2000/01
League:
Level
Nationwide League Division 2
Position:
24th - Relegated
FA Cup:
Second Round
League Cup:
First Round
Chairman:
Firoz Kassam
Managers:
Denis Smith, Mike Ford (caretaker), David Kemp, Mike Ford (caretaker #2).
Top Scorer:
Phil Gray (9)
Notable Players:
Steve Anthrobus, Jamie Cook, Peter Fear, Phil Gray, Wayne Hatswell, Richard Knight, Manny Omoyinmi, Paul Powell, Jon Richardson, Andy Scott, Paul Tait, Dean Whitehead.
Kit Manufacturer
This was to be Oxford's last season with New balance.
Sponsor
An Oxford-based web agency Domino Systems featured as the shirt sponsor, but for just this one season.
Football League Branding
The league issued yet another variation of their competition sleeve patch.
Home Kit & Away Variation
Long
sleeves
New Balance produced an unpopular design for Oxford United’s last season at the Manor Ground. The shirts had a metallic brass colour with tiny blue specs, resulting in a rather dirty or muddy green appearance, especially under floodlights.
The fabric used for these shirts was identical to that worn by Sunderland’s away kit during the 97/98 season.
The shirts featured two versions of the club crest: one that read "OXFORD UNITED" in all caps and another that displayed "OXFORD United F.C." with a mix of capitalisation.
The kit colour did not resonate well with supporters, and coupled with relegation, it marked a miserable end to the club’s time at their beloved Manor Ground.
Away Kit
Long
sleeves
The navy change strip design remained largely unchanged.
The shirts now featured the new sponsor and competition arm patches, whilst the socks gained navy trim on the turnovers.
'Rehashed' Away Shirts
Not all change shirts were new. Some were Unipart shirts rehashed with a rectangular Domino patch crudely applied over the embossed Unipart logo. This demonstrated how dire the club's finances were at that time.
The Domino logo on these shirts was also in an incorrect ‘condensed’ version of the logo typeface.
Goalkeeper Kits
Makeshift Goalkeeper Jersey
At Wycombe, reserve keeper Hubert Busby Junior was introduced as a half-time substitute. He played wearing a baggy red training top and outfield shorts and socks.
Match by Match
Peterboro'
Home
L 0-1
Port Vale Away
L 3-0
Wolves
Away
W 0-1
LC1
Brentford
Home
L 0-1
Walsall
Away
L 3-2
Cambridge
Home
D 1-1
Wolves
Home
L 1-3 (2-3)
LC1
Wycombe
Away
L 3-1
Stoke
Away
L 4-0
Bury
Home
W 1-0
Millwall
Away
L 5-0
Bristol City
Home
L 0-1
Swindon
Away
L 2-1
Wrexham
Home
L 3-4
Luton
Home
D 0-0
Rotherham
Away
L 3-1
Wigan
Home
L 0-2
Reading
Away
L 4-3
Bristol Rov
Home
L 0-1
Swansea
Away
W 1-2
Macclesfield
Away
W 0-1
FAC1
Notts C
Home
L 2-3
Oldham
Away
L 3-2
Brentford
Away
L 4-1
FLT
Chester
Away
L 3-2
FAC2
Northampton
Home
W 3-1
Colchester
Away
L 3-2
Bournemouth
Home
L 1-2
Brentford
Away
L 3-0
Walsall
Home
W 2-1
Colchester
Home
L 0-1
Peterboro'
Away
L 4-2
Wycombe
Home
L 1-2
Bury
Away
L 3-1
Stoke
Home
D 1-1
Millwall
Home
L 0-2
Bristol City
Away
D 0-0
Wrexham
Away
L 5-3
Swindon
Home
L 0-2
Rotherham
Home
W 4-3
Cambridge
Away
L 1-0
Northampton
Away
W 0-1
Bournemouth
Away
L 4-3
Oldham
Home
L 0-1
Luton
Away
D 1-1
Wigan
Away
L 3-2
Reading
Home
L 0-2
Bristol Rov
Away
L 6-2
Swansea
Home
W 3-1
Port Vale
Last game at The Manor
D 1-1
Notts C
Away
L 2-1
Prototypes
New Balance provided the club with a number of prototype options for the final season at the Manor Ground. At the time of production, these examples assumed Unipart would continue as the club sponsor.
I'd suggest the yellow pinstripe option was a much better design than the 'muddy' shirt which was eventually chosen.
Pre-season Kits
Despite Domino being announced as the new club sponsor, the new kit was not ready in time for the pre-season fixtures.
Oxford United wore their old 1999 strips for these matches. The away kit was updated slightly, featuring new-style socks with a navy band on the turnovers.
Rarity
The 1997 white away shirts were repurposed with the Domino sponsor patch crudely applied over the original Unipart logo. The same process was applied to some of the navy away shirts.
These white shirts were never worn in a first-team match, but were likely used by the reserves.
Thanks to @MY1OUFC for discovering this.