List of Oxford United F.C. players


is an English professional association football club based in Oxford. As of the 2019–20 season, the team plays in the League One, which is the third level of the English football league system. The club was formed in 1893 as Headington before adding the suffix United six years later to become Headington United F.C. The club retained this name until 1960, when it was changed to Oxford United to give it a higher profile. The club was elected into the Southern Football League in 1949, where they stayed until replacing Accrington Stanley in the Football League in 1962. The club spent 44 years in the Football League, reaching the First Division at the end of the 1984-85 season and spending three years in the top tier. Oxford United spent four years in non-league football, before being promoted through the play-offs at the end of the 2009-10 season.
Ron Atkinson made 560 appearances, including 125 matches in the Southern League. John Shuker, the man who succeeded Atkinson as captain, made a total of 534 appearances with 478 in the Football League. He holds the club record for the most league appearances and the most overall appearances since 1962, when Oxford joined the Football League. Graham Atkinson holds the record for league goals scored with 97, as well as being the all-time top goalscorer, netting 107 times. Irish forward John Aldridge holds two records, the first being the most league goals scored in a season with 30, and the second the most goals scored in a season with 34. Both of these were set during the 1984–85 season, the year Oxford was promoted to the First Division. David Sloan made his international debut in 1968 for Northern Ireland, becoming the first of fourteen players to receive an international cap while playing for the club. Of the players in this list, 119 are from the United Kingdom, five from Ireland, and five are from the rest of the world.

List of players

The list comprises players with 100 or more appearances and those who have received international caps while at the club or hold a club record, since 1949 when the club turned professional. Appearances and goals are for matches in the Football League, Conference National, Southern League, FA Cup, Football League Cup, Football League Trophy, Football League Group Cup, Anglo-Italian Cup, Full Members' Cup, FA Trophy and Southern League Cup. Substitute appearances are included. Statistics correct as of 6 December 2015. Players marked in bold are still playing for the club.
NameNationalityPositionOxford United careerAppearancesGoalsRecordsNotes
Ireland*Forward1984-198714190
Midfielder1991-199618117
Goalkeeper1952-19551490
*Goalkeeper1999-2000190
Defender2003-20061031
Forward1959-1974398107
Midfielder1959-197156021
Defender1971-19751679
Goalkeeper1966-19701650
Forward2002-200718749
Defender2009-20131813
Midfielder1989-1994
1995-2002
42978
Defender1959-196946411
Midfielder1977-198212120
Defender1975-198014111
Defender2001-20041112
Defender1978-198950822
Midfielder1974-19771051
Midfielder1979-198730532
Goalkeeper1971-19824470
Forward1970-197413534
*Forward1985-19865616
Defender1966-197849726
Forward1970-197619540
Goalkeeper2009-20152670
Forward2008-2014280106
Forward1997-2000
2009-2010
10410
Defender1951-195518910
Defender1951-195518524
Defender2001-200412213
Forward1972-197812143
*Forward2004-2006558
Defender1956-196219451
Defender1983-198712521
Forward1950-195518730
Midfielder1974-19802077
Midfielder1989-199318047
Defender1993-199718124
*Defender1989-19931303
Forward1966-197417911
Goalkeeper1963-19661040
Defender1976-198533621
Forward1975-198332190
Midfielder1993-1997
2002-2003
19012
Defender1988-1998
2000
33922
Defender2007-20101173
Defender1989-199211312
Forward1987-199115144
*Forward1998-2000357
*Forward1968-1969132
Defender1995-1999
2006-2007
24812
Midfielder1996-19991344
*Forward2000-20024813
Midfielder2000-20061429
*Forward1984-19874120
Goalkeeper1983-19881960
Defender1955-19591366
Midfielder1963-197126030
Midfielder1982-198832643
Forward1961-196311475
Ireland*Midfielder1985-198710514
Defender1952-19571091
Midfielder1973-198235626
Forward1996-1998
2000
10033
Midfielder1980-19861577
Midfielder1959-1967356100
Goalkeeper1985-1991
2003-2004
1020
Ireland*Goalkeeper1969-1972780
*Goalkeeper1989-1993640
Midfielder1960-196420033
Defender1959-19694484
Ireland*Defender1984-19871363
Midfielder1982-198410127
Defender1988-20003507
Midfielder1955-196331640
Defender1967-19752194
Midfielder1975-198014115
*Midfielder1990-199417342
Midfielder1994-199812913
Goalkeeper1959-19631330
*Defender1990-199315915
Forward1994-1997
2001-2002
19775
'Defender2012-1229
Midfielder1993-200129055
'Midfielder2013-1009
Forward2006-200913031
Forward1989-199412916
Midfielder1984-199322415
Midfielder2009-201519428
Midfielder1995-200320023
Defender1955-19673060
IrelandMidfielder2004-20091996
Defender1950-19583581
Forward1955-195912258
Midfielder1984-198814216
*Defender1971-19751768
Defender1990-20004596
Defender2002-20061924
Midfielder2007-2008
2013-2016
14410
Forward1994-199611024
*Forward1987-19887333
Midfielder1976-198213426
Defender1980-198733815
Forward1962-197753447
Midfielder1988-199216850
Various1967-197427040
*Defender1985-19891159
*Forward1968-197320034
Defender1988-19942040
Midfielder1994-19992314
Midfielder1949-195514322
Midfielder1980-19831247
Midfielder1965-19741806
Midfielder1952-195513032
Midfielder1999-20021053
Midfielder1975-198023916
Midfielder1981-198615045
Midfielder1950-195415220
Midfielder1984-19871424
Goalkeeper2005-20101860
Midfielder1991-1995
2003-2005
1097
*Defender1998-2000690
Forward1998-19993818
Midfielder2011-20151112
Midfielder1999-20041369
Goalkeeper1993-19982380
Forward1961-196612848
Goalkeeper2002-20041120
Defender2010-2620
Midfielder1952-195510354

Footnotes


A. For a full description of positions see Association football positions.
B. The dates for the career represent the first and last first team appearances. When there are two sets of dates, the second set represents a player's second spell at the club.
C. Unless otherwise stated, appearances and goals taken from
D. Statistics taken from
E. John Aldridge holds the club record for the most league goals scored in a season with 30, and the most goals scored in a season, 34, during the 1984-85 season.
F. Graham Atkinson holds the club record for the most goals scored with 107.
G. Graham Atkinson holds the club record for the most league goals scored with 97.
H. Ron Atkinson holds the club record for the most overall appearances in all competitions with 560.
I. Matt Elliott holds the club record for the highest transfer fee received of £1,600,000 from Leicester City in 1997.
J. John Shuker holds the club record for the most league appearances, with 478, and the most overall appearances, with 534.
K. David Sloan was the first Oxford United player to play a full international, for Northern Ireland in 1968.
L. Dean Windass holds the club record for the highest transfer fee paid of £470,000 to Aberdeen in 1998.