a draw with a second half equaliser from Steve Basham.
New signing Andy Burgess, from Rushden and Diamonds, made
an impact coming off the bench for his first appearance after a £75,000 move
earlier in the week.

United - Tardif; Ashton, Willmott, Roget, Robinson; Mansell, Quinn, Hargreaves, Griffin; Basham, Sabin

Att: 1,972.

[OUFC4eva]

15th January 1972 - FA Cup third round day and the U's were drawn against Bill Shankly's Liverpool at the Manor.
The Reds were far too strong and cruised to a 3-0 victory with goals from Kevin Keegan (2)
and Alec Lindsay before 18,000. Daily Express reporter Eric Nicholls wrote that United had spent the previous
evening at Danny La Rue's Thames side pub - The Swan at Streatley.

United - Kearns; Way, Smithson, C.Clarke, Shuker; Evanson, Skeen, Fleming, Aylott; D.Clarke, Cassidy.

Liverpool - Clemence; Lawler, Smith, Ross, Lindsay; Hughes, Thompson, Hall, Callaghan; Evans, Keegan.

[Dr Bob]

15th January 1972 - FA Cup third round day and the U's were drawn against Bill Shankly's Liverpool at the Manor.
The Reds were far too strong and cruised to a 3-0 victory with goals from Kevin Keegan (2)
and Alec Lindsay before 18,000. Daily Express reporter Eric Nicholls wrote that United had spent the previous
evening at Danny La Rue's Thames side pub - The Swan at Streatley.

United - Kearns; Way, Smithson, C.Clarke, Shuker; Evanson, Skeen, Fleming, Aylott; D.Clarke, Cassidy.

Liverpool - Clemence; Lawler, Smith, Ross, Lindsay; Hughes, Thompson, Hall, Callaghan; Evans, Keegan.

No resting half the squad by Liverpool in those days...

[OUFC4eva]

16th January 1967 - 50 years to the day and Arthur Turner's United lost a second round FA Cup replay at Bedford Town
in front of a crowd of 11,913. The first game ended 1-1 at the Manor with striker Ron Fogg netting a second half
equaliser after Graham Atkinson netted for the U's - also in front of a near 12,000 crowd.

Bedford were thrashed at home by Peterborough in round three before more than 14,000 at The Eyrie.

United - Sherratt; Beavon, Kyle, Clarke, Quartermain; R.Atkinson, George, Shuker, Harrington; Jones, G.Atkinson