Oxford City

in the

Oxfordshire Senior Cup

Oxford City enter the 2026 Oxfordshire Senior Cup having won the competition 33 times. Or 35, Or possibly 36.

City first won the cup back in 1900, successfully defending their title the following year. There was then a ten year gap before they won it again in 1912, and in the intervening years teams from as far afield as Culham, Henley, Banbury, Thame and Caversham had won a trophy that was originally dominated by Gown rather than Town

Five time winners Culham College won the very first competition in 1885 with a 2-1 victory over Friar Park at the Caversham Cricket Ground.

Culham went on to win the competition the next season and a further three times with their last success coming in 1903. The very successful Oxford United College Servants, a team made up of the staff at the University colleges had matched their five wins as the competition became ever more competitive

After World War Two City started to dominate the competition. In the 20 years from 1945 onwards City won it 11 times, and from 1967 to 1972 they won it each year although the reason for the confusion over numbers stems from a shared win in 1971 with Witney Town, plus the two occasions when the Reserve side won the cup (1929 and 1931)

If we combine all of those wins and say that City have won the cup 35.5 times then we can also add Headington United’s three titles to the 11 that Oxford United have won, the last being in 2013.

City’s most recent win, a 2-1 defeat of Oxford United in 2022 came after the Covid Lockdown seasons when the competition was put on ice. Technically City were the holders for five years at that stage although they went 15 years without lifting the trophy between 2003 and 2018.

The winning goal in that game came from current City skipper Josh Ashby, his fourth winner's medal. Ten years ago he won the trophy in a young United side that beat City 6-1 in the final at the Kassam Stadium.

City Owner Justin Merritt also has two winners medals as a player for Thame, while City Chairman Andy Sinnott was Manager of the winning sides in the last ever final at the Manor and the first held at The Kassam Stadium. He also won it as a player for City.

In the last three years Thame United have dominated, winning the last three finals, but defeat at home to Ardley eliminated the champions in the last round, making the quarter finals look like this:

Woodcote v Carterton
Banbury United v Kidlington
Easington Sports v Ardley United
Oxford City v Oxford United

Senior Cup Facts

4

Two City players have scored four goals in a Final: ‘Nipper’ Jones (1930-31) and John Woodley (1964-65)

25

Jefferson Louis won the trophy with Thame in 2000 and then again last year, an incredible 25 years between wins

6

The best run of Cup Final wins is six by Oxford City between 1966 and 1971 (though they shared the Cup in 1970-71). Cowley (1921 to 1924) and Oxford United (1988 to 1991) have had runs of four successive victories.

13

There have been 13 replayed finals; and 8 needed extra-time in the first game in 1942-43 the Cup was awarded to RAF Harwell after two drawn matches: RAF Brize Norton declined to play the third match.

Past Winners
1885	Culham College F..C.
1886	Culham College
1887	Oxford United College Servants
1888	Banbury Harriers
1889	Oxford United College Servants
1890	Amersham Hall Scholars
1891	Banbury Harriers
1892	Oxford United College Servants
1893	Oxford United College Servants
1894	Oxford United College Servants
1895	Witney
1896	Oxford Cygnets
1897	Culham College
1898	Witney
1899	Witney
1900	Oxford City
1901	Oxford City
1902	Culham College
1903	Culham College
1904	Henley
1905	Banbury volunteers
1906	Thame
1907	Caversham Rovers
1908	Caversham Rovers
1909	Thame
1910	Thame
1911	Henley
1912	Oxford City
1913	Henley
1914	Henley
1920	Banbury Brit. Works
1921	Morris Motors
1922	Cowley
1923	Cowley
1924	Cowley
1925	Cowley
1926	St. Frideswide
1927	Cowley
1928	Banbury Stones Athletic
1929	OxFord City (Res)
1930	Bicester Town
1931	Oxford City (Reserves)
1932	RAF. Heyford
1933	RAF Bicester
1934	RAF Heyford
1935	Cowley
1936	Headington United
1937	Pressed Steel
1938	Pressed Steel
1939	Bicester Town
1940	Pressed Steel
1941	Infantry Training Centre
1942	Oxford City
1943	RAF Harwell
1944	Oxford City
1945	Oxford City
1946	Oxford City
1947	Henley Town
1948	Headington United
1949	Oxford City
1950	Pegasus
1951	Oxford City
1952	Headington United
1953	Witney Town
1954	Oxford City
1955	Witney Town
1956	Witney Town
1957	Oxford City
1958	Pegasus
1959	Witney Town
1960	Oxford City
1961	Oxford City
1962	Oxford City
1963	Oxford City
1964	Morris Motors
1965	Oxford City
1966	Quarry Nomads
1967	Oxford City
1968	Oxford City
1969	Oxford City
1970	Oxford City
1971	Oxford City & Witney Town
1972	Oxford City
1973	Witney Town
1974	Oxford City
1975	Pressed Steel
1976	Thame United
1977	Chipping Norton Town
1978	Chipping Norton Town
1979	Banbury United
1980	PePPard
1981	Thame United
1982	Peppard
1983	Oxford City
1984	Oxford City
1985	Morris Motors
1986	Oxford City
1987	Oxford United
1988	Banbury United
1989	Oxford United
1990	Oxford United
1991	Oxford United
1992	Oxford United
1993	Thame United
1994	Witney Town
1995	Witney Town
1996	Oxford City
1997	Oxford City
1998	Witney Town
1999	Oxford City
2000	Oxford City
2001	Thame United
2002	Thame United
2003	Oxford City
2004	Banbury United
2005	Banbury United
2006	Oxford United
2007	Banbury United
2008	North Leigh
2009	Oxford United
2010	Oxford United
2011	Oxford United
2012	North Leigh
2013	Oxford United
2014	Ardley United
2015	Banbury United
2016	Oxford United
2017	North Leigh
2018	Oxford City
2019	Oxford City
2022	Oxford City
2023	Thame United
2024	Thame United
2025	Thame United