The former head coach was relieved of his duties last month after suffering relegation from the Championship with the U’s despite an upturn in form.

Oxford replaced Bloomfield three days later with ex-Arsenal and Premier League star Aaron Ramsey, appointing the 35-year-old into his first permanent head coach position.

The former boss issued a statement on Friday morning with the League Managers Association, breaking his silence after his sacking.

The Yellows squad returned to the club this week ahead of pre-season, beginning testing with Ramsey undertaking his first sessions with the players.

Bloomfield joined the club in January and improved the points per game from 0.88 to 1.19.

Clean sheets when from a league low of two up to six, with other statistics such as expected goals also improving.

Former Oxford United boss Matt Bloomfield had received positive feedback prior to his sacking (Image: Jason Dawson)

Bloomfield’s sacking drew shock from supporters and EFL spectators, mainly due to the timing of the decision.

It had been almost two months since the end of the 2025/26 season and pre-season was just around the corner.

With changes at board level and United quickly securing the services of their new boss, CEO Tim Williams assured fans that the club has made the right call.

Aaron Ramsey has been appointed the new Oxford United manager (Image: Oxford United)

“Whilst the timing of moving away from the previous head coach may seem a little bit rushed and a bit quick, I would disagree with that,” Williams told the media at Ramsey’s first press conference.

“I think we’ve got to the right point at the right time and made the right decision.”

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However, it is understood that internal feedback towards the former head coach’s management had been positive despite the relegation.

Bloomfield been given backing from leadership figures at the end of the campaign both privately and at post-season events.

Former Oxford United head coach Matt Bloomfield (Image: Jason Dawson)

The 42-year-old had been planning for League One since the end of last season, including recruitment and pre-season and was keen to implement a more defined and effective playing style.

These factors meant that there was shock within the club at the decision; players and staff had been in touch with Bloomfield expressing their surprise with few club members aware of the decision.

In addition, it is understood that the former Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers boss had overseen a series of improvements to the club’s culture and infrastructure, such as the installation of a new pitch at the Kassam Stadium.

Meanwhile, pre-season is now underway in OX4 under new boss Ramsey, with the squad set to travel to Spain on July 12 for a week-long, warm-weather training camp ahead of their pre-season friendlies and the 2026/27 League One season.

The third tier has seen plenty of change already this summer, with five managers being replaced even before the start of pre-season.

Oxford United were the latest to do so last week, appointing former Arsenal and Premier League icon Aaron Ramsey as their new boss.

Former head coach Matt Bloomfield, who unfortunately took the U’s down to League One after Championship relegation, was sacked on June 20, just over a week before the Yellows players reported back for pre-season.

An unknown quantity in his first permanent head coach position, Ramsey will lead United into the new season as the club looks to return to the second tier at the first time of asking.

Four managerial changes had occurred prior to Bloomfield’s dismissal, including the departure of two former Oxford bosses.

The first change following the end of the 2025/26 campaign was in South Yorkshire.

Barnsley parted ways with former Aston Villa man Conor Hourihane by mutual consent just before the end of the season which saw the Tykes finish 15th in League One.

Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane (Image: Cody Froggatt/PA Wire)

Ex-Republic of Ireland international Hourihane has since joined the new team in charge of Leicester City as assistant manager.

The Foxes were one of the other clubs to make a change.

After suffering relegation from the Championship last term under former Oxford boss Gary Rowett, the club replaced the outgoing head coach with former Rangers and Southampton boss Russell Martin.

Gary Rowett applauds the fans (Image: James Holyoak/PA Wire)

Rowett was contracted until the end of the season and Martin was announced as his successor on June 15, returning to League One for the first time since leaving MK Dons in 2021.

Leicester are currently odds-on favourites to win promotion from the third tier at 5/6 according to BetVictor.

Former Yellows boss Liam Manning is another manager to make way before the new season.

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Former Oxford United head coach Liam Manning has left Huddersfield Town (Image: Chris Radburn/PA Wire)

After taking compassionate leave away from Huddersfield Town in March, Manning was out of action until the end of the season.

The 40-year-old was confirmed to have left the Terriers permanently by mutual consent on May 11.

He has since been replaced by Martin Drury who was acting head coach during Manning’s absence.

Finally, Dave Challinor left play-off final losers Stockport County last month by mutual consent.

Stockport were defeated 4-1 by Bolton Wanderers at Wembley and Challinor left the club a week later.

The former Hatters boss had been in charge since 2021 and had taken the club from the National League to League One during that time.

Jimmy McNulty was announced as Challinor’s replacement, joining from National League play-off final winners Rochdale.

Romeny joined the U’s in January 2025 from Dutch side Utrecht for a reporter club-record signing, with Oxford going on to secure survival in the Championship under Gary Rowett that season.

The 26-year-old’s game time was limited last season with the forward playing only 16 times in the league, two of which were from the start, thanks to injury and a struggle to break into the team under Matt Bloomfield.

The Indonesia international has played 32 times for United in total during his 18 months at the Kassam, scoring one goal which came in a 3-2 defeat to Coventry City in March 2025.

Romeny is now being linked with a move away from the club with Fortuna Sittard of the Netherlands reportedly offering a route back to his country of birth.

Ole Romeny is reportedly on the verge of leaving Oxford United (Image: Mike Allen)

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Dutch reporter Mounir Boualin has said that Fortuna’s deal for the Oxford forward is close with a medical scheduled and only the fine details needing to be ironed out.

The journalist had said previously that Romeny is a ‘serious contender’ to bolster the attack of the Dutch outfit.

The forward is an Indonesian international due to his maternal grandmother who, despite being ethnically Dutch, was born in Medan when it was still called the Dutch East Indies.

Oxford United’s owner Erick Thohir is an Indonesian business and Minister of Youth and Sports in Indonesia.