Oxford United

[Victor Meldrew]

Not wishing to be libellous but some Russian businessmen are thought to have gained their wealth in extremely dubious circumstances (allegedly).

[From Despair To Where?]

Any time we play them, I hate them with a passion, more than any other club. The rest of the time, they're just another club.

[Royal Rother]

Higher achievers than Reading historically but seem to be stuck at the lower levels.

Higher achievers historically? An odd way of looking at it. Yes, for a very brief period in time Oxford Utd out-achieved Reading but for most of our club's history Oxford have been miles below us.

Ah but of course, you're in one of those "I'm going to sound very neutral but actually have a little poke at Reading FC as often as I can" phases we see every time we have a bad run of form.

[SLAMMED]

Don't mind them tbh. Mate at work is an Oxford fan and always ask how they got on.

[Victor Meldrew]

Higher achievers than Reading historically but seem to be stuck at the lower levels.

Higher achievers historically? An odd way of looking at it. Yes, for a very brief period in time Oxford Utd out-achieved Reading but for most of our club's history Oxford have been miles below us.

Ah but of course, you're in one of those "I'm going to sound very neutral but actually have a little poke at Reading FC as often as I can" phases we see every time we have a bad run of form.

It is a club that has actually won something (unlike us)and they got to the top level before us so historically they have outperformed us.
In a bit of a thick mode today RR?
I'm not having a poke about us I am standing up for Oxford,a club derided on here by pompous posters who look down on a small club but get all stroppy when the big clubs look down on us or is that just the Reading Way? .
Oh and I am the victim of a mixed marriage , Reading/Oxford so I see both sides equally but whenever we play them I detest them with a vengeance.

[Royal Rother]

I think my 3rd sentence summed it up. No further comment required.

Yes, for a very brief period in time Oxford Utd out-achieved Reading but for most of our club's history Oxford have been miles below us.

[Victor Meldrew]

I think my 3rd sentence summed it up. No further comment required.

Yes, for a very brief period in time Oxford Utd out-achieved Reading but for most of our club's history Oxford have been miles below us.

But they have won one of the major English football competitions-we never have despite being a league club for so much longer.
No further comment needed.

[Royal Rother]

Big whoopee.

Reading have been in a higher league for most of both clubs' history, therefore historically Reading have been higher achievers than Oxford.

It's not difficult to understand really. But if you want to base your assessment of a whole century + on one trophy and one very brief period in time then sobeit. I am aware that nothing anybody says will EVER alter your perception one iota (on anything) so here's where I withdraw gracefully.

[peterroyal76]

I think my 3rd sentence summed it up. No further comment required.

Yes, for a very brief period in time Oxford Utd out-achieved Reading but for most of our club's history Oxford have been miles below us.

But they have won one of the major English football competitions-we never have despite being a league club for so much longer.
No further comment needed.

Over 20 years ago! The thing about history is, its all in the past. The present is what matter!

[Victor Meldrew]

A very narrow view of life and would you have said the same when Oxford were playing at the top level and we were stumbling along in the lower divisions?

[The Gent]

We may have hard times over the last 20 odd years, we may be stuck in a 3 sided ground that we don't own and we may be broke..

But I am proud to be an OUFC fan

[Royal Rother]

Nothing wrong with that. So you should be.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I think my 3rd sentence summed it up. No further comment required.

Yes, for a very brief period in time Oxford Utd out-achieved Reading but for most of our club's history Oxford have been miles below us.

But they have won one of the major English football competitions-we never have despite being a league club for so much longer.
No further comment needed.

The league cup was only created two years before Oxford joined the league, so it's hardly a massive advantage.

They also played in the top flight when cups were pretty open and had many winners, unlike our period in the top flight, when cups are usually won by the "big 4".


Since joining the league Oxford have had more seasons in the top two divisions than Reading in the same period - 21 years to Reading's 17. On the other hand they've had 15 years in the 4th tier or lower, compared to just 8 for Reading.

The twist is that while moving to the Madejski pushed Reading on to new heights, Oxford's move at about the same time has brought about easily the worst period in their league history.

[peterroyal76]

A very narrow view of life and would you have said the same when Oxford were playing at the top level and we were stumbling along in the lower divisions?

No I wouldn't have said that, I actually couldn't give a shit what oxf*rd do unless we're playing them.

[Victor Meldrew]

In reply to the Rev:-

I don't particularly want to argue about which is the more successful club-it comes down to the individual perception of success,i.e is it about winning things or just existing in one of the 4 divisions?.
What I don't like is the fairly new trend of some of our fans that now look down on our neighbours,fans that have never had to look up to them and marvel at their success.
I do dispute your point about cups being more open back then as all teams played their best sides in cup competitions which is so unlike what happens now when you could reach a final just by playing other sides' reserve teams.

[Jackson Corner]

Oxford's success was all down to Maxwell. A man who loved the club so much he wanted to merge it with another 40 miles away? He then stole money from the Mirror Group and it's pension fund to pay for there metoric rise and league cup win. Ever wonder how a club with 12,000 fans in a piss pot stadium could afford Aldridge Houghton and Wright? Of course no one new this at the time and it seemed a fairy tail. My uncle worked for the Mirror group. When it collapsed after 23 years service he had no reduncey no pension which he had paid in to along with thousends of others. Try telling them about the Oxford fairy tail.

[handbags_harris]

Don't forget the transfers of Wright and Saunders (and probably others) to Derby...who Maxwell owned as well.

My views on Oxford? IN many ways I view them similarly to Norwich - beautiful city, play in yellow, hate the club. Loved 05/06 - promoted with a record points total to the Premier League, Oxford relegated out of the league. Swindon being relegated was just a cherry on the cake really.

All that said, they are being absolutely shafted by both Maxwell and Kassam and no club deserves to be shafted in that manner. They try to keep themselves sensibly run, they're not like Portsmouth who spent well over the odds in the pursuit of relative success. Tough times for their fans for 20-odd years after the fallout from Maxwell's fraudulanet activities, which only came to light after he died iirc, until 2010 when they were promoted back to the league. They're a well supported club, a solid 5k turn up week in week out, fair play to them for that. Still can't get into my head how they have never sold out an allocation at the Madejski though

[The Gent]

Oxford's success was all down to Maxwell. A man who loved the club so much he wanted to merge it with another 40 miles away? He then stole money from the Mirror Group and it's pension fund to pay for there metoric rise and league cup win. Ever wonder how a club with 12,000 fans in a piss pot stadium could afford Aldridge Houghton and Wright? Of course no one new this at the time and it seemed a fairy tail. My uncle worked for the Mirror group. When it collapsed after 23 years service he had no reduncey no pension which he had paid in to along with thousends of others. Try telling them about the Oxford fairy tail.

Firstly can I say you can win an award for the most clueless post on this thread!

Most posters have been fair...

Reading is not 40 miles away from Oxford for starters, maybe 24 or so depending on where you are.

Also Maxwell was not a financial investor in the Oxford team, Jim Smith created a great side out of free transfers and some smart purchases.

The Manor was a fantastic ground for atmosphere and we put the fear of God into the biggest sides in the country, yes it was a bit of a dump but piss pot it ain't!!!

You want to get your nose out of the air son.

[biscuitman]

So it was a 'bit of a dump', but certainly not a 'piss pot'. That doesn't make sense.

[Royal With Cheese]

The Manor was a fantastic ground for atmosphere and we put the fear of God into the biggest sides in the country, yes it was a bit of a dump but piss pot it ain't!!!

ORLY?

I went to the Manor a few times in their 1st division days, and with Reading when they played in the lower leagues. I stood on the London Road terrace and found the atmosphere as intimidating as Alan Carr.

Don't worry about it mate. I have the same opinion of Elm Park as you have of the Manor Ground. They were both shit holes but they were our shit holes.