On 27 October 1893, in a pub in Headington, the team we now know as Oxford United was born. On 27 October 2026 the club turns 133 years old. It began as a village side looking for something to do in winter and went on to lift a trophy at Wembley.

Football to get through the winter

It all started at the Britannia Inn in Headington, a village on the hill above Oxford. The local doctor, Robert Hitchings, called a meeting of the cricket club members so they would have a sport and stay fit through the winter months.

Beside him was the Reverend John Scott-Tucker, vicar of St Andrew's Church, who became the first president. Both of them even played in the first match, on 25 November 1893, against the soldiers of Cowley Barracks.

From Headington to Oxford

At first they were simply "the boys from up the hill". In 1911, after a merger with Headington Quarry, the word "United" was added and the team became Headington United.

The club turned professional in 1949 and in 1960 was renamed Oxford United, to become known beyond the village. From 1925 to 2001 its home was the Manor Ground, and since 2001 it has been the Kassam Stadium.

From orange to yellow

The first shirt was striped in orange and blue, with dark blue shorts. The fine stripes of that first kit returned as a tribute in the 2018 badge, made for the club's 125th anniversary.

Yellow arrived in the late 1950s, at first with black shorts, and became tied to the new Oxford United era. Since the early 1990s the classic kit has been a yellow shirt with navy shorts and socks. That is why fans call the team "The Yellows" or, more often, "The U's".

An ox from the author of The Naked Ape

The city's name refers to the river crossing (ford) used by oxen (ox). That is why an ox crossing water has appeared on the club's badges since as early as 1949.

In 1979 the ox head was designed by an unexpected man: zoologist Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape and then a club director. He drew on a Minoan-style bull's head, with roots in ancient Crete.

The big day at Wembley

In the 1980s Oxford rose fast. With Jim Smith as manager they won two promotions in a row and reached the top flight in 1985, while John Aldridge scored 30 league goals in a single season, a club record.

On 20 April 1986 came the greatest moment: a 3-0 win over QPR in the Milk Cup final at Wembley, with goals from Trevor Hebberd, Ray Houghton and Jeremy Charles. Manager Maurice Evans gave his medal to physio Ken Fish. Because English clubs were banned after Heysel, Oxford never got to play in the UEFA Cup.

Ron Atkinson holds the appearance record with 560 games. And the story went on: a return to the Football League in 2010 and, in 2024, a 2-0 play-off final win over Bolton that took the team to the Championship after 25 years.

Celebrate with us

From a table in a pub to the stands of Wembley, Oxford United proved that the little team from the hill can dream big. Its yellow and blue are now a trademark of English football beyond the big cities.

Happy birthday, U's! Here's to many more years full of yellow light.

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Oxford's Kassam Stadium – Nigel Cox, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.