Oxford City FC celebrate 140 years of rich history

Oxford City (pictured in 1981) spent the majority of the 20th Century at the White House Ground

Oxford's oldest football team have celebrated 140 years since their first match.

National League Oxford City FC adopted 1882 as their official foundation date - 11 years earlier than their League One neighbours Oxford United.

But their first ever recorded match was played on 15 March 1884 at Thame Grammar School, where the team lost against unknown opposition 4-2.

Staff, fans and commentators have been looking back at the club's history.

General manager Chris Williams said he wanted players who worked at the club to "feel part of the journey"

For the majority of the 20th Century, White House Ground was the club's home and where they welcomed England's 1966 World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore as manager in 1979.

Hedley Feast, a lifelong supporter and BBC Radio Oxford reporter, said that even after relegation from the Isthmian League Premier, "there was never a cry for the manager to be sacked".

"It was the nature of the club that the manager stayed and they looked forward to better times," he explained.

In the late 1980s, the club moved from south to north-east Oxford.

"They then acquired Court Place Farm and I think that homely feeling returned very quickly... and people again loved the ground," Mr Feast remembered.

Hedley Feast has been a lifelong Oxford City fan and has reported on matches for BBC Radio Oxford for 50 years

After entering the FA Vase, which had replaced The FA Amateur Cup in 1974, Oxford City got to the 1995 final at Wembley.

The match ended in 2-1 defeat to Arlesey Town, but Mr Feast said "it helped to put City on the football map".

The next decades brought highlights such as promotion to the National League in 2023.

Commentator Andy Gate said it had been "a real pleasure" to have been there on "such a monumental day".

Today, Oxford City operates part-time but new general manager Chris Williams said discussions towards change had started.

"You have players here who've given their football careers to work part-time. You want them to feel part of the journey," he said.

Oxford City's first ever head of women's football Aliyah Anthony said she would continue recruiting girls for the club

Oxford City's women's team are also going from strength to strength and heading for their highest ever finish in the Southern Regional League.

"We started off with six teams, we now have 15 and that stems from all the way to under-eights to the first team," head of the club's women's football Aliyah Anthony said.

"The range of girls that need to get involved at City is massive and that's what I'm going to continue to do with the club."

Mr Feast said the club meant "an awful lot" to keen fans.

"They were good days, they were special days and I think like most things that you've enjoyed as youngsters, they stay with you," he said.

Oxford City moved to their current ground, Court Place Farm in Marsh Lane, in 1993

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