How have Oxford United fared on Boxing Day in previous years?

Including their first Football League clash on Boxing Day, in 1963, United have since claimed 23 wins and 10 draws, while suffering defeat on 15 occasions.

While the club played non-league football between 2006 and 2010, a win, draw, and defeat contributed to the above numbers.

Prior to election to the Football League, the U’s were victorious nine times, drew once, and lost just twice.

United’s first experience of Boxing Day while a Football League club came in 1963 when an Alan Willey goal was enough to secure a 1-0 win at home to Torquay United.

That result began a seven-game unbeaten spell when playing on December 26, culminating in a trio of home wins between 1972 and 1974.

Brighton & Hove Albion (3-0), Bristol City (5-0) and Millwall (3-1) were all beaten.

File photo of Alan Willey, who scored Oxford United’s first Football League goal on Boxing Day (Image: Oxford Mail archive)

John Shuker is applauded by his teammates as he marked his 386th appearance for United before the Boxing Day clash with Millwall in 1974. The game saw him beat the previous record set by Ron Atkinson (Image: Oxford Mail archive)

The first Boxing Day defeat for the U’s in the Football League came in a 3-2 loss at Luton Town in 1975.

A thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Swindon Town came two years later, prior to a series of handsome wins during the 1980s.

Home victories included those against Bristol Rovers (3-2 in 1983), Cardiff City (4-0 in 1984) and Southampton (3-0 in 1985).

United suffered a 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool in 1987, a fixture which remains the last clash between the two sides.

Former Manor Ground hero John Aldridge opened the scoring for the Reds, with further goals coming from John Barnes and Steve McMahon.

Former Manor Ground hero John Aldridge (pictured playing for United) returned on Boxing Day in 1987, scoring in a 3-0 win for Liverpool (Image: Oxford Mail archive)

The U’s and their fortunes on Boxing Day dipped during the late 80s and 1990s, however there were wins at Walsall (5-1 in 1988) and Peterborough United (4-1 in 1994). Richard Hill bagged four goals in the victory at Walsall.

Wolves claimed back-to-back victories at Molineux in 1996 and 1997, with United not tasting three points on Boxing Day in the new millennium until a 3-0 win at home to AFC Bournemouth in 2002.

Boxing Day hasn’t been the happiest date in the diary for United in recent years, however there was something to cheer about at the Kassam Stadium in 2019 and 2020.

Shandon Baptiste’s stunner saw off Lincoln City four years ago, while Jordan Obita and Matty Taylor scored in a 2-0 win against AFC Wimbledon the following year in a behind closed doors clash.

Shandon Baptiste scores against Lincoln City (Image: David Fleming)

Matty Taylor nets against AFC Wimbledon (Image: David Fleming)

Last season, United were beaten 3-0 at Ipswich Town as the Tractor Boys ran riot.

This year, the U’s welcome Cambridge United to Grenoble Road in what will be the second Boxing Day fixture between the two teams.

The previous one came in 1999, as Matt Murphy scored the only goal of the match to provide caretaker boss Mickey Lewis with all three points.