1983/84
League:
Level
Canon League Division 3
Position:
Champions
FA Cup:
Fifth Round
League Cup:
Fifth Round
Chairman:
Robert Maxwell
Manager:
Jim Smith
Top Scorer:
Steve Biggins (24)
Notable Players:
Steve Biggins, Kevin Brock, Steve Hardwick, Trevor Hebberd, Paul Hinshelwood, Mark Jones, George Lawrence, Malcolm Shotton, Mick Vinter, Neil Whatmore.
Kit Manufacturer
Sponsors
Once again, the shirt sponsors varied throughout the season, but all were part of chairman Robert Maxwell's empire.
Home Kit
Long
sleeves
The 1983/84 season was to prove to be a wonderfully successful campaign for Oxford United. Not only did the U’s secure promotion as Division 3 Champions, but they also enjoyed a giant-killing cup run including 3 epic cup ties against Manchester United, which culminated in a memorable 2-1 victory.
The Pergamon sponsored shirts were again used exclusively at the Manor Ground for the majority (but not all) of the Division 3 matches.
Variations
Long
sleeves
These BPCC sponsored shirts were used during the first half of the season for away matches, plus one home fixture.
Away Kit
Long
sleeves
The all-red change kit remained unchanged from the 1982/83 season.
Third Kit
With both the yellow and the red shirts causing a colour clash at Bradford and Newport, Oxford United introduced an all-white third kit.
These shirts were not printed with a sponsor. The basic design would go on to become the change colours for the following season.
Goalkeeper Jersey
TV Shirts
Long
sleeves
The TV companies finally relaxed their ban on football shirt sponsorship. However, they did insist that all sponsor logos must be half of the size permitted by the FA.
Shirts with a smaller BPCC logo were produced for TV fixtures and were worn mainly for the Milk Cup matches.
However, the smaller logo was impossible to read from any distance and was certainly not distinguishable on the TV screens of that era.
TV Shirts (Version 2)
Long
sleeves
The lack of clarity of the small BPCC logo was not lost on Robert Maxwell, particularly as the club were enjoying prominent TV coverage with 3 games against Manchester United. A new set of shirts were provided, this time with plain bold black lettering.
These shirts made their debut in the second cup replay against Manchester United and would continue to feature regularly over this season and the 1984/85 season.
Match By Match
Lincoln
Home
Bristol City
Home
Wigan
Away
Scunthorpe
Away
Burnley
Home
Bristol City
Away
Gillingham
Away
Millwall
Home
Walsall
Home
Preston
Away
Newcastle
Away
Brentford
Home
Plymouth
Away
Bradford
Home
Bournemouth
Away
Newcastle
Home
Hull City
Home
Wimbledon
Away
Sheffield U
Home
Leeds
Away
Port Vale
Away
Peterboro'
Home
Leeds
Home
Newport
Home
Man Utd
Home
Southend
Away
Man Utd
Away
Reading
Away
Reading
Home
Rotherham
Away
Man Utd
Home
Bristol Rov
Home
Bolton
Away
L Orient
Home
Exeter
Away
Burnley
Away
Burnley
Home
Lincoln
Away
Everton
Home
Everton
Away
Blackpool
Home
Preston
Home
Millwall
Away
Wimbledon
Home
Sheffield W
Home
Swindon
Home
Bournemouth
Home
Hull City
Away
Bradford
Away
Sheffield U
Away
Port Vale
Home
Gillingham
Home
Brentford
Away
Plymouth
Home
Burnley
Away
Scunthorpe
Home
Walsall
Away
Southend
Home
Bolton
Home
Bristol Rov
Away
Newport
Away
Wigan
Home
Exeter
Home
L Orient
Away
Rotherham
Home
*Colours taken from match-day programme.