The legendary football coach, who managed clubs such as Leeds United, Crystal Palace, and Middlesbrough, appeared at Oxford’s training ground and posed with some of The U’s players on social media.

Yellows stars, Brodie Spencer, Ciaron Brown, Will Vaulks, and Michal Helik were all pictured with Warnock in a photo that the 77-year-old shared on his X account.

Warnock is a friend of Craig Short, a coach on the team at Oxford who has acted as caretaker boss on a number of occasions, with the duo spending two years together at Sheffield United from 2005 to 2007.

In Oxford today so popped in to see all the lads who I had signed over the years at various clubs!

Can you name them all? pic.twitter.com/wLXQDDRQMm

— Neil Warnock (@warnockofficial) April 29, 2026

Short was a defender for the Blades in that period whilst Warnock was in charge.

The U’s players pictured with the cult hero manager all played under him at various points in Warnock’s career.

READ MORE: Stoppage time costs Oxford United in relegation battle

READ MORE: Oxford United, Portsmouth in race for Aston Villa starlet

Spencer and Helik were both at Huddersfield Town during Warnock’s second spell the club in 2023 with lasted seven months.

Midfielder Vaulks played under the current Torquay United football advisor at Rotherham United whilst Brown was managed by him at Cardiff City.

The visit comes four days after relegation to League One was confirmed for The U’s and three days before their final Championship game of the season against Millwall.

The Yellows were relegated to League One last weekend ahead of their 4-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in which Will Lankshear scored an impressive brace, Will Vaulks and Myles Peart-Harris also getting on the scoresheet.

After a strong run of games which saw The U’s defeated only once in eight games, losses to Derby County and Wrexham proved the killer blow to their survival hopes.

A messy pre-season, lack of consistency and poor start to the campaign all proved factors in United’s struggle but one than data has highlighted is the late dropping of points in matches.

It has not happened on many occasions against Oxford, but if all Championship games so far this campaign were to have ended on the stroke of 90 minutes, The U’s would have retained their second-tier status.

An early example of this happening against The U’s was back in August when they were defeated 3-2 away at Hull City under Gary Rowett.

Rowett’s men had found themselves at 2-2 after just 26 minutes and were holding on for a draw in East Yorkshire.

Oxford United concede in stoppage time at Hull City (Image: Richard Parkes)

However, experienced striker Oli McBurnie had other ideas, finding a winner in the 93rd minute to break U’s hearts.

The most significant late disappointment, though, came more recently against relegation rivals Charlton Athletic in March.

A good performance and a first penalty in 675 days had seen Oxford lead 1-0 at the Kassam, Cameron Brannagan tucking away the long-awaited spot kick.

READ MORE: Sheffield Wednesday surprise after heavy Oxford United loss

READ MORE: Oxford United, Portsmouth in race for Aston Villa starlet

READ MORE: Will Lankshear apologises after Oxford United relegation

Oxford United’s Cameron Brannagan celebrates scoring (Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

Late pressure came from the Addicks and a moment of weakness from centre back Ciaron Brown saw the Northern Ireland international pull Charlton defender Lloyd Jones to the floor in the penalty box.

Charlie Kelman stepped up in the 93rd minute to rescue a point for Nathan Jones’ side, snatching two from the grasp of Matt Bloomfield’s men.

Charlton Athletic’s Charlie Kelman celebrates scoring (Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

Charlton went on to be the closest rival to Oxford on the penultimate match day of the season, their draw against Hull last weekend seeing them climb out of The Yellows’ reach.

The late draw that the Addicks rescued in March is made all the more significant as, if stoppage time were not included this season, Charlton would be sitting in the relegation zone and six points worse off across the campaign.

The U’s would have one extra point, according to data from OLBG – each team’s position was calculated by taking away their goals scored in stoppage time and after the 75th minute in each respective game – and be out of the bottom three in 21st place.

The U’s had their relegation confirmed on Saturday ahead of their 4-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday and are set to return to the third tier of English football after two seasons in the Championship.

Head coach Matt Bloomfield admitted after the weekend’s win that preparations for next season would begin imminently and is has been reported by reporter Pete O’Rourke that The Yellows are set to battle Portsmouth for the signing of Villa starlet O’Reilly.

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

The 22-year-old has spent the current campaign on loan at League Two outfit Crewe Alexandra, netting seven goals and securing 11 assists in 45 fourth-tier appearances.

Crewe currently sit in 10th place in the division, 10 points away from the play-off places.

READ MORE: Sheffield Wednesday surprise after heavy Oxford United loss

READ MORE: Will Lankshear apologises after Oxford United relegation

READ MORE: Oxford United chairman statement to fans after relegation

O’Reilly endured his first loan spell away in 2024 at Villa’s sister club Real Union in Spain, but only managed two appearances as his six-month spell in the second half of 2023/24 was curtailed by injury.

He then spent six months in League One with struggling Shrewsbury before spending the second half of the 2024/25 campaign in League Two with MK Dons.

The attacking midfielder was been compared to Manchester City and England star Phil Foden by teammates at Villa due to his playing style, as well as drawing similarities to former Arsenal man and current Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere.