Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club originally formed in 1893 under the name Headington United. The club played in local Oxfordshire leagues until being elected into the Southern League in 1949. It was at this time the club turned professional. The club adopted its present name in 1960 and was elected into the Football League in 1962, replacing Accrington Stanley. Promotion to the Third Division followed in 1965, and the club were promoted again 3 years later and enjoyed an eight-year spell in the Football League Second Division, before being relegated. "The U's" reached the top tier of English football in 1985 after successive promotions, where they stayed for 3 years. During this time United won their only piece of major silverware, the 1986 Football League Cup.

Apart from relegation to the redesignated Second Division (the old Third Division after the creation of the Premier League) and subsequent promotion shortly afterwards, Oxford United remained in the second tier for eleven years until 1999. After this a decline set in, with two relegations in three years to the Football League Third Division, the fourth tier of English football. In 2006 Oxford became the first club to have reached the First Division and won a major trophy to be relegated from the Football League. One of the teams to be promoted were Conference champions Accrington Stanley, 44 years after Accrington lost their league status to Oxford. United gained promotion back to the Football League after beating York City 3–1 in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final. After six seasons in League Two they finished 2nd in the table and were promoted to League One, the third tier of the English football pyramid.

Seasons SeasonLeagueFA CupLeagueCupOtherTop scorer(s)NotesDivisionPWDLFAPtsPos1893–94Only friendlies were playedBrodetsky. The Complete Record, p.370.1894–95OCJAbandoned because of weather postponementsBrodetsky. The Complete Record, p.11.1895–96OCJ1241718279 1896–97OCJ1001252 1897–98OCJ7610252131stBrodetsky. The Complete Record, p.12.1898–99OCJ7511218111stH. Knowles 8Brodetsky. The Complete Record, p.371.1899–1900ODL9324191383rdH. Knowles41900–01CJL10316171554thOSCR1S. Wakelin4Brodetsky. The Complete Record, p.372.1901–02ODL8422186103rdOSCFC. Clinkard41902–03ODL1100602 Six players1Brodetsky. The Complete Record. p.14.1903–04ODL6501187152nd P. Tolley5Brodetsky. The Complete Record. p.373.1904–05Did not play senior league football this season1931–32Oxon2216067233484thExpreOSCR11932–33Oxon2010195338316thPrelimOSCSF1933–34Oxon22102106263328thOSCR11934–35Oxon2282124949267thExpreOSCR21935–36Oxon2015056238502ndExpreOSCW1936–37Oxon2416269450503rdExpreOSCSF1937–38Oxon2619348338602ndPrelimOSCSF1938–39Oxon26242012521741stQR1OSCF1939–40Oxon2111375736364th OSCSF1940–41Oxon251258794141n/a1941–42Oxon1811346941363rdOSCF1942–43Oxonn/aOSCR21943–44Oxon123362636125thOSCR11944–45Oxon1810264629324thOSCR21945–46Oxon129215522292ndQR2OSCF1946–47OxonAbandoned because of weather postponementsQR2OSCR21947–48SP1W2414557837475thPrelimOSCW1948–49SP1W2616198748494thPrelimOSCSF1949–50SL461572472973721stQR1SLCR1Jim Smith151950–51SL441811158483477thQR1SLCR1Bill Rowstron241951–52SL4216111555534311thQR3SLCR1Vic Barney131952–53SL42231279350581stQR4SLCWNorman Mills221953–54SL42229116843532ndR4SLCWKen Smith171954–55SL421871782624310thR1SLCR1Harry Yates251955–56SL421761982864015thQR4SLCQR2Jimmy Smillie251956–57SL42197166461459thQR4SLCR2Lionel Phillips131957–58SL42187179083439thQR4SLCQR1Jack Cross231958–59SL341631576613510thR2SLCR1Joe Dickson271959–60SLP42238117861542ndR1SLCR2Geoff Denial241960–61SLP422710510443641stR3SLCR2Tony Jones381961–62SLP42285911846611stR1SLCQR2Bud Houghton431962–63Div 44613151870714118thR3R1Bud Houghton181963–64Div 44614131959634118thR6R1Arthur Longbottom141964–65Div 44623158874461 4thR1R2Colin Booth231965–66Div 3461981970744614thR1R1Graham Atkinson191966–67Div 34615131861664316thR2R1Graham Atkinson151967–68Div 3462213116947571stR1R3Mick Bullock161968–69Div 2421292134553320thR3R1John Shuker81969–70Div 24212151535423915thR3R5Ken Skeen131970–71Div 24214141441484214thR5R3Ken Skeen91971–72Div 24212141643553815thR3R3Nigel Cassidy131972–73Div 242197165243458thR4R2AICGrpHugh Curran171973–74Div 24210161635463618thR3R2Hugh Curran141974–75Div 24215121541514211thR3R1Derek Clarke91975–76Div 24211112039593320thR3R2Mick Tait121976–77Div 34612151955653917thR1R1Peter Foley131977–78Div 34613141964674018thR1R2Peter Foley211978–79Div 34614181444504611thR1R3Jason Seacole111979–80Div 34614131957624117thR1R3Paul Berry141980–81Div 34613171639474314thR2R3Malcolm Shotton71981–82Div 3461914136349715thR5R3FLGCGrpKeith Cassells221982–83Div 3462212127153785thR3R2FLTGrpMick Vinter141983–84Div 346281179150951stR5R5AMCR1Steve Biggins241984–85Div 24225988436841stR4R4John Aldridge341985–86Div 14210122062804218thR3WFMCFJohn Aldridge311986–87Div 14211131844694618thR3R4FMCR3John Aldridge211987–88Div 1406132144803121stR4SFFMCR2Dean Saunders211988–89Div 24614122062705417thR4R2FMCR1Martin Foyle151989–90Div 2461592257665417thR4R1FMCR1John Durnin151990–91Div 24614191369666110thR4R4FMCR3Paul Simpson181991–92Div 24613112266735021stR4R2FMCR1Jim Magilton131992–93Div 14614141853565614thR3R2AICGrpJim Magilton131993–94Div 14613102354754923rdR5R2AICGrpJohn Byrne91994–95Div 2462112136652737thR1R2AMCQFPaul Moody241995–96Div 2462411117639832ndR4R2AMCR2Paul Moody241996–97Div 1461692164685717thR3R4Nigel Jemson231997–98Div 14616102060645812thR3R4Joey Beauchamp191998–99Div 14610142248714423rdR4R1Dean Windass181999–2000Div 2461292543734520thR3R3AMCQFMatt Murphy17FLTR32000–01Div 2467633531002724thR2R1FLTR1Phil Gray92001–02Div 34611142153624721stR1R1FLTR1Paul Moody132002–03Div 3461912155747698thR3R3FLTR1Andy Scott112003–04Div 3461817115544719thR1R2FLTR1Steve Basham152004–05Lge 24616111950635915thR1R1FLTR1Tommy Mooney152005–06Lge 24611161943574923rdR2R1FLTAQFSteve Basham132006–07Conf Nat46221596633812nd R1FATR2Robert Duffy212007–08Conf Nat462011155648719thR2FATR1Yemi Odubade11CLCR42008–09Conf Nat462410127251777thR2FATR2James Constable26CLCR32009–10Conf Nat44251186431863rd R2FATR4James Constable232010–11Lge 24617121758606312th R1R2FLTR1James Constable172011–12Lge 2461717125948689th R1R1FLTAQFJames Constable112012–13Lge 246198196061659th R3R2FLTASFJames Constable142013–14Lge 2461614165350628thR3R1FLTR2James Constable122014–15Lge 24615161549486113th R2R2FLTR1Danny Hylton162015–16Lge 246241488441862ndR4R2FLTFinalKemar Roofe262016–17Lge 1 46 20 9 17 65 52 69 8th R5 R2 FLT FinalChris Maguire172017–18Lge 1 46 15 11 20 61 66 56 16th R1 R1 FLT R4James Henry, Wes Thomas112018–19Lge 1 46 15 15 16 58 64 60 12th R3 R3 FLT R4James Henry152019–20Lge 1 35 17 9 9 61 37 60 4th R4 QF FLT R2Matty Taylor172020–21Lge 1 46 22 8 16 77 56 74 6th R1 R2 FLT SFMatty Taylor132021–22Lge 1 46 22 10 14 82 59 76 8th R1 R2 FLT GRPMatty Taylor222022–23Lge 1 46 11 14 21 49 56 47 19th R3 R2 FLT GRPCameron Brannagan122023–24Lge 1 46 22 11 13 79 56 775th R3 R1 FLT R2Mark Harris192024–25Champ 46 13 14 19 49 65 53 17th R3 R2 Mark Harris, Greg Leigh62025–26Champ 46 11 14 21 45 59 47 22nd R4 R2 Will Lankshear12

Key Division shown in bold when it changes because of promotion, relegation or league reorganisation. Top scorer shown in bold when he set or equalled a club record.

Key to league record: P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

Key to divisions: Champ = EFL Championship Div 1 = Football League First Division Div 2 = Football League Second Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 4 = Football League Fourth Division Lge 2 = Football League Two Conf Nat = Conference National OCJ = Oxfordshire City Junior A Division ODL = Oxfordshire District League OSC = Oxfordshire Senior Cup Oxon = Oxfordshire Senior Football League SLP = Southern Football League Premier SP1W = Spartan League Division 1 (Western) AIC = Anglo-Italian Cup AMC = Associate Members Cup CLC = Conference League Cup FAT = FA Trophy FLGC = Football League Group Cup FLT = Football League Trophy FMC = Full Members Cup SLC = Southern League Cup

Key to rounds: Expre = Extra Preliminary round Prelim = Preliminary round Q1 = Qualifying Round 1 Q2 = Qualifying Round 2 Q3 = Qualifying Round 3 Q4 = Qualifying Round 4 R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5

R6 = Round 6 Grp = Group stage AQF = Area Quarter-finals QF = Quarter-finals ASF = Area Semi-finals SF = Semi-finals F = Southern Final Final = Runners-Up W = Winners

ChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegated

Notes A. The Football League Cup competition did not start until the 1960–61 season. B. There are no complete records of scorers until 1898 C. Includes goals scored in the Oxon League, City Junior League, Oxfordshire District League, the Football League (including play-offs), FA Cup, Anglo-Italian Cup, Football League Cup, Associate Members' Cup/Football League Trophy, Conference National (including playoffs), FA Trophy and Conference League Cup. D. The FA Cup was not held until 1945 because of World War 2. E. The league records are incomplete. G. Headington left the Oxfordshire Senior League and moved into the Spartan League. H. Headington United were elected into the Southern League. I. Headington United were disqualified following an appeal from Wycombe Wanderers. J. Despite finishing as champions, Oxford United failed to be elected into the Football League. K. Oxford United were elected into the football league, replacing the original Accrington Stanley. L. From the 1981–82 season, points were allocated on the basis of 3 for a win and 1 for a draw; previously only two points had been given for a win. M. The Football League Group Cup was renamed Football League Trophy for the 1982–83 season. The current tournament of the same name was originally the Associate Members Cup. N. Oxford United reached the Southern Final round, but failed to reach the overall final. O. Division Two re-designated Division One on formation of the F.A. Premier League. P. Football League Division Three renamed "League Two" because of a sponsorship change. Q. After qualifying for the play-offs, Oxford United lost on penalties in the semi-finals against Exeter City. AA. Only one match was played before the competition was scrapped and replaced with a Junior Cup. AB. A match against St Paul's was a walkover. AC. No table was kept as a way of ordering the teams. AD. A match against Cowley Juniors was a walkover. AE. Oxford United went on to the league final, winning it in consecutive seasons. AF. Oxford's application to join the second division of the Oxfordshire District League was accepted. AG. Because of the Boer War, Oxford were forced to withdraw from the Oxfordshire District League as 10 members of the team were on active duty. However, the following season they returned to the league. AH. A match against College Servants was a walkover. AI. Oxford were deducted 2 points for fielding an illegible player. AJ. After crowd trouble during a game against Victoria, Oxford were banned from playing matches within three miles of their ground, and such could not fulfill their league fixtures. AK. Only 44 games were played because of the expulsion of Chester City halfway through the season. AL. Oxford were promoted through the play-offs, beating York City 3–1 at Wembley Stadium. AM. The League one season was suspended on 3 March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with clubs voting to curtail the season three months later. Positions were decided based on points per game (PPG). AN. Oxford were promoted through the play-offs, beating Bolton Wanderers 2–0 at Wembley Stadium.

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