Oxford united FC
Oxford United’s Vaulks takes funding to three football clubs
Vaulks spoke at a ‘Can We Talk?’ workshop held at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday evening, offering mental health training for 150 attendees and encouraging further discussion.
Speaking personally about his experience with suicide through both of his grandfathers, the 32-year-old was joined by Mike McCarthy, founder of the charity ‘Baton of Hope’ of which Vaulks does a lot of work with, and its clinical director, Ben Wilson.
The charity offers training and a pledge which workplaces can commit to.
“As a footballer, I feel really strongly that every football club should have this,” Vaulks said before the evening.
“Every football club should sign the gold pledge.
“I’m in communication with the PFA, I have been over the last year. I’m very grateful that they’ve also given me some funding and I will be taking that into at least three more football clubs.
“It’s kind of my mission now from the work I’ve seen that young men who are susceptible to so much pressure, so much exposure, that they need support.
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“If you make your workplace a psychologically safe place that talks about suicide and is aware of it, then, in turn, that will make your team also more productive on the pitch, I really believe that.”
The former Wales international was awarded the FIFPRO Player Voice Award last November which included a prize fund that covered the cost of the event and provided free suicide awareness training.
Vaulks has also received an additional £10,000 from the PFA to support the expansion and delivery of his project across football clubs.
“We need money as a charity to fund these things. I’m very grateful to FIFPRO for that and I’m very proud that I’m able to put something back in and I know that I’ll leave Oxfordshire, or at least some of our supporters, with more toolkits to help their mental health.
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“Without being too morbid, the outcome is that we save lives and improve lives.
“I really feel that if my grandfathers had been at something like this and understood that the support was out there or being aware of their mental health, they may well still be here today. That’s the aim.
“And to help as many people as we can to go out into the community and become peer-to-peer support people who can notice signs. The NHS is so overwhelmed that we need to something within the community about it.”
The U’s drew 1-1 on Good Friday, Cameron Brannagan scoring again from the penalty spot to cancel out Mo Belloumi’s fourth-minute opener.
Oxford created a whopping 3.44 expected goals, creating a number of good chances, none more so than an agonising miss at the back post from Welsh striker Harris in stoppage time.
When asked if the Yellows should have beaten the Tigers, Bloomfield replied: “Yes.”
Harris was sliding at the to meet Stan Mills’ cross late on which almost won the game for the U’s.
“It looked like he was just stretching to get there, whether he was under control of it or not, I’m not sure,” the United boss continued.
“I thought he added real energy to us when we needed it.
“Jamie Donley was just tiring, obviously he had a busy week and I thought Sparky was excellent.
Post-Hull thoughts after the 1-1 draw. 💭
Thought #OxfordUnited played some really tidy stuff at times today. Tired a bit in the second half but probably should’ve won it with the overall chances. #oufc 🟡 pic.twitter.com/HXPi3WSkKG
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) April 3, 2026
“I thought we were very good, created enough opportunities to win the game.
“It’s not easy to play against Hull and come back from a goal down either, so to keep going and get ourselves back in the game, there’s lots to be pleased with and positive about.”
The Yellows conceded early on similarly to in their last game, a 2-0 defeat at Southampton.
“Really disappointed to go 1-0 down and we have to look at that, but the response from the players to go and create the opportunities that we did, get ourselves back in the goal with the penalty.
“It was so close.
“If we’d have got the win it would have been a very good day.”
Matt Bloomfield told us he wanted the left-foot balance of Ruben Roosken in the first half to support Peart-Harris drifting inside. ⚖️
He also praised Spencer who came on at HT and made a big difference defensively. 👏#oufc 🟡
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) April 3, 2026
Oxford played some neat football at times against the Tigers, Jamie Donley often at the heart of things.
Amidst the scrap of a relegation battle, the Bloomfield is keen to keep the team enjoying their football.
“We’re in a situation that everyone keeps telling me is every game worth six points and cup finals and all the rest of it.
“But I want the boys to go and enjoy their football and to put on a performance that the crowd enjoy.
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“The only way we’re going to win games is to create opportunities and you can’t do that if you’re too tense.
“It’s also about trying to relax them to play some good football and I thought we played some real good stuff today.”
The U’s remain in 23rd after the point, with Leicester still above on goal difference and next opponents Portsmouth one point away in 21st.
A fourth-minute opener from Hull’s Mo Belloumi was a frustrating start, but the United captain’s spot kick levelled things less than ten minutes later.
The U’s late charge saw them almost nick the win through Mark Harris but the ball was turned agonisingly wide of the post.
Will Lankshear found the first effort of the game, seeing his shot from the edge of the box deflected and saved before Hull found an early opener.
Belloumi brought down a long ball forward from Semi Ajayi and drove inside before sticking the ball past Jamie Cumming.
Oxford responded well however, and Lankshear drew a penalty from Charlie Hughes just nine minutes later, the Tottenham Hotspur loanee about to latch onto Jamie Donley’s through ball before being brought down.
Brannagan tucked away the U’s second penalty in as many home games to level the score.
Matt Bloomfield’s men carried on attacking, finding space in wide areas as Lankshear put a diving header agonisingly over the crossbar.
Donley and Belloumi both put efforts off target from the edge of the box, before the latter directed a cross towards Kyle Joseph just wide of the post with the outside of his boot.
Joseph did find a chance moments later, Belloumi this time picking him out, but Cumming saved his shot from a slight angle inside the area.
The U’s tried to hit back again, Ciaron Brown finding Myles Peart-Harris in space, the winger poking his shot at the goalkeeper before Donley’s heavy touch took the rebound wide, the chance going begging when Peart-Harris crossed back in from an offside position.
A blocked volley from Belloumi saw out the first half.
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Two early second-half chances fell for the Yellows as Michal Helik headed over from close range before Brannagan forced a diving save from Dillon Phillips from a long way out.
Hull hit back as John Lundstram saw a vicious shot blocked in the box before Matt Crooks had two efforts in the box go begging.
A multitude of shots were blocked by Hull shirts before ambitious efforts from Mark Harris and Helik.
As the board showing four minutes added time was shown, Oxford almost took the win.
Harris slid in at the back post to meet Stan Mills’ low ball but was stretching and could only put it painfully wide of the post.
Substitute Will Vaulks forced a final save out of Phillips with a sweet strike, but it was a point apiece in the end.
Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Roosken, Konak, Brannagan, Mills, Donley, Peart-Harris, Lankshear
Hull: Phillips, Drameh, Ajayi, Hughes, Coyle, Lundstram, Crooks, Belloumi, Gelhardt, Joseph, McBurnie
Bookings: Hughes
Oxford United host fifth-placed Hull City to kick off the Easter weekend as the U’s begin their Championship run-in and fight for survival.
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