Greg Leigh back impressing for Oxford United in pre-season

Leigh has been at the club since 2023 – he joined from Ipswich Town for an undisclosed fee – and endeared himself to fans for much of that period.

During his first season, the defender was a part of the side that won promotion via the play-offs and scored six goals that campaign, also winning the September EFL League One Player of the Month Award.

In his second, he again managed to score six times in 34 appearances in the Championship, helping the U’s remain in the second tier for a second season.

Clearly a valuable asset in his first two campaigns, his third was slightly more tough.

Under Gary Rowett, the wide defender did play but struggled in a system that struggled and had the Yellows languishing in 23rd place in the table at the time of the old head coach’s departure last December.

Oxford United left back Greg Leigh (Image: Mike Allen)

From the 2024/25 season to 2025/26, stats such as Leigh’s total duels won (65 per cent to 57) and total accurate passes (70 per cent to 57) both dropped.

When last January arrived, in came Matt Bloomfield along with eight new signings.

With Jack Currie firmly above Leigh in the left-back pecking order and with Brodie Spencer also able to play on that side, the 31-year-old became a casualty of a last-ditch attempt at surviving in the Championship.

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After the winter transfer closed, Oxford left the Manchester City academy product out of their 25-man squad.

Many saw his omission as the leaving out of a big potential threat in the opposition penalty area, particularly with the quality delivery of Cameron Brannagan and Jamie Donley in the United roster.

Greg Leigh celebrates Oxford’s third goal against Bristol City last season (Image: Mike Allen)

With a new head coach Aaron Ramsey in OX4 in and the U’s having been hit with a transfer embargo this summer, Leigh has been given a golden opportunity to remind those associated with United what he is capable of on the team’s return to League One.

And do so he has, shining brighter than most in the most recent pre-season friendly, a 3-1 win over League Two outfit Crawley Town.

The ex-Ipswich full back landed the first bruise on Crawley just moments into proceedings, seeing a header on target cleared.

Oxford United celebrate Will Lankshear goal (Image: Mike Allen)

Shortly after, it was Leigh who forced the opener, putting a cross at the goalkeeper who parried the ball onto his defender and into his own net.

Whilst also being strong in defence, Leigh bagged an assist of real quality, fizzing in a wicked ball which was turned in by striker Gatlin O’Donkor.

Five of Oxford’s eight pre-season goals prior to the Ipswich game have stemmed from either a cross or a square ball, and the Jamaica international can influence both the production and conversion of those types of chances under Ramsey.

Leigh is back, and he should be a key component of the new-look Yellows.