1982/83
League:
Level
League Division 3
Position:
5th
FA Cup:
Third Round
League Cup:
Second Round
Chairman:
Robert Maxwell
Manager:
Jim Smith
Top Scorer:
Mick Vinter (14)
Notable Players:
Gary Barnet, Kevin Brock, David Fogg, Steve Hardwick, Trevor Hebberd, Mark Jones, George Lawrence, Malcolm Shotton, Mick Vinter.
Kit Manufacturer
Spall began a 3-year association with Oxford United, during what is still considered to be the club's greatest period.
Spall didn’t do a great job of reproducing the club crest on these shirts. The Ox’s head was stretched and also had the curve at the top of the head inverted.
Sponsors
For most of the season, there were different home and away shirt sponsors. Both were new chairman Robert Maxwell owned businesses.
Official Kit & Away Variation
Long
sleeves
Oxford’s new V-neck and pinstriped shirts were a very common feature of football teams at that time.
This was the start of the Robert Maxwell era which coincided with several seasons of unrivalled success. Maxwell used the Oxford United shirts to advertise his publishing empire. BPCC (British Printing & Communication Corporation) was the official club sponsor.
Home Variation
From October onwards, all of the home matches featured shirts with Maxwell’s Pergamon Press as the sponsor.
Pergamon's headquarters were based just down the London Road at Headington Hill Hall (now Brookes University campus).
Away Kit
Long
sleeves
The choice of all red change colours continued with the Spall kits.
The same design template as the home shirt was used for the away kit.
Goalkeeper Jersey
TV Shirts
Prior to 1983, television companies refused to broadcast matches that featured sponsored football shirts.
For several matches, Oxford United was required to wear plain shirts when the TV cameras were present.
Older Garments
It would appear that the new Spall kits were not ready for the start of the 82/83 campaign. For the first 3 matches, Oxford United wore their old Adidas shirts and Admiral yellow shorts.
Interestingly, the new Spall shirts were worn during the preseason, therefore I can only assume they were sent away to have the sponsor's logo printed on them.
Match By Match
Reading
Away
Aldershot
Away
Bournemouth
Away
Gillingham
Away
Reading
Away
Bournemouth
Home
Doncaster
Home
Preston
Away
Reading
Home
Portsmouth
Home
Huddersfield
Home
Chesterfield
Away
Cardiff
Home
Huddersfield
Away
Millwall
Away
Walsall
Home
Brentford
Home
Wrexham
Away
Huddersfield
Home
Exeter
Home
Bradford
Away
Sheffield U
Home
Plymouth
Away
Folkstone
Home
L Orient
Away
Worthing
Home
Wigan
Away
Bristol Rov
Home
Newport
Away
Southend
Home
Reading
Away
Torquay
Away
Torquay
Away
Gillingham
Home
Portsmouth
Away
Preston
Home
Bournemouth
Away
Huddersfield
Home
Cardiff
Away
Walsall
Away
Bradford
Home
Wrexham
Home
Exeter
Away
Lincoln
Home
Sheffield U
Away
Brentford
Away
Plymouth
Home
Newport
Home
Bristol Rov
Away
L Orient
Home
Doncaster
Away
Wigan
Home
Millwall
Home
Lincoln
Away
Reading
Home
Chesterfield
Home
Southend
Away