Four former Oxford United players join PFA free agent camp

The camp is part of a fully funded, structured pre-season programme offered by the PFA for out-of-contract players.

It aims to keep them fit, visible to clubs, and supported off the pitch while they search for a new deal.

The four Oxford players included in week three of the PFA pre-season, which involves 45 players in total, are Billy Bodin, Marvin Johnson, Kane Hemmings, and Jordan Graham.

The PFA runs these residential summer pre-season camps specifically for free agents who were on professional contracts in the previous season, providing a “club-style” environment for those unattached.

These camps mirror a typical club pre-season, with daily on-pitch sessions, strength and conditioning work, recovery, and friendly matches against EFL and academy sides, all at no cost to the player.

The programme has been expanded to around 10–12 weeks over the summer, with roughly 30–40 players per week, and has helped hundreds of free agents secure new deals after being scouted at camp.

Former Oxford United man Billy Bodin (Image: Mike Allen)

Bodin signed for Oxford United on June 30, 2021, as a free agent on a one-year contract.

In his first season, in which Oxford narrowly missed out on a play-off place, he scored six times in the league and once in the FA Cup.

He expressed his wish to sign a new contract at the end of the season, and in June 2022 signed a new two-year deal.

After winning promotion to the Championship with Oxford, Bodin announced he would leave the club at the end of the 2023–24 season when his contract expired.

He last played for U’s rivals Swindon Town last season.

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Former Oxford United player Marvin Johnson (Image: David Fleming)

Marvin Johnson signed for Oxford United on August 31, 2016, for an undisclosed sum, which according to the Oxford Mail was believed to be a club record fee at the time, in the region of £650,000.

He played in the final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium, which ended in a 2–1 defeat to Coventry City.

Kane Hemmings celebrates his opening goal with Chris Maguire in a 4-1 victory over Coventry (Image: David Fleming)

Kane Hemmings signed for Oxford United on July 27, 2016, for an undisclosed six-figure fee, believed to be in the region of £250,000, agreeing a three-year contract with the club.

On 22 August 2017 he joined Mansfield Town on a season-long loan and at the end of the season he moved to Notts County for an undisclosed fee.

Jordan Graham joined Oxford United of League Two in September 2015 on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The PFA camps function deliberately as a “shop window,” with arranged friendlies and free‑agent XIs facing different clubs.