The week unwrapped

Sees and saws, ups and downs, swings and roundabouts. Oxford’s up and down season continued on Saturday with a resounding 2-0 defeat at Swansea City. The result, which ended Swansea’s five game losing streak, brought about the usual range of panicky responses; sack the manager, why aren’t we playing <basically anyone who didn’t play>, twelve new signings in January or we’re doomed. Truth is we dropped one place, but are still outside the relegation zone with the same number of points as we had at this stage last season.

Away from the league, on Monday we all gathered around the wireless to listen to the FA Cup Third Round Draw. There were loud moans and groans, which is either because we’d spent too long watching men rummaging around a ball sack or because we drew MK Dons away.

Blackfacts

Next up is a trip to Blackburn Rovers, who at the start of the season were earmarked as ‘one of those clubs’ who we could guarantee would struggle. But, like Hull City, their off-field problems haven’t really bled onto the pitch… yet.

They’re currently 19th, two places and three points ahead of us. After a bad start to the season, they had a strong November with four wins in five. Momentum has stalled in the last couple of weeks with two draws and a defeat. Their game against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday was abandoned due to heavy rain. With further rain yesterday and more expected throughout Tuesday, it could get interesting by the time we get to kick-off.

Football friend | Derek Fazackerley

Most clubs have a stabilising force who guides the ship through turbulent waters. They’re the ones washing the kit or driving the youth team bus and, sometimes, during managerial transitions, they take over as caretaker to babysit the team until the next sucker turns up.

Derek Fazackerley never played for Oxford, but his role in the transition into our latest incarnation is important. He played a mind-bending 596 games for Blackburn Rovers during his playing days between 1969-1987 before winding down his playing career and moving into coaching. 

In 1991, he was a calming influence during Kevin Keegan’s rambunctious reign at Newcastle. When Keegan became England manager, Fazackerley joined him as part of the coaching team.

In 2014, he was quietly installed to mentor Michael Appleton, guiding him through his torrid first few months and into a space which would eventually lead to the club’s promotion in 2016. Appleton left in 2017 and was succeeded by Pep Clotet with Fazackerley working in the background to help the transition. When Clotet was fired, he stepped in as temporary charge for eight games, eventually making way for Karl Robinson.

He continued to provide the support as the club tried to find a way to promotion. When Robinson finally imploded in 2023, Faz was part of the recruitment team which appointed Liam Manning, laying the foundations for our promotion to the Championship in 2024. 

He’s still seen around the club nowadays. Even though he didn’t play a single game for the club and only managed a handful of games, he is one of the constants of modern-day Oxford United. 

From the archive | Oxford United 3 Blackburn Rovers 1 (1964)

In 1963 the world was changing, JFK was assassinated, the civil rights movement was gathering pace and four Liverpudlians called the Beatles released their first album. In February 1964, having conquered the UK, the Beatles flew to America for the first time in the hope of taking their sound to the next level.

As they departed, Oxford United, who’d only been promoted to the Football League 18 months earlier, were preparing for a new frontier of their own; the biggest game in their history against Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup.

Rovers were a big deal and second in Division One while Oxford sat comfortably in 12^th in Division 4. Cup fever gripped the city as the club planned for the biggest crowd in The Manor’s history.

Preparations for the game went right up to the wire, benches were placed in front of the perimeter wall and a temporary stand was erected adding 1500 fans and bringing the capacity up to 21,700. Such was the demand, the players were limited to just four free tickets each to avoid accusations of what manager Arthur Turner called ‘spivvery’.

Ron Coppock, Oxford’s Chairman, was in hospital for an operation on his synapses and was determined to attend. Oxford even suspended trials at Oxford Assizes to make way for the game with Justice Lawton saying “I understand that for many people their loyalty to certain activities of the city will conflict with their duty to the court”. All parts of Oxford society were infected, the university newspaper, Cherwell, who largely ignored the club, previewed the game with editor Max Bristowe, a Barnsley fan, applying for a press pass. A moment of prime spivvery.

The game was an opportunity to cement the United side of the city’s dominance. Despite their league status, Oxford – previously Headington – were still considered a second fiddle to neighbours Oxford City who were formed five years before their city rivals.

Kicking up the slope in the first half, towards the Cuckoo Lane End, should have been a disadvantage, but Oxford’s were terrier-like in their tenacity. It didn’t take long to make the breakthrough. After 14 minutes, Tony Jones slotted home Peter Knight’s right wing cross to almost comically wild celebrations. 

The ever-threatening Knight tormented the Blackburn back line as the underdogs went into the break a goal up. Kicking down the slope towards the London Road, Oxford were rampant. After 51 minutes, Jones grabbed a second, slamming home Bill Calder’s knock-down.

A volley from Mick Ferguson brought the tie back to 2-1 with 22 minutes to go, but in the last minute Calder was on hand to slot home Pat Quartermain’s centre for an emphatic 3-1 victory.

Oxford were suddenly national news, with captain Ron Atkinson relishing his newfound fame. Arthur Tuner claimed it was his proudest moment, topping even guiding Birmingham City to the FA Cup final in 1956. By the time, the Beatles returned from their US tour having conquered the world two weeks after they left, Oxford were a changed club.