Oxford united FC
Oxford United captain Brannagan hurt after Championship exit
Matt Bloomfield’s side lost 2-0 at The Den thanks to a Femi Azeez double, U’s captain Brannagan beaten by the winger for the opening goal.
It was Oxford’s final Championship fixture before returning to League One after two years in the second tier with relegation confirmed before their win over Sheffield Wednesday last week.
Brannagan was named club captain last September, taking over from the departing Elliott Moore, and was a key member of the League One promotion-winning Yellows side of 2023/24.
“I thought they were very good,” the 29-year-old said regarding opponents Millwall.
“Didn’t think we were great. Obviously they had a lot to for and it’s a tough place to come. I thought they kept the ball very well and I don’t think we laid a glove on them, to be honest. That’s the frustrating part. It’s all about looking forward to next season.
“We want to bounce back. The frustration is massive at this moment in time. It hurts a lot; it has done now since the day we found out.
“I think we have to get ourselves ready this summer because it’s going to be a really tough season next season. We want to bounce back and get back in this league.”
Oxford have a big squad to deal with in the summer, with players coming and going after loan moves, some out of contract, and others whom the club will surely be receiving offers for.
Final post-match debrief of the season as #OxfordUnited now out of the Championship 🗯️
😖 Millwall 2-0 defeat
⬇️ End of Championship stay
🔜 Looking ahead to summer + next season#oufc 🟡 pic.twitter.com/quCUBZmA1T— malachi (@MalachiObrey) May 2, 2026
“There will be people come and go, obviously loan players go back as well to their clubs. It’ll be full focus on pre season once we get in from the first day and we’ve got to get it right because we want to get back to where this club should be in this league.”
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The U’s will return to the third tier of English football for the 2026/27 season where they spent eight years competing before winning promotion two years ago.
“We’re going to need big characters all season. We played in League One for a long time and it’s not an easy league. It’s something that we’ve got to be prepared for come pre season. From day one, we have to have that aim to try and get back to where we want to be and that’s here.”
A standout and leader for the majority of his eight years at the club, Brannagan could be one who garners interest from elsewhere this summer.
“I’m under contract so it will be full focus in pre season. We want to improve, we want to be better.”
Matt Bloomfield’s Yellows are still to make their first signing of the summer transfer window after it opened on Monday.
The U’s have reportedly met with Colchester United forward Kyreece Lisbie, with Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday both also interested, and the club has now been linked with in-demand Doncaster captain Bailey.
The midfielder has been at Rovers since 2023 and was named in the League One Team of the Season last term.
Bailey managed an impressive 13 goals and five assists in 46 third-tier games from midfield as Donny finished 14th in the league.
The 27-year-old rose through the ranks of Premier League side Newcastle United’s academy before suffering injury troubles and being released by the Magpies.
He then joined Gateshead in 2021 before making the move to South Yorkshire two years later.
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Oxford are now eyeing a move for the Englishman, according to Football Insider, but face hefty competition.
Fellow League One competitors Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport County, Bradford City and MK Dons are all also reportedly in the hunt.
As well as being named in the Team of the Season, Bailey was also nominated for the League One Player of the Season award but lost out to Leyton Orient striker Dom Ballard.
Lisbie has been the subject of plenty of interest from League One clubs having previously met with Oxford over a potential deal.
It was revealed earlier this week that Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town have entered the race for the Colchester United forward, with Reading having dropped out of the hunt not long ago.
Matt Bloomfield’s U’s are yet to secure a first signing of the summer transfer window which opened on Monday.
Former Brentford B youngster Lisbie had a breakout season in League Two last term, scoring 11 times and assisting eight in all competitions.
His twin brother, Kyrell, currently plays for Peterborough, but the club’s chairman, Darragh MacAnthony, has confirmed that the Kyreece will not be joining his brother at the Posh.
When asked on X whether Kyreece would be going to Peterborough, MacAnthony replied: “No chance. Too expensive. Wages wise been offered by massive clubs for our cap, and now bigger clubs in. That’s football. Move on and next!”
The news means that competition for Lisbie’s signature has decreased slightly.
It was reported by Football League World that Wednesday were in the hunt, however the Posh owner has hinted at the contrary.
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When one Owls fan asked if Lisbie would be heading to Sheffield, MacAnthony replied: “No, buddy.”
If true, that would leave Huddersfield and Oxford as the two main clubs named in reports as contenders for the 22-year-old’s services.
Reports from the Reading Chronicle have stated that the fee required for Lisbie is in the region of £500,000 to £750,000 with the Colchester man entering the final year of his contract in Essex.
The English forward, who is the son of former Premier League and EFL striker Kevin Lisbie, helped Danny Cowley’s side to a 12th-placed finish in League Two last year.
Oxford will be looking to improve their forward line for next season after the big loss of top goal scorer Will Lankshear to parent club Tottenham Hotspur.
The U’s currently have Stan Mills as their only traditional right midfielder meaning the addition of Lisbie would provide some healthy depth and competition if the club is able to keep hold of Mills this summer.
On the left, Aidomo Emakhu and Jeon Jin-woo are both tied to the club, with Siriki Dembele and Marselino Ferdinan both on the fringes.
Oxford will compete in League One next season after suffering relegation from the Championship last term, finishing 22nd in the table.
Matt Bloomfield’s side will compete in the third tier after a two-year stint in the Championship which saw the U’s relegated in 22nd place last season.
One key date has already passed as pre-season approaches, with the summer transfer window having opened on Monday.
United are yet to make any signings, but did see 10 players depart the club last month after their contracts expired.
The full set of fixtures for the 2026/27 campaign are set to be announced next week on Thursday, June 25.
This includes the Championship, League One and League Two as well the Carabao Cup and Vertu Trophy, both of which the Yellows will be competing in.
The club has confirmed that players will report back at the ‘end of June’ with the squad then travelling to Spain for a week-long warm-weather training camp.
Upon their return from the camp, the U’s will face National League side Aldershot Town in their first friendly fixture on July 21 before a second match four days later against League Two outfit Barnet on July 25, both away from home.
July 28 sees Oxford host Crawley Town before the welcoming of Premier League club Ipswich Town to the Kassam on August 1.
Competitive action commences the following weekend with the first round of the Carabao Cup over August 8 and 9.
The weekend after will be the long-awaited start of the league season, with August 14 to 16 seeing the action.
The FA Cup first round proper, in which third and fourth tier sides enter, is set for November 7.
The summer transfer window will close at 11PM on September 1, with the winter window running for its usual month from January 1 to 11PM on February 1.
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Full list of key dates –
Monday, June 15 – summer transfer window opens
Thursday, June 25 – EFL, Carabao Cup and Vertu Trophy fixture release
Thursday, July 2 – TV coverage announced until end of September
Tuesday, July 21 – Aldershot Town (A)
Saturday, July 25 – Barnet (A)
Tuesday, July 28 – Crawley Town (H)
Friday, July 31 – TV coverage announced until January 11
Saturday, August 1 – Ipswich Town (H)
Weekend of August 8 & 9 – Carabao Cup first round
Weekend August 14, 15 & 16 – Championship, League One, League Two opening fixtures
Tuesday, September 1 (11PM) – summer transfer window closes
Saturday, November 7 – FA Cup first round proper (League One teams enter the competition)
Friday, January 1 – winter transfer window opens
Monday, February 1 (11PM) – winter transfer window closes
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