1996/97
League:
Level
Nationwide League Division 1
Position:
17th
FA Cup:
Third Round
League Cup:
Forth Round
Chairman:
Robin Herd
Manager:
Denis Smith
Top Scorer:
Nigel Jemson (23)
Notable Players:
Martin Aldridge, Joey Beauchamp, Matt Elliott, Bobby Ford, Phil Gilchrist, Martin Gray, Nigel Jemson, Stuart Massey, Matt Murphy, Paul Powell, Les Robinson, David Rush.
Kit Manufacturer
The ‘own brand’ Manor Leisure branding was dropped in favour of the initials O.U.F.C. Garment labels featured the name ‘Sports & Leisurewear’.
Sponsor
Football League Branding
A new, felt style of Football League competition patch was introduced, now featuring the league sponsor.
Home Kit & Away Variations
Long
sleeves
This kit was designed by supporter and broadcaster Andrew Self (Selfie) and had a ‘retro’ feel reminiscent of abrasive football kits from the 1970s.
Initially, the match shirts featured a screen-printed block number. However, starting from match 5, these were replaced with shirts featuring a more traditional sewn sans serif number.
First 4
Fixtures
Most of
season
Away Kit & Variation
Long
sleeves
Despite a new supplier for the home kit, the popular AC Milan styled shirts were reinstated as the away colours.
These new shirts featured the new style league arm patch and were paired with an eye-catching combination of plain white shorts.
Goalkeeper Jersey
The keepers' jersey was updated to feature the same 'OUFC' branding and club crest as the home shirts.
Strangely, the keepers' shorts featured a number 1.
Match By Match
QPR
Away
Norwich
Home
Southend
Home
Norwich
Home
Port Vale
Away
Norwich
Away
Reading
Away
Wolves
Home
Bradford
Home
Sheffield W
Away
Grimsby
Away
Sheffield W
Home
Portsmouth
Home
Tranmere
Away
Swindon
Away
Barnsley
Away
Birmingham
Home
Port Vale
Away
Charlton
Away
Stoke City
Home
Ipswich
Home
Port Vale
Home
Man City
Away
Huddersfield
Home
Bolton
Home
Oldham
Away
Southampton
Home
Charlton
Home
C Palace
Away
Sheffield U
Home
Southampton
Away
West Brom
Away
Wolves
Away
Reading
Home
Bradford
Away
Tranmere
Home
Watford
Away
Portsmouth
Away
Man City
Home
Stoke City
Away
Oldham
Home
Ipswich
Away
C Palace
Home
Huddersfield
Away
West Brom
Home
Sheffield U
Away
Grimsby
Home
Southend
Away
QPR
Home
Norwich
Away
Port Vale
Home
Bolton
Away
Swindon
Home
Birmingham
Away
Barnsley
Home
Prototypes & Rarities
A prototype for the 1996 shirt featured the same repeating pattern of three 'Ox Heads' ghosting across the front panel, a design element that had been used on the Manor Leisure kits for the previous two seasons.
A more subtle detail was a yellow button on the collar, although this was ultimately replaced with a small blue popper for the full production run.
In early 1997, rumours circulated that the club was in talks with Flavio Briatore, the renowned F1 boss and Juventus owner, regarding a takeover, or some kind of partnership between the two clubs.
This Juventus inspired shirt was intended to replace the red 'AC Milan' styled away kit.
The deal must have seemed certain, as a full numbered set of shirts was produced and competition sleeve patches applied. However, the deal never came to fruition, and as a result, this kit was never used by the club.