The 2014–15 season was Oxford United's fifth season in League Two after returning from the Conference, and their first under new manager Michael Appleton. They finished 13th in the table, following an 8th-place finish in League Two in 2013–14.
In July 2014, private equity broker Darryl Eales took over the club from previous owner Ian Lenagan and installed Mark Ashton as Chief Executive and former Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers manager Michael Appleton as head coach. The new management team had little time to assemble a side, with Danny Hylton (signed by outgoing manager Gary Waddock to replace long-serving forward James Constable) the only new player among the first-team squad at the time of the takeover. The season opened badly: a series of four narrow defeats left United pointless and at the foot of the League Two table and fearing a second relegation to non-League football. Matters gradually improved, but the team never reached the top half of the table and calls were heard during the season for Appleton's dismissal. An unbeaten run of eight games (including five wins) at the end of the season eased relegation fears and led to a 13th-place finish, the club's highest position during the season. This late upturn, alongside the solid strike record of leading scorer Hylton and the performances of loanees Tyrone Barnett and Kemar Roofe (the latter to sign permanently after the season ended), gave cause for optimism for the following season, and dampened criticism of what was ultimately an underwhelming season.
United beat Grimsby Town of the National League in the first round of the FA Cup, but were eliminated by fellow League Two side Tranmere Rovers after a second-round replay. After an eye-catching first-round away victory over higher-division opposition in the shape of eventual League One champions Bristol City, the club were narrowly eliminated from the League Cup in the second round, losing 7–6 on penalties to Premier League side West Bromwich Albion after a hard-fought 1–1 draw at The Hawthorns. Oxford fell at the first hurdle in the Football League Trophy, losing to Cheltenham Town in the first round.
It was the club's 121st year in existence, their 115th of competitive football and their 66th since turning professional. This article covers the period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015.
Team kit
Match fixtures and results
Pre-season
League Two
League table
Results The fixtures for the 2014–15 season were announced on 18 June 2014 at 9am.
Results summary
Results by round
FA Cup
The draw for the first round of the FA Cup was made on 27 October 2014.
League Cup
The draw for the first round was made on 17 June 2014 at 10am. Oxford United were drawn away to Bristol City.
Football League Trophy
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
Top scorers
PlacePositionNationNumberNameLeague TwoFA CupLeague CupJP TrophyTotal1 FW 10 Danny Hylton 14 0 2 0 162 FW 27 Tyrone Barnett 4 2 0 0 6MF 29 Kemar Roofe 6 0 0 0 64 FW 31 James Roberts 3 2 0 0 55 FW 15 Callum O'Dowda 4 0 0 0 46 MF 11 Alfie Potter 2 1 0 0 3MF 11 Alex MacDonald 3 0 0 0 3MF 7 Danny Rose 2 1 0 0 39 MF 19 Michael Collins 2 0 0 0 2DF 5 Johnny Mullins 2 0 0 0 211 DF 12 George Baldock 1 0 0 0 1FW 26 Wes Burns 1 0 0 0 1FW 36 John Campbell 1 0 0 0 1FW 9 Patrick Hoban 1 0 0 0 1FW 28 Alex Jakubiak 1 0 0 0 1FW 22 Sam Long 1 0 0 0 1FW 9 Carlton Morris 0 0 1 0 1FW 27 Kyle Vassell 1 0 0 0 1Own goals10001TOTALS5063059
Disciplinary record
NumberNationPositionNameLeague TwoFA CupLeague CupJP TrophyTotal1 GK Ryan Clarke 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 02 DF Jonathan Meades 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 13 DF Joe Skarz 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 05 DF Johnny Mullins 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 06 DF Jake Wright 4 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 7 07 MF Danny Rose 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 08 MF Junior Brown 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 19 FW Carlton Morris 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 010 FW Danny Hylton 9 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 11 011 MF Alex MacDonald 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 012 DF George Baldock 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 014 MF Josh Ruffels 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 016 DF Andy Whing 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 018 GK George Long 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 019 MF Michael Collins 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 021 GKMax Crocombe 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 022 MFSam Long 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 025 DFJoe Riley 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 025 FWArmand Gnanduillet 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 027 FWTyrone Barnett 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 129 MFBrian Howard 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 029 MFKemar Roofe 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 039 FWPatrick Hoban 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 044 FWWill Hoskins 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0TOTALS57 1 3 0 3 1 1 1 63 3
Transfers Players transferred inDatePos.NameFromFeeRef.6 June 2014FW Danny Hylton Rotherham UnitedFree15 July 2014MF Michael Collins Scunthorpe UnitedFree31 July 2014MF Junior Brown Fleetwood TownFree25 August 2014FW Will Hoskins Brighton & Hove AlbionFree15 September 2014MF Brian Howard Birmingham CityFree21 November 2014FW Patrick Hoban DundalkUndisclosed27 November 2014FW John Campbell Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community AssociationUndisclosed24 January 2015DF Joe Skarz Rotherham UnitedFree2 February 2015MF Alex MacDonald Burton AlbionUndisclosed3 February 2015GK Jamie Ashdown Crawley TownFree9 February 2015FW Jeremy Balmy Notts CountyFreePlayers transferred outDatePos.NameToFeeRef.8 May 2014MF Scott Davies Dunstable TownFree8 May 2014MF Sean Rigg AFC WimbledonFree20 May 2014FW Deane Smalley Plymouth ArgyleFree21 May 2014FW James Constable EastleighFree24 December 2014FW Tyrone Marsh Ebbsfleet UnitedFree7 January 2015MF Junior Brown Mansfield TownFree9 January 2015DF Michael Raynes Mansfield TownFree16 January 2015MF Alfie Potter AFC WimbledonFree27 January 2015DF Tom Newey Northampton TownFreePlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.25 July 2014GK George Long Sheffield UnitedJanuary 201528 July 2014DF Joe Riley Bolton Wanderers1 January 20154 August 2014FW Carlton Morris Norwich City23 October 201413 August 2014FW Alex Jakubiak Watford4 November 201410 September 2014FW Tyrone Barnett Peterborough United12 December 201416 October 2014DF Tareiq Holmes-Dennis Charlton Athletic2 February 201520 November 2014DF Chey Dunkley Kidderminster Harriers1 January 201527 November 2014FW Wes Burns Bristol City2 February 201529 January 2015DF Richard Brindley Rotherham United29 February 201512 February 2015DF George Baldock Milton Keynes Dons30 June 201513 February 2015MF Kemar Roofe West Bromwich Albion30 June 201519 February 2015FW Giorgio Rasulo Milton Keynes Dons26 March 20152 March 2015FW Armand Gnanduillet Chesterfield26 March 201526 March 2015FW Kyle Vassell Peterborough United30 June 2015Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.5 August 2014FW Tyrone Marsh Welling United24 December 201429 August 2014FW Josh Shama Banbury United26 September 201429 August 2014DF Matt Bevans Farnborough26 September 201429 August 2014MF Aidan Hawtin Banbury United26 September 201430 October 2014DF Tom Newey Northampton Town2 January 201531 October 2014DF David Hunt Barnetend-January 201520 November 2014MF Sam Long Kidderminster Harriers1 January 201527 November 2014MF Junior Brown Mansfield Town3 January 201517 February 2015FW John Campbell Torquay United30 June 201520 February 2015GK Max Crocombe Nuneaton Town30 June 201513 March 2015FW Josh Shama Farnborough Town30 June 201513 March 2015FW Jeremy Balmy Oxford City30 June 2015
References