Club History

‘Oxford University Proved Fertile Soil for the Development of Football’: A Short History of Oxford University Association Football Club 

The following account offers a brief overview of the club’s long, rich and successful journey, with peripheral junctures oft over-looked for purposes of brevity. This article uses hitherto neglected sources - contemporary articles, archives, and oral history - as part of a genuine attempt to situate Oxford University within the early development of football. It is important to note that this piece owes a great deal to the work of Christopher Mackarness and Phil Martin, who have provided a raft of fascinating insights into the history of OUAFC. We hope you find this article as exhilarating to read as we did to research.  

The Origins: The Rural Past-Time of ‘Football’ and Public School 

It is common knowledge that most historical events cannot be reduced to a singular definable moment in time or ‘origin’ as per say. Instead, the history of this sport is a product of an incremental process which has no individual author. So, for reasons of brevity I start this history at the advent of the 19th century, which is, from our perspective, most significant. Evidently, ‘football’ has been documented within the history books hundreds of years prior, but those that wish to trace its origins back into medieval history are confronted with the issue of fragmentation. Not to mention of course, that not all rural games involving a ‘kicking-of-an-object’ have relevance to the football as we know it. To suggest these rural pastimes, referred to as ‘football’, influenced modern football in some way, or have any relevance to this university, is merely conjecture. One would perhaps, be less misguided to suggest the roots of football lie in the origins of chess!  

Of relevance to us, here at Oxford is the importance of public schools,; namely Eton and Rugby. Boarding on a fairly permanent basis presented public schools with two important perquisites of the game: time and space. Some historians even go as far as to state that their geographical environment dictated the games played. Vast spaces of land offered a natural ‘playground’ or pitch; tree roots presented opportunities for goals, and hedges around the school seemingly provided natural boundaries. However, in short, such explanations are merely an intriguing hypothesis.  Whilst these public school games developed, rules as we know it were dependent upon the oral instructions from ‘old boys’ to ‘new boys’, and none issued any formal body or governance of the game. As such, each school continued the progression of their ‘kicking-game’ in splendid isolation, apparent when they did, finally, commit pen to paper.  

It is then of no surprise that the 28th of August 1845 holds a special place in the formal origins of this sport, with Rugby School issuing the first written rules of their game:; foot-ball. At least, no earlier accounts have thus far been discovered. The rules mentioned detailed nuances of the game; with distinct reference from a ‘kick-off from the middle’, the issuing of an ‘off-side’ if an opposing player off his side kicks the ball. Perhaps surprisingly, given the nature of what we know about public school games in the early 1800s, ‘hacking with the heel’ was not permitted, and players could only be forcibly held unless he himself is holding the ball’! It is reasonable to suggest that the publication of these rules marked a critical juncture for both the development of ‘football’ and rugby’; whose histories are inevitably tied. Two years later, the Eton boys committed their rules to written forms, with other major institutions following suit. Shrewsbury did so around 1855, Harrow in 1858, Westminster in 1860 and Charterhouse in 1862.  

Public Schools and the Beginning of Football at Oxford University 

By the middle years of the nineteenth century, these new forms of football were slowly being diffused from public schools to university, in the similar fashion that the ‘old boys’ had passed  the oral instructions onto the new. The new students at Oxford University were eager to share their versions of the game, with the University proving to be very much an extension of the public school system. Not only were leisure patterns similar, but Oxford also replicated the system of houses, colours regalia and sporting contests familiar to all the leading public school. It should not be any surprise to us, then, that the University of Oxford proved fertile soil for the development for regular football as we know it.  

While there are records of football matches played between Oxford Old Etonians and Eton College as early as 1852, as far as we are aware, the first recorded match using the name ‘Oxford University Football Club’ took place on the Christ Church ground on 24 th October 1856. Matches against Eton College using both Wall Game and Field Game rules followed in November that year. A year later at Eton, the annual game between Cambridge and Oxford was held, this match marked the beginning of a fierce rivalry between the two universities that continues to this day.  Clearly, the students of Oxford were impressed by the game that Old Etonians had diffused to their university, with an Eton College Chronicle stating: ‘The Eton game of football is played three times a week during the present term, it is always well attended’. Similar fixtures featured all throughout the 1850s against leading public schools such as Harrow, Winchester and Radley, with all schools applying their own rules to the game.  

Thus far, Oxford, as the previously available records suggested, had little influence on the rules debate. However, this was to change in the year of 1864, when a meeting at Wadham saw the writing of the first rough draft of rules. It was previously thought that no copy of these rules had survived. However, two fragile slips of paper were recently discovered in the Bodleian Library headed with the name ‘The Oxford (University) Football Club’. The names of the officers of the club confirm that these rules were applicable to the 1864-65 season, 

Re-writing History: Oxford University History Continued… 

On Saturday, February 15, 1867, Oxford University played the famous Wanderers association football club using Westminster rules and an Eton Ball. The documentation denotes, that “the game kicked off at 1-30pm and lasted an hour” and the game was loudly applauded by those watching. A further fixture with the same club in November 1867 was played using Association rules and an Eton ball. A year later, in November 1868, we see the first reference to an ‘Oxford University Amalgamation Club’, a name which came to be used interchangeably with ‘Oxford University Association Club’ in seasons 1868-69 and 1869-70 as the University firmly adopted the Association code.

A membership record found in the first Football Association (F.A.) minute book adds an interesting detail to the tale. Clearly reading ‘“Oxford Amalgamation’, this record confirms that OUAFC officially joined the F.A. in 1869, confirming that our membership supersedes our counterparts at Cambridge who only joined the F.A. in 1873! Maintaining our strong ties to the F.A., Oxford were invited to take part in  the F.A. Cup for the first time in 1872.  

While claims could be made for 1856, 1864 or perhaps 1867, the above sequence of events allows us to confidently re-assign the foundation date of OUAFC as an Association club back to the first days of the ‘Amalgamation’ club in 1868, not just to 1872 as was previously thought.

The F.A Cup 

The club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the F.A. Cup 2-0 against the Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners-up in 1873, 1877, and 1880, the last year they competed.  

The third final in the history of the F.A. Challenge Cup (commonly known as F.A.Cup) was played on the 14th of March 1874 between Oxford University and Royal Engineers at the Oval, Kennington, in front of over 2000 spectators. Both teams had impressive journeys to the final, and the Engineers even undertook two weeks of special training in preparation for the match, a ground-breaking concept at the time. The fruits of their preparation showed early on in the game, but the Engineers were not able to capitalise on this early dominance.  

In the 10th minute, Oxford punished them with the first goal of the game. Mackarness, one of Oxford’s backs, found the ball at his feet after a melee in the opposition box and steered an expert shot over the crowd of players and into the goal. The Engineers tried to react but, in the 20th minute, Oxford’s two star-players, Ottaway and Vidal, dribbled the length of the pitch before squaring to Patton for 2-0. The Engineers made themselves dangerous again through Renny-Tailyour, their chief threat of the afternoon, whose powerful shot could only be stopped by the post. But it was Oxford who next had the ball in the back of the net. However, the third goal was not confirmed because Oxford failed to appeal: according to the rules of the time, an appeal was necessary in order for a goal to be recognised. The score, therefore, remained 2-0, bringing the F.A. Cup for the first and only time to the University of Oxford. OUAFC remains the only University side to ever win the F.A. Cup.  

Celebrating 150 Years of Blues Varsity Matches 

On the 30th of March 1874, following their impressive F.A. cup win, Oxford played Cambridge at the Oval in the first ever Varsity Football Match. At the time, formations looked very different: there were only 4 specified positions, the goalkeeper, the back, the half back and the forwards. A mystery hangs over Oxford’s starting 11, only 10 names were officially given. The 11th man is thought to most likely have been our spotlight player: C.C.Mackarness.  

Oxford entered as the favourites, but Cambridge put up a spirited defence, positioning all eleven players in front of the goal line. Oxford found it difficult to break them down. The captain, Ottaway, in despair, exclaimed “What are we to do?”.  

And R.W.S Vidal replied: “We must let them get away”. The sporting papers described how a “sudden incomprehensible feebleness developed both in the Oxford attack and defence”.  

Cambridge surged forwards and the ball bounced around in front of the Oxford goal. The ball landed at the feet of Vidal who then launched a fantastic one man counter attack, dribbling through the crowd of 8 forwards, past the half back, then the back, and found himself with just the goalkeeper to beat. Aiming for the bottom corner, he accidentally caught the underside of the ball, which, as it travelled towards the Cambridge goal, rose and rose. The ball passed just underneath the crossbar, making it 1-0 to Oxford. The game finished at 1-0 and Oxford took home the victory in the first ever Football Varsity Match.  

The Blues Varsity competition has a rich and impressive history. As a footballing club, OUAFC retains a special connection to some of the oldest competitions in the UK, including the F.A. Cup. However, the central fixture of the club has always been the Varsity match against Cambridge.  

Wembley Stadium was the Varsity venue for the longest stretch in OUAFC’s history from 1953 to 1988. Other notable locations include: The Oval, Queens Club, Stamford Bridge, Champion Hill Stadium, White Hart Lane, The Hive, Craven Cottage  

Since 2017, the Women’s Blues have competed in the Varsity fixture alongside the men in a double-header… 

The story of Women’s Football at Oxford begins in 1986 with the creation of OUWAFC. Football at Oxford has a determined and inspiring history, and in recent years Women’s football has benefitted from a new, but long overdue, appreciation for the game.  

In 2020, the Women’s Club merged with the Men’s Club. This ensured equal funding and facility access for the men’s and women’s sides. 2020 also saw the qualifications of the Women’s ‘Blue’ change. Previously, the qualifications for a full blue were unequal: the women had to play and win the Varsity to gain a blue, whereas the men only had to make the field on the day. Now, the men and women share the same criteria for a Full Blue.  

The women’s club remains an important and inspiring part of OUAFC and continues to uphold the principles of inclusivity, enjoyment and determination. In 2023 we launched the This Girl Can campaign which aims to open the benefits of football, regular exercise and activity to all, regardless of background and ability. OUAFC is also privileged to have Heidi Johansen-Berg as senior member, the first woman Senior Member since the club’s founding in 1872.  

Thank You!

A special thank you to Phil Martin, Christopher Mackarness and family, for all their help in researching this historical article.

Writing credits are awarded to Hannah Williams; Charlotte Maple; Francesco Cipriani and Madeleine Kowalenko.  

Edited by Phil Martin

Please click here to review our A Brief History of Oxford University Association Football  booklet. N.B this booklet does not include the most recent revisions to our foundational date.