Oxford united FC
Oxford United celebrate a decade since League One promotion
On May 7, 2016, Oxford secured automatic promotion out of League Two with a second-placed finish in the fourth tier.
Victory over rivals Wycombe Wanderers on the final day of the season saw The U’s return to the third tier for the first time since the 2000/01 season.
After a goalless first half, Cheyenne Dunkley headed home in the 53rd minute to put Oxford into the lead at the Kassam Stadium.
Kemar Roofe won a penalty just under 20 minutes later after being impeded in the box by Wycombe’s Aaron Pierre, Chris Maguire tucking away the resulting spot kick.
Kidlington-born Callum O’Dowda put the cherry on the cake in stoppage time to secure promotion, staying on his feet at the by-line to come inside and poke past Ryan Allsop in goal.
The 3-0 win saw The Yellows end the campaign in second place, seeing them automatically promoted alongside runaway champions Northampton Town and third-placed Bristol Rovers.
Seventh-placed AFC Wimbledon were the fourth team promoted as play-off final winners at Wembley.
Promotion was the reward for a terrific season under head coach Michael Appleton which also saw United reach the fourth round of the FA Cup, memorably beating Premier League side Swansea City 3-2 in the fourth round.
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The U’s also enjoyed a trip to Wembley that year as they reached the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final, unfortunately losing to League One side Barnsley 3-2.
The club also beat higher-league opposition in the League Cup, bettering Championship outfit Brentford away from home in the first round before being knocked out by Sheffield Wednesday in the following cup fixture.
Former Jamaica international Roofe was Oxford’s top scorer across the campaign, bagging 18 goals in League Two – the fifth-most in the division – and 26 in all competitions.
Oxford City striker, U’s academy coach, and former U’s marksman Matty Taylor was the league-wide top scorer with 27 for Bristol Rovers.
United were promoted after a six-year tenure in League Two and broke the club record for the most away wins in a single league season with 14.
The campaign also saw the return of loan signing George Baldock, the late right back who had spent the second half of the previous season in OX4.
Baldock returned and and was an integral player for The U’s in the first half of the 2015/16 campaign and impressed before being recalled by parent club MK Dons, but his Yellows performances still managed to earn himself a place in the League Two PFA Team of the Year.
The former Greece international tragically passed away in 2024 at the age of 31.
Oxford United travel to Leyton Orient for the first round of the Carabao Cup and Aaron Ramsey’s first competitive match in charge.
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The 32-year-old became the third player to leave the club after United were hit with a temporary transfer ban at the beginning of July.
Vaulks joined Nik Prelec and Ole Romeny – who left on loan- in departing the club this summer, returning to the club where he spent his academy career, Tranmere Rovers.
Dropping down to League Two, the former Wales international leaves Oxford after two years in the Championship with the club, playing 88 times for the Yellows and scoring twice.
The former Oxford midfielder was left out of the U’s squad in their final pre-season friendly, a 2-0 win over Premier League side Ipswich Town, and went on to be announced as a Tranmere player on Monday evening.
United head coach Ramsey opened up on Vaulks’ departure in his press conference before the club’s first competitive fixture of the season, an away trip to Leyton Orient in the Carabao Cup.
“We had some honest conversations with Will and the opportunity came up for him to pursue his new opportunity there,” the 35-year-old Yellows boss said.
“I mean, he’s been great for this club and what he’s done on and off the field here has been remarkable.
“We just wish Will the best of luck now going forward.”
A statement from Oxford included the message: “On behalf of everyone at Oxford United, thank you Will.
“We wish you all the best with your future and we will continue to drive your important work forward.”
From the Wirral, Vaulks moves closer to home by joining Darrell Clarke’s side.
Upon joining Rovers, the centre midfielder said: “I’m grateful to be back.
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“I spent 10 years at the club, but never played a first team game, so this is a move that has been on my mind for a number of years now.
“I really wanted to come back to my boyhood club.
“I made it clear that I wasn’t going anywhere else, other than to Tranmere, it was the club I wanted to join.
“I’m a Wirral boy and I can’t wait to give everything for the club.”
As well as contributing on the pitch for Oxford, Vaulks made a huge impact off it, using his personal story to establish the award-winning Can We Talk? suicide prevention campaign.
He was nationally and internationally recognised for his campaigning, winning awards including the FIFPRO Player Voice and was recently named PFA Community Player of the Year.
The 2026/27 EFL Cup supercomputer forecast, combining mathematical probability algorithms and agentic AI, suggests the Yellows will defeat Leyton Orient 2-1 at Brisbane Road.
This will be Ramsey’s first competitive fixture since taking charge.
The computer model – conducted by Andy’s Bet Club – anticipates several other first-round outcomes, including Rochdale, recently promoted from the National League, surprising Bradford City with a penalty shootout victory.
In the southern section of the competition, League Two’s Barnet are expected to beat Cambridge United, who are a league higher.
The supercomputer also foresees victories for West Ham United, Birmingham City, Burnley, and Wolves, all advancing unscathed to the second round.
On the other hand, Oxford’s fierce rivals, Swindon Town, are predicted to exit in the first round, losing 2-0 to Championship side Cardiff City.
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The first round of the EFL Cup, for the first time in six years, is set to take place before the start of the league season.
The supercomputer predicts that West Ham United will be the last remaining EFL team in the competition, bowing out in the quarter-finals against Chelsea.
The eventual winners, according to the supercomputer, will be Manchester City, claiming their 10th title.
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