Oxford United legend John Aldridge on Milk Cup Wembley win

The U’s and Liverpool legend, known as ‘Aldo’, was top scorer in the competition that season with five goals and bagged a whopping 31 across the season as a whole.

With a brace in the semi-final first leg against Aston Villa, Aldridge was a key man for the historic United team which went on to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the final.

Trevor Hebberd, Ray Houghton, and Jeremy Charles scored the goals to see the Yellows, who were underdogs ahead of kick-off, to their first and only ever major trophy triumph.

In the comfort of his living room, Aldridge sat forward, remembering the year that lives so fondly in the memories of U’s fans.

“Did we expect to win it? No,” the 67-year-old declared with honesty.

“But in the early rounds, we fancied ourselves for a run.”

John Aldridge on the ball for Oxford United against QPR in the 1986 Milk Cup final (Image: Offside/Mark Leech)

“I think one of the games I was injured, I think it was Newcastle, I didn’t play and the lads done really well and got past [the third] round.

“Then we moved into the semis against Aston Villa, which, you know, we weren’t too sure about, but to get them past them and get in the final and then everyone just basically said we’ve got no chance against QPR, we’re the total underdogs.

“Like Wimbledon were when I played for Liverpool; very, very similar. But the performance we put in, we absolutely smashed them. They couldn’t deal with us. It was just a fantastic day. To see 40,000 Oxford fans, that was special as well.

“We deserved to win 3-0, you know, and even [the QPR players] were very humble at the end of the game. I knew quite a lot of lads playing and they said, ‘look, you just battered us’.

“It’s massive for a relatively small club to do what we did. We knew we had a good team, some really good players.”

A view from the stands at Wembley during Oxford United’s Milk Cup final win in 1986 (Image: Mark Griffin)

Clearly still enthusiastic about the victory, Aldridge still does not forget how the game played out, with one big regret still weighing on his mind.

“You know what, I missed a f****** sitter by the way,” the former Republic of Ireland international recalled.

“Little Les Phillips, who’s my mate, he should have scored and he’s crossed it to me. I was a little bit surprised and [it was an open] goal and I put it wide.

“I think that was to make it 4-0. So I was a little bit gutted I didn’t score at Wembley.”

The centre forward played 141 times for Oxford, scoring 90 goals before his move to Liverpool where he went on to become a First Division and FA Cup winner.

The 1986 Milk Cup was his first accolade, however, which Aldridge holds in very high regard, continuing to look back fondly on the day.

“You’re a little bit in euphoria, aren’t you?” he continued.

A stand sells Oxford United merchandise ahead of the 1986 Milk Cup final (Image: Mark Griffin)

“You just tend to forget the moments. I was a bit gutted when Trevor [Hebberd] scored the first goal, because I wanted him to pass to me, but he scored.

“But I think picking up the trophy, when you’re a kid, everyone wants to play at Wembley and win the FA Cup. This is obviously secondary, but it’s not at the time.

“When you pick up the cup, it’s something that you relive, because you’ve seen so many great captains over the years and great players do the same.

“The day and the night that unfolded was…really special. Then having done that, we needed to stay up, which we did.

“That was a bit eerie, you know, the later on stages. But it was something that I’ll never ever forget and that’s the only time I won the League Cup.

“I’ll never forget that.”

Aldridge and co. beat Arsenal 3-0 on the final day of that season to stay in the First Division on the final day.

Oxford would have qualified for Europe with the cup victory if it were not for the ban imposed on English clubs from entering European competition due to the Heysel Stadium disaster which occurred the season before.

The Milk Cup final remains the greatest day in the U’s history, which former striker Aldridge is proud to have been a part of.

Exclusive quotes from an interview with the Oxford Mail, courtesy of BetBrain.