HOOPS

The Official Match Programme

Oxford City
v
Darlington

Saturday 6th December
3pm

Oxford City
The MGroup Stadium, Marston
Oxford, OX30NQ
www.oxfordcityfc.co.uk
Phone: 01865 744493
Pitch Enquiries: events@oxcityfc.co.uk

HONOURS
National League South: play-off winners: 2022/23
Southern League Premier: play-off winners: 2011/12
Southern League Division One South & West:
play-off winners: 2007/08
Spartan South Midland Football League Premier: Champions: 1992/93, 2005/06
Isthmian League Division One: Champions 1995/96
FA Amateur Cup: Champions: 1905/06
Oxfordshire Senior Cup: Champions: 36 times

VICE PRESIDENTS
Sheila Holt
Charles Eld
Tim Reynolds
Colin Rosser

Owner Justin Merritt
Chairman Andy Sinnott
Head of Strategy Allan Steele
Head Coach Ross Jenkins
First Team Coach Andy Ballard
First Team Analyst Dom Wheway
Head of Performance Martin Wilkinson
Physio Jazmine Simkin
Women's Manager Lyon Theoharous
Head of Partnerships Chris Williams
Club Secretary Lee Pankau
Media Manager Andrew Gate
Duty Managers Joey Aust and Henry Neal
Head of Facilities Shaun Fisher
Head of Hospitality Rachel Burt
Club Chaplain Headley Feast
Kit Co-Ordinator Phil Duffy
Fan Access Executives Owen Cawley
Alex Cawley

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
Editor/Designer Chris Williams
Club Photographer Simon Godfrey
With thanks to Darrell Fisher, Andy Gate, Phil Duffy, Zoe French, Skye Foley, Wills Hatton, Alex Whyte

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Oxford City FC. No part of the matchday programme may be used without permission of the club.

THE GAFFER

Ross Jenkins

After another incredibly frustrating game against Kings Lynn last Saturday it's good to have another home game today to try and put a few things right and hopefully get a win on the board as we approach the half way stage of the season.

There was almost nothing to choose between the teams last weekend. I thought we looked disciplined and relatively comfortable and were certainly doing enough to go on and win the game in the closing stages. But when you are down at the bottom of the table things go against you. I was just getting ready to shout 'well done' at Zac McEachran for tracking back to tackle a defender who had gone forward but the ball bobbled off that player's shin, runs straight to their forward and suddenly we are a goal down and chasing the game.

I think that result hurt us all but with no midweek game we have had a full week to work on things and get ourselves ready for today and a busy Christmas period where we simply need to start winning matches . I don't see anyone in the dressing room feeling sorry for themselves, I just see a group of players with the talent and ability to get us much higher up the league.

People talk about confidence but really it's more about bravery. Can we get on the front foot right from the start? Can we be first to every second ball? Can we be brave in our decision making in both boxes? I know we can do all of those things and now we have to do that on a much more consistent basis.

Darlington are a good team, we know that, but we have to have that hunger and desire to battle for everything and if we do that then we know we have the quality to win any game.

Stick with us and get behind the players. Let's make home advantage count and let's get those three points the way we always do: together.

ROSS

A Bluffer's Guide To
Darlo

A Bluffers Guide to Darlington

Their history is complicated, right?
Indeed. The original club was formed when several teams in the town met in a local grammar school and decided to form one club to represent the town. In 1921 they were elected to the newly-formed Third Division North and in 1958 were founder members of the new national Fourth Division. In 1966 they won promotion for the first time but in 1989 were relegated to the Conference. They bounced back at the first attempt but troubles began to surface early in this century and in 2012 financial problems meant that the FA insisted that the club dropped an unprecedented four divisions and started again. On formation Darlington 1883 applied to join the Northern League but under FA regulations, new clubs are required to join with a different name from the club that they are replacing. A deadline imposed by the FA meant the board was unable to wait for the results of a poll of supporters, so the name Darlington 1883 was rapidly chosen.

In April 2017, the FA approved the club's request to change to the traditional name of Darlington FC

Is there an iconic player in their past?
Well Craig Liddle is a cult hero to Darlo fans. He made over 300 appearances for the club. Hugely influential, Liddle was a terrific competitor and so popular that the local brewery named a beer after him. A competition in the club programme in 2003 selected the following all-time "Dream Team": Mark Prudhoe, Ron Greener, Craig Liddle, Kevan Smith, John Peverell, Andy Toman, David McLean, Alan Sproates, Alan Walsh, Marco Gabbiadini and Colin Sinclair

What is their most famous recent moment?
Maybe the 2011 FA Trophy final when they were underdogs against Mansfield Town at Wembley in front of 24,668 people. In a tense final Chris Senior headed into the roof of the net to give Darlo the win.

What’s Darlington like?
Well, around 92,000 people live there including at one time or another Duncan Bannatyne and Vic Reeves. The town owes much of its development to the influence of local Quaker families in the Georgian and Victorian era and to the the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first steam locomotive powered, permanent passenger railway.

Tell me something unusual to impress my mates...
In 1999 Darlington became the first team to lose an FA Cup tie and still qualify for the next round. Manchester United's involvement in the FIFA Club World Championship meant they did not enter the FA Cup. To decide who took their place, a "lucky losers" draw was held from the 20 teams knocked out in the second round; Darlington were selected, although they then lost their third-round tie 2–1 to Aston Villa.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LEAGUE TABLE

The City Squad

Our Visitors

FA Youth Cup Third Round

QPR v Oxford City

The Young Hoops' reward for progress in the FA Youth Cup is a trip to Loftus Road to take on Championship side QPR's Under 18s in the Third Round this week.

Goals from Kauan and Jack Green saw the team beat Walton & Hersham last Friday night to progress to the next round of the competition.

The game at Loftus Road is this Wednesday 10th December.

Kick-off is 7:00pm.

Zac's Back

After ten weeks on the road to recovery Zac McEachran was back in the starting line-up last weekend after injury when City took on King’s Lynn Town at the MGroup Stadium.

The mercurial midfielder has a knack for producing magic moments in a City shirt, and as he told us he is now hoping to play a big part in City’s second half of the season

“Last Saturday was tough” he said “tough for us all.

“I don't think we created enough chances, to be totally honest with you, First half we sat in quite a bit, they had a lot of possession, well it felt like they did, so we had a lot of defending to do but we were dealing with that well and I thought we looked comfortable so it was a tough one to take, losing like that.

“I don't think we had a long enough period of sustained possession in the first half. The second half was a bit better, but we know we need to start creating more chances and obviously we need to start winning games.

“We're at the bottom of the table, I do think it has been so close in so many games in the games. There have only been a few where we have been well beaten and it's been fine margins most of the time. We just need to stick together, and just try to come good.

“On a personal level I was glad to start after so long working to get fit again. I thought I was gonna struggle but I played 70 minutes, I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t have 70 minutes in the legs, but I'm glad I got that in the tank and we'll just go from there.

“We’re just moving into the Christmas period now so we’re half way through the season. We are still totally together as a group and we're not playing terrible, we're not completely out of games.

"Now we have to work hard as a unit and turn good periods of play into sustained periods where we can play the way we know we can, and ultimately just find a way of winning games on a consistent basis. We know we are more than capable of doing that.”

Double Hat-Trick as City Women Win Again

Yas Edwards' and Ellie White's two magnificent hat-tricks powered Oxford City Women to a thrilling 7-3 victory over Badshot Lea at the MGroup Stadium last Sunday extending their unbeaten league run to three games.

The strike duo were left to fight over the match ball after scoring three each with Kate Parsons netting the other goal in another convincing win for the Hoops.

In a free-scoring game the visitors took an early lead when a corner routine ended with a close-range opener.

City responded quickly after a great cross from Edwards dropped to City’s top scorer Ellie White, whose shot found the back of the net. White then turned provider, dropping deep to deliver a precise through ball that allowed Parsons to slot home and make it 2-1.

Edwards then added her first, heading in a superb corner delivery from Parsons as the Hoops took a comfortable 3-1 lead into the break.
However the game was turned on its head after the break when City conceded twice early to get the visitors back at 3-3

City then showed their character and Edwards's second goal was the highlight of the afternoon as the young winger dribbled past three opposition players and finished with a sublime strike to finish off a great move.

She quickly went for her hat-trick as she found herself on the end of a great cross from her strike partner White to make it 5 - 3.

City made it six with a fantastic finish as Lucy White found Ellie White, who grabbed her second and City’s second hat-trick of the afternoon came when White got her hat-trick after she was played through on goal and placed a fine shot past the keeper.

White now has eleven goals from eleven league starts, Edwards has seven in seven. The battle for the Golden Boot is on..

CITY
Maskell, Ayers, Bough-French, O’Leary, Walecki, Craven, Parsons, E. White, Harris, Edwards, L. White
SUBS
Davis, Wellington-Faissal, Gorman, Lester, Leach

The Season So Far...

Date	Venue	Opposition	Comp	Result	Scorers
Sun 31 Aug	H	Sholing	League	W 3-2	Edwards, Walecki, E White
7th Sep	a	Southampton	League	D 4-4	Edwards (2), E White, OG
14th Sep	a	Wycombe Wanderers	League	L 3-0
21st Sep	a	Farnborough	FA Cup	W 3-2	Parsons, E White, Craven
5th Oct	H	Denham United	FA Cup	D 3-3*	E White (2), Craven
12th Oct	a	Portchester	League	D 2-2	Tayman, E White
19th Oct	H	Tower Hill	County Cup	BYE
26th Oct	H	Sherborne Town	FA Cup	W 3-2	Edwards, Parsons, Leach
2nd Nov	a	Wycombe Wanderers	League Cup	L 6-0
9th Nov	H	Fleet Town	League	D 2-2	Parsons, E White
16th Nov	A	Launton Ladies	County Cup	W 3-0	E White, L White, Parsons
23rd Nov	H	Swindon Town	FA CUP	L 0-3
30th Nov	H	Badshot Lea	League	W 7-3	E White (3), Edwards (3) Parsons
7th Dec	a	Beaconsfield	League	2pm
14th Dec	a	Sholing	League	2pm
11th Jan	H	Wycombe Wanderers	League	2pm

OFF THE BALL

CHRIS WILLIAMS

At the start of the season I promised both my regular readers that I’d update them on the progress of the club's first ever digital matchday programme and as we somehow race towards the half way stage this seems a good time to do so.

During the summer we took the decision to stop printing a physical programme. This was a very tough call because I still love producing programmes and have spent quarter of a century writing, editing and, in many cases ruining them for a host of football clubs.

Those who read the initial announcement will just need to bear with me for a few lines while I tell any newcomers what the reality is surrounding sales. When I started in 2001 roughly 25% of a crowd bought a programme and 1.8 people read it. Quite where the other 0.2% went remains a mystery. I won't give the exact figure here at the MGroup Stadium but by 2025 less than 10% of people attending matches were buying a programme.

Let’s say we get a crowd of 800 today. That’s 80 programmes required; anything above that is just a loss. I’ll round things up to keep the maths manageable but with printing costs rising let’s say that each programme costs £2 to print and deliver, so £160 in total. . If we sell for £4 we can make a maximum of £320, yes? So a profit of £160. IF we sell them all, and that’s not including my time to write/design it, or if we pay sellers, or add on ‘giveaways’ to the match officials, mascots, teams etc. That’s a tight margin. Too tight for many clubs.

So this season we opted to try a digital version and give it as a free download. I liked the look of the ‘Shorthand’ system and after much trial and error I’m far more comfortable with it than I was in the first few editions. Pen pics and league tables are what take time when writing programmes so linking out to the away side’s website or the up to date table make things far easier and I trust that you’ve spotted me quietly adding videos and transitions.

The number of downloads is rising. The best so far was just shy of 500. That means that our sponsors and partners get more exposure, plus we can track how many people click on their ads: essential data.

It’s also had an unexpected side effect because the driver now is not attendance but clicks from those not at the game. The biggest push comes when we advertise the programme on the website and social channels: far bigger than from the QR codes you can click at the game.

Is it perfect? No, not yet. Generally between 10 and 20 people ask if there is a printed programme at every game, and those people do have my sympathy, but right now it just doesn’t make economic sense.

BUT, readers, a change may be in the air in the wider world of football programmes. I speak to a lot of people within football media and one or two EFL clubs are seriously considering sucking up the costs and producing a physical programme again, purely because people are asking for them.

It’s not going to be like the Golden Age, but think how Vinyl has unexpectedly fought back to claim a share of the streaming market.

What I’m trying to say, I think, is that programmes will remain digital for now but watch this (cyber) space…

(If you would like to have your say on matchday programmes email Chris at gm@oxcityfc.co.uk)

Billie Bough-French

Ellie White

Emily Harris

Amy Leach

Sophie Lester

Grace Craven

Xiomara
Wellington
Faissal

Yas Edwards

Oxford City FC are delighted to welcome One-Eighty as our guests this afternoon

One-Eighty is the only charity bridging the gap between mental health and education for young people aged 4–17. They prevent young people from falling through the cracks.

City are proud to be supporting One-Eighty via the Oxford Bus Company’s ‘Brand the Bus’ campaign which sees one of the Oxford Bus Company’s fleet of electric buses driving One-Eighty’s eye-catching message all around the county.

16,654 young people are persistently absent from school in Oxfordshire and One-Eighty are doing incredible work to both reduce that number and find the underlying causes of why that number is so high.

Susie Besant of One-Eighty said

“We’re really looking forward to working with Oxford City and going along on Saturday and meet everyone on a matchday. An incredible amount of boys and girls train and play at the MGroup Stadium every week and the way that football can engage and inspire is wonderful to see.

“We look forward to working with both Oxford City and the Oxford Bus Company throughout what is a very exciting year for us.”

Chris Williams, Head of Partnerships at Oxford City told us

“We were thrilled to be invited on to the judging panel for Brand the Bus and it really brought home how many amazing charities there are in Oxford. One-Eighty’s presentation was really moving and having been down to their headquarters, met Susie and the team, there is a real crossover with the work we do here at the football club and over the next few months we will work closely with One-Eighty to make sure the partnership can really flourish.”

Right now it’s One Eighty’s Big Give Week

All donations made HERE will be match-funded, meaning if you donate £10 for this great cause it will magically become £20. JUST CLICK HERE to help.

Find out how One-Eighty help young people and how you can too at one-eighty.org.uk

1. Sam Lewis

2. Byron Wilson

3. Jacob Roddy

4. Josh Ashby

6. Darnell Johnson

7 Jack Bearne

9 Isaac Westendorf

10 Zac McEachran

11 DJ Campton-Sturridge

12 Charlie Wiggett

13. Max Treml

14 Josh Parker

15 Tom Scott

16 Alfie Potter

17 Ewan Clark

18 George Burroughs

20 Latrell Humphrey-Ewers

22 Brayden Daniel

24 Josh McConnell

PAST PROGRAMMES

Oxford City Fixtures 25/26

Date

H/A

Opposition

Competition

Score

Att

Sat 9 Aug

AFC Fylde

National North

L 2 -3

821

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott

Bearne
(Campton-Sturridge 75)

McEachran

Westendorf

(Potter 75)

Parker

Sat 16 Aug

Macclesfield

National North

W 2-1

946

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott

Bearne

McEachran

(Humphrey-Ewers 71)

Potter

(Westendorf 75)

Parker

Tue 19 Aug

Kidderminster Harriers

National North

D 1-1

2,526

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott

Bearne

(Campton-Sturridge 90+5)

McEachran

Westendorf

(Potter 75)

Parker

Sat 23 Aug

Spennymoor Town

National North

L 1-2

620

Lewis

Burroughs
(Wilson 76)

Roddy

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott (Bampoh 90)

Potter

McEachran

Westendorf

Campton-Sturridge (Parker 57)

Mon 25 Aug

Chester

National North

L 1-2

2,137

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy
(Campton-Sturridge 85)

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Humphrey-Ewers (McConnell 78)

Potter

Daniel (Scott 62)

Westendorf

Parker

Sat 30 Aug

Radcliffe

National North

L 1-5

456

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy
(Humphrey-Ewers 84)

Wiggett

Wilson

Ashby

Scott (Daniel 84)

Potter (Campton-Sturridge 78)

McEachran

Westendorf (Lacey 59)

Parker

Tue 2 Sep

Alfreton Town

National North

W 5-0

527

Lewis

Burroughs

Wilson

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott

Campton-Sturridge (Daniel 72)

McEachran

Westendorf (Humprey-Ewers 76)

Parker

Sat 6 Sep

Buxton

National North

L 2-1

705

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy (Bacon 79)

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott

Campton-Sturridge (Daniel 69)

McEachran (Humphrey-Ewers 69)

Westendorf

Parker

Sat 11
Sep

Westbury

FA CUP

L 3-2

328

Lewis

Burroughs

Wilson

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott

Campton-Sturridge (Daniel 81)

McEachran

Clark

Parker

Sat 20 Sep

Scarborough Athletic

National North

L 1-0

722

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott (Humphrey-Ewers)

Potter

McEachran (Kauan)

Clark

Parker

Sat 4 Oct

Curzon Ashton

National North

L 1-2

704

Lewis

Burroughs

Wilson (Roddy 46)

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott (Westendorf 78

Campton-Sturridge (Daniel 85)

Humprey-Ewers

Clark

Parker

Sat 11 Oct

Chorley

National North

D 3-3

1,440

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Johnson

Ashby

Scott (2)

Campton-Sturridge (Wilson 88)

Humphrey-Ewers

Clark

Parker (Westendorf 73)

Sat 18 Oct

Southport

National North

L 2-1

795

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Johnson (Francis 46)

Ashby

Scott (Campton Sturridge 59)

Bearne
(Kauan 85)

Humphrey-Ewers

Clark

Westendorf
(Parker 46)

Tue 21 Oct

Bedford Town

National North

L 1-0

901

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott

Bearne

Humphrey-Ewers (McConnell 62)

Clark
(Maragh 90)

Parker

Sat 25 Oct

Leamington

National North

D 1-1

702

Lewis

Burroughs (Potter 70)

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott (Daniel 70)

Maragh

Humphrey-Ewers

Clark

Parker

Sat 1 Nov

Bedford

National North

L 2-1

523

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy (Westendorf 79)

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott (Potter 79)

Maragh (Bearne 74)

Humphrey-Ewers

Clark

Parker

Tue 4 Nov

Hereford

National North

W 3-0

618

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott

Maragh (Bearne 82)

Humphrey-Ewers

Clark (Westendorf 70)

Parker

Sat 8 Nov

Worksop Town

National North

W 2-0

524

Lewis

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott

Maragh (Johnson 85)

Humphrey-Ewers

Potter (Parker 69)

Westendorf

Sat 15 Nov

Peterborough Sports

FA TROPHY

L 2-1

412

Treml

Johnson (Wilson 78)

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott

Clark

Humphrey-Ewers (Westendorf 65)

Potter

Parker

Tue 18 Nov

South Shields

National North

L 4-1

1,362

Treml

Johnson

Roddy (Campton-Sturridge 82)

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott (Maragh 77)

Clark

Humphrey-Ewers

Potter (Westendorf 59)

Parker

Sat 22 Nov

Marine

National North

D 0-0

1,037

Pardington

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Scott (McEachran 75)

Clark

Humphrey-Ewers

Parker

Westendorf

Tue 25 Nov

AFC Telford United

National North

L 4-0

941

Pardington

Burroughs

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis

Ashby

Maragh (Campton-Sturridge 46)

Clark

Humphrey-Ewers (Potter 64)

Westendorf (McEachran 64)

Parker

Sat 29 Nov

King's Lynn Town

National North

L 1-0

518

Pardington

Johnson

Roddy

Wiggett

Francis (Wilson 54)

Ashby

Scott

Clark

Potter (Westendorf 67)

McEachran (Campton-Sturridge 67(

Parker

Sat 6 Dec

Darlington

National North

3pm

Sat 20 Dec

Spennymoor Town

National North

3pm

Fri 26 Dec

Merthyr Town

National North

1pm

Tue 30 Dec

Peterborough Sports

National North

7.45pm

Sat 3 Jan

Radcliffe

National North

3pm

Sat 10 Jan

Buxton

National North

3pm

Sat 17 Jan

Macclesfield

National North

3pm

Sat 24 Jan

AFC Fylde

National North

3pm

Tue 27 Jan

Hereford

National North

7.45pm

Sat 31 Jan

South Shields

National North

3pm

Sat 7 Feb

Leamington

National North

3pm

Tue 10 Feb

Bedford Town

National North

7.45pm

Sat 14 Feb

Worksop Town

National North

3pm

Sat 21 Feb

Marine

National North

3pm

Tue 24 Feb

AFC Telford United

National North

7.45pm

Sat 28 Feb

King's Lynn Town

National North

3pm

Sat 7 Mar

Scarborough Athletic

National North

3pm

Tue 10 Mar

Curzon Ashton

National North

7.45pm

Sat 14 Mar

Southport

National North

3pm

Sat 21 Mar

Chorley

National North

3pm

Sat 28 Mar

Kidderminster Harriers

National North

3pm

Fri 3 Apr

Merthyr Town

National North

3pm

Mon 6 Apr

Peterborough Sports

National North

3pm

Sat 11 Apr

Alfreton Town

National North

3pm

Sat 18 Apr

Chester

National North

3pm

Sat 25 Apr

Darlington

National North

3pm

LINE UPS

OXFORD CITY
1. Jamie Pardington
2. Byron Wilson
3. Jacob Roddy
4. Josh Ashby
5. Chris Francis
6. Darnell Johnson
7. Jack Bearne
9. Isaac Westendorf
10. Zac McEachran
11. DJ Campton-Sturridge
12. Charlie Wiggett
13. Max Treml
14. Josh Parker
15. Tom Scott
16. Alfie Potter
17. Ewan Clark
18. George Burroughs
20. Latrell Humphrey-Ewers
22. Geneiro Maragh
23. Brayden Daniel
24. Josh McConnell
25. Kauan Bitencourt de Oliveira

Referee: Harry Jones
Assistant Referees: David Johnston
Martin Bloor
Fourth Official: Russell Jones

Follow the action on the App

DARLINGTON
1 Peter Jameson
2 Ben Hedley
3 Scott Barrow
4 Tom Platt
5 Toby Lees
6 Elliot Forbes
7 Will Hatfield
9 Jack Maskell
10 Cedric Main
11 Tom Allan
12 Jack Mortimer
14 Josh Scott
17 Charlie Lennon
18 Max Howells
20 Alfie Myers-Smith
21 Tye Barton
24 Will McGowan
25 Aidan Rutledge
26 Kallum Griffiths
27 Ellis Stanton
29 Paddy McLaughlin
30 Liam Murray