Oxford City

Oxford City FC is a non-league football club from the city of Oxford who were formed in 1882. Playing in friendly games, the club reached the final of the 1902-03 FA Amateur Cup, losing to Stockton in a replay at Feethams in Darlington after the first game ended 0-0 at Elm Park, Reading.

City returned to the final of the same competition in 1905-06. On this occasion, they defeated Bishop Auckland 3-0 at Stockton before becoming members of the Isthmian League a year later.

In the seasons either side of World War One, the club played in the Isthmian League without winning any notable competition. In 1949 City lost its status as the major club in Oxford as neighbours Headington United turned professional, eleven years before the became Oxford United.

A runners-up berth in the league in seasons 1934-35 and 1945-46 were as close as the club came to further honours.

Another second place finish in 1977-78 encouraged the club to push forward following the transition of semi-professional football. City became a limited company in 1979 and appointed Bobby Moore as manager with Harry Redknapp as his assistant.

Unfortunately for both parties, it wasn’t a success, with both big names leaving after a year. City were relegated to the second tier of the league in 1980, where they remained until the completion of the 1987-88 campaign.

This was the lowest point in the club’s history. Landlords Brasenose College evicted City from their historic White House Ground which was close to the city centre as the land was sold for housing. The club had no option but to resign from the Isthmian League.

After a break of two seasons, City were reformed and joined the Spartan South Midlands League, where they were placed in Division One, while playing their home games at Cutteslowe Park to the north of Oxford.

A third place debut season promoted City to the Premier Division. In 1992-93 the team lifted the league title and regained their Isthmian League place as they started out in Division Three as well as moving into a new home ground at Marsh Lane. Another debut third place ending led to another promotion.

The 1994-95 season put City firmly back on the non-league map. A magnificent FA Vase run saw City defeat Herne Bay, Milton United, Peacehaven & Telscombe, Croydon, Taunton Town, Canvey Island and Belper Town before going down 2-1 to Arlesey Town in the final at Wembley. To round off a sign few months, City also won promotion back to Division One of the Isthmian League.

A fourth successive promotion followed, although their spell in the top division only lasted two seasons before City suffered a relegation to Division One. Following a reorganisation of non-league football, that division became Division One North in 2002-03.

A sideways move to the Southern League Western Division came in 2004-05, which ended badly as the club were relegated back to the Spartan South Midlands League after just one season.

The club quickly recovered as that particular league title was lifted at the first attempt as they won a place in the Southern League Division One South West. A fourth place finish in 2007-08 led to promotion to the Premier Division, where City remained until the completion of the 2011-12 season.

City finished as runners-up and won promotion to Conference North. Even though the travel was problematic, the club gathered and the team performed well, remaining in that division until a place became available through the geographical locations of other clubs in the newly named National League South.

An excellent spell during the 2016-17 season led to City ended the campaign in fourteenth position. Justin Merritt had been in charge of the team from May 2014 before he stepped upstairs in December 2016 when Mark Jones stepped into the breach.

The team finished in midtable for three seasons but claimed some Football League scalps in the FA Cup in Colchester United and Northampton Town prior to Mark Jones departing in October 2019, to be replaced by interim bosses Justin Merritt and Andy Ballard.

The club continued to grow, adding age group teams of both genders as a couple of seasons were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as David Oldfield had a spell in charge of the team before being replaced by Ross Jenkins in March 2022, whose side reached the playoffs a month or so later.

Eastbourne Borough were defeated prior to a semi-final defeat to Dorking Wanderers. The playoffs were again reached in 2022-23, with this time City defeating Worthing and then St Albans City to reach promotion to the top level of non-league football.

However, the National League proved a step too far the Hoops as they went back down in 2023-24.

Oxford City FC will play in the National League in the 2023-24 season.

My visit

Oxford City 0 Wealdstone 3 (Tuesday August 16th) National League South (att: 303)

My good pal Tony Foster suggested that we head to Oxford, as neither had visited that particular ground or a City home game. Who was I to argue? I was picked up at North Harrow by my excellent driver on a very pleasant summer’s evening.

We arrived in really good time and got parked up at a really impressive complex for sport that seemed to be well used. Admission was £12, with a programme costing another couple of quid. It was time to take in the surroundings.

Marsh Lane really was a neat ground, and real credit to the club in how they’d developed it in a relatively short space of time. The far end goal and far touchline had terraced cover and open standing. The near side had a reasonable sized seated stand, with the changing room block towards the grounds entrance. The end nearest the gates was taken up by open flat standing and the clubhouse.

Going to buy a couple of teas I couldn’t resist the excellently priced food on offer and availed myself to a really good cheeseburger for £2.70. It seemed a shame that not every club could offer such good value for money.

We settled against the railing on the half way line on the far side between the benches. Wealdstone looked a really decent side on my first look at them in their current campaign. Their away kit of all gold also looked the part. Manager Gordon Bartlett was away, so his assistant Scott McGleish had taken the reigns.

After a tight first half of very few chances, the Stones started the second period with a flourish. On forty seven minutes a neat touch from new signing Elliot Benyon put in Danny Green to score, much to the delight of the usual decent sized and vocal Wealdstone following.

Benyon missed a guilt edged chance a couple of minutes later as he hit City keeper Jack Stevens with his free downward header. Around half way through the second period, Stones doubled their lead. Matty Whichelow lay in wide man Omar Koroma who cut inside before bending his shot into the far top corner of the net.

Five minutes later it was 3-0. Koroma dummied a ball to Tom Hamblin who set up Benyon who scored at the far post. City tried their best until the end, but Wealdstone closed the game out in relative comfort.

By now I was becoming excited. All the selections on my fixed odds coupon had come in, apart from the game at Doncaster Rovers, where the referee had been injured and the match delayed. We were back on the M40 before news came through on Twitter that Rovers had held out and my bet would pay for a few matches over the following week or so.

It rounded off a really good night out in very decent surroundings.