City v Oxford: History Of The Fixture

Manchester City travel south tomorrow for the start of their Carabao Cup defense. Oxford, the side they face are currently plying their trade in the third tier of English football, two decades after City pulled themselves from those very depths.

The two sides haven't met on too many occasions, thirteen in fact. It's a surprise because both sides were founded in the late 1800's. Oxford started life as Headington United in 1893, while City were founded more than a decade earlier, became Manchester City in 1894.

Despite this, the two clubs didn't meet until the FA Cup put the two clubs together in 1974. A brace from both Dennis Law and Mike Summerbee saw the Blues win, away from home,  5-2. Rodney Marsh was the other City scorer that day.

Ron Saunders was the Manchester City manager that day, although he would move on before the season ended. Ron also managed Oxford earlier in his career, being at the helm in 1969, the season City won the FA Cup for the first time in over a decade.

Of those thirteen meetings, all but that first one have been in League competition, and all have been prior to the takeover. In fact the last game between the two clubs was at home on March 7th 1998. That was Joe Royles third home game in charge in a season where the Blues would find themselves where Oxford are now.

Unlike City, the third tier wasn't the lowest the U's have fallen. Finding themselves in the Conference they were the first side to win a major trophy, the 1986 League Cup, and find themselves out of the League. Their 1986 League Cup victory didn't even afford them a European run as consolation. A UEFA ban on all English clubs in European competition meant they were unable to enter the UEFA Cup.

Two seasons after that League Cup win, Brian Horton stepped in as Manager of Oxford United. After over 240 games and four seasons in charge, Brian moved to Manchester City. There he lasted only two seasons, guiding the Blues to 29 wins in 96 games. 

There are a number of player links between the two sides though, with their current Assistant Manager having ties with City. Derek Fazackerley was a scout for City, and was one of Svens trusted backroom staff members for his one season in charge.

Lee Bradbury, Craig Russell and Leon Mike all played for City and United at various points of their careers. Imre Varadi was a Blue from 1986 - 88, making 65 appearances and scoring 26 goals. In 1993, he was loaned to Oxford where he played three games. Meanwhile David Oldfield joined City soon after Imre's departure and was at Oxford to welcome him for his loan spell. David would go on to be their manager, if only in a caretaker role, for a short time before moving on.

Ashley Jordan Smith-Brown played for both clubs and Kyle Vassell, who played for Oxford, is related to our very own Darius Vassell.

One of the biggest City names to cross between the two clubs though was the late, great Tommy Caton. Making 165 appearances for the Blues from 1979 until 1983, he moved to Oxford in 1987. It followed a spell with Arsenal, although it was with City he came closest to a trophy. Caton announced his retirement at the age of 30, and a month later he passed away. Suffering a heart attack Caton died at his home in Oxfordshire.