IT IS one of the quirker benefits of a sponsorship deal – helping preserve Oxford United’s roller-coaster past for posterity.

Club sponsor, Witney company Polythene UK, has donated thousands of polythene bags in which to store thousands of old programmes, newspapers, and minute books dating back to the 1950s.

The memorabilia, kept hidden away in the club’s archive under the South Stand of the Kassam Stadium, is now being packed up in the best possible conditions .

Now future generations will be able to look back at the days of Headington United through to the First Division glory days and back down the league.

United communications officer Chris Williams said: “Over the last three years a small team of archivists and fans have worked to put the whole archive in order and to make sure we have the history of the club preserved for future generations of fans. Some of the programmes are very old and we needed a method of keeping them in as good condition as possible.

“Polythene UK heard about this and have come up with a great way of storing everything.

“Now we will work to bag things up and complete the collection.”

He added: “It has been fascinating putting the archive together and it’s great to know that it will be safe for years to come.”

James Woollard, managing director of Polythene UK, said: “When we heard of the club’s issues around protecting the archive, I knew we could easily help them out by donating storage bags.

“I look forward to spending some time in the future looking through the archive.

“I might even find some pictures of when I trained at the club’s school of excellence.”

The club traces its roots back to 1893 when footballing vicar the Rev Scott Tucker of Headington founded a parish team.

Headington became part of Oxford in 1929 but the club, Headington United, did not change its name to Oxford United until 1960.

It joined the Football League two years later.

Disgraced tycoon Robert Maxwell owned the club and the old Manor ground in the 1980s and, whatever else he might have done in life, he saved it from bankruptcy and led the Us to a Milk Cup triumph in 1986.