It’s been a testing last few weeks for Lowestoft who have racked up the miles on the road in league and cup action. On top of this the squad have been challenged even further with a number of injuries but have never stopped giving their all and will no doubt use their continued togetherness and high work ethic to try and get a result from this match.

Here's some information on the match, along with some history about Oxford City:-

Admission Prices:-
Adult - £12
Concession - £9
Under 16 - £3

Programme Cost:-
£2

Sponsors:-
Our Main Sponsors – Smith Bros Timber
http://www.smiths-timber.co.uk/
Gold Match Sponsors - Alexandra Bros

Ground:-
Name - Crown Meadow
Postcode - NR32 2PA
Capacity - 3000
Seating for - 466
Car Parking: Limited on-street parking but agreement with local college 250 yards away

Form:-
Lowestoft Town (17th) - Last five league results; LWLLL
Leading Scorer (League) – Chris Henderson (4)
Oxford City (3rd) - Last five league results; WLWWL
Leading Scorer (League) – Adi Yussuf (8)
Lowestoft Town defeated Bradford Park Avenue 3-2 over a month ago but since then they have been dealt three defeats. The first of these was a heavy 5-1 defeat at lowly Hyde, in which the team held their hands up for a below par performance but the two defeats following that have been close encounters. Firstly the Trawlerboys put in a great effort at the far reaches of Barrow, conceding two goals late on, of which the first arguably shouldn’t have stood after a push in the Lowestoft defence. Then in their most recent league defeat, Brackley Town scored in the first half and had their keeper to thank for keeping a much improved and draw deserving Lowestoft at bay with several top draw saves. There have been positives to come from the last two defeats though with the team battling and competing well but the squad is stretched to its absolute limits at present with injuries and the team will need to summon everything against Oxford.
Oxford City are currently the Jeckall and Hyde team of the league, seeing them register big wins and big defeats back to back on a couple occasions in September. An astonishing 8-1 defeat at home to AFC Fylde was followed by an incredible 7-2 win at Boston United. Then just a week later a 5-0 win away to Bradford Park Avenue was followed by a 4-0 defeat at Guiseley. Oxford City are a free-scoring side with goals coming from all over the pitch and have already hit the onion bag twenty-nine times in their fourteen league games but this has been balanced out by them conceding twenty-seven.

BT Sports (LIVE - 12:45pm) – Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur:-
Prior to the game the big screen TV's in our Social Club will be showing the Live Premier League match from the Etihad between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
The turnstiles will be open from 12:30pm and as usual our fully licensed bar will be open to serve hot/cold drinks and bar snacks. So why not come along early to enjoy a live premiership game and a couple of beers before Lowestoft Town take Oxford City.

Club History:-
OXFORD CITY FOOTBALL CLUB can trace its origins back to 1882, when football was first promoted in the city. Following the Corinthian model of a representative club, the City sides were made up of players from other teams, including Oxford Cygnets, United College Servants and Oxford Wanderers.
Friendly matches were played against local teams, but gradually more important clubs were added to the fixture list. The representative model unfortunately proved unworkable in 1896 and the club was restructured, winning the Oxfordshire County Cup (now the Senior Cup) in 1900 and appearing at the 1st Round stage of both major FA competitions in 1901/02. The FA Cup achievement (last 32, equivalent to today’s 4th Round), in which City took 2nd Division Lincoln City to a replay, ranks among the best ever by the club.
This was the start of a golden era, with Amateur Cup Final appearances in 1903, 1906 and 1913, the first and last ending in defeat after replays. 1906 was the pinnacle of success, City beating Bishop Auckland 3-0 in a snowstorm. In the following season City again reached the 1st Round of the FA Cup, losing 3-0 at home to 1st Division side Bury.
City joined the Isthmian League in 1907, finishing runners-up in 1934/35 and again in 1945/46, and made a further FA Cup 1st Round appearance in 1933/34, losing 5-1 at home to Gillingham, then in League Division 3 (South).
After the Second World War, City’s fortunes were relatively unspectacular, but in the 1960’s the club enjoyed a sustained run of FA Cup success, playing in the 1st Round five years running, and making it to the 2nd Round in 1969/70. During this period they forced replays against Bristol Rovers and Bournemouth. The Quarter-Final stage of the Amateur Cup was also reached in 1950/51 and 1967/68, City losing out to Pegasus and Chesham United respectively, and the Oxfordshire Senior Cup was won several times during this era.
During the 1970s and 1980s however, success eluded the club, despite the glamour of Bobby Moore and Harry Redknapp as the managerial team in 1980-81. There was relegation into Division 1 of the Isthmian League twice, and in 1988 came the undignified and undeserved eviction from the White House Ground, City’s home since 1900, on a legal technicality.
Dedicated officials and supporters kept the club’s name alive, and from 1989 a team was rebuilt, moving steadily up the Pyramid from park football to the South Midlands League. The Phoenix was rising!
In 1993 City deservedly achieved both promotion back into the Isthmian League and the acquisition of the new Court Place Farm stadium, a superb joint effort by Committee, supporters, sponsors and the landlords, Oxford City Council. City’s first match on the new pitch was a 3-1 win over neighbours Oxford United in front of 1,800 spectators.
The 1994/95 season was doubly successful, with the club making history by reaching the final of the FA Vase at Wembley Stadium. They lost 2-1, but were consoled by promotion into Division 1 of the Isthmian League. The 1995/96 season saw a gripping finale as they pipped Heybridge Swifts to the Championship, and so City had regained a place in the top flight of the league after 16 years.
This success lasted two years before relegation to Division 1 in 1998. There they stayed until the Pyramid restructuring in 2004 took them into the Southern League Division 1. Finding adjustment difficult, City were relegated into the South Midlands League, but showed determination in bouncing back at the first attempt into Division 1 South and West of the Southern League.
Cup success has been limited in recent years other than when City again reached the 1st Round of the FA Cup in 1999/2000 against Wycombe Wanderers. After two sensational draws, the second abandoned just before the newly established penalty shoot-out after an electrical fire, City narrowly lost the unique third encounter at Oxford United’s Manor Ground, before more than 4,000 fans.
In 2005 Oxford City formed an association with local club Quarry Nomads which has proved very successful and the stadium now hosts senior men’s teams in both the Blue Square Bet North and the Hellenic League Premier Division at step 2 and step 5.
Another milestone was achieved when the club were awarded the prestigious FA Charter Standard Community Club status in 2006. This was followed by the award of FA Charter Standard Community Club Regional Winner for the South East in 2007. In that year the club grew further with the introduction of Veterans teams together with several Oxford City Casuals teams for players with learning disabilities. In 2008 further recognition of the Oxford City progression was confirmed when the club were voted Football Foundation Community Club of the Year at the National Game Awards. On the pitch, success returned in season 2007/8 as City achieved promotion into the Premier Division of the Southern League following victory over Didcot Town in the playoff semi-final (on penalties) and Uxbridge in the Final.
In season 2009/10 City had an excellent FA Cup run through to the 1st Round Proper for the first time in twenty years. The memorable cup run was ended at League club Burton Albion by a cruel last minute winner by the home team after City had performed so well and taken an early lead against the full time professionals. Major success returned in season 2011/12 in the form of another good FA Cup run and promotion to the club’s highest ever level. After excellent away victories City finally went out of the FA Cup at home to Redbridge having earned a replay in the 1st Round proper. In the league City claimed runners up position and home advantage in the play-offs confirming promotion with a 4-2 victory in the final over AFC Totton in front of a home crowd of nearly 1300. Massive progress off the field was achieved in January 2012 with the opening of the club’s £2.4m Community Arena providing a new pavilion, a new full size artificial grass pitch and six International standard Netball courts – all fulfilling the club’s registered charity status. This has been a major success for the club and the directors are currently working on more facility development projects and ground improvements.
There are currently over 40 Oxford City teams providing regular football across all sectors of the local community with more teams planned. The Ladies & Girls section in particular is growing rapidly with girls teams at most age groups and two ladies teams. Other formal links have been established with City of Oxford College, Bucks New University and Ruskin College (Educational Partnerships), together with St. Clare’s Oxford and Ignite Sports (Community Partnerships). The link with Helen & Douglas House hospice is now in its eleventh year and continues to be the club’s primary charity focus alongside our strong relationship with Combat Stress. The very successful Oxford Football Partnership has been in place now for nine years with City of Oxford College and Ignite Sports providing football education courses and apprenticeships based at Oxford City. Player and coach development is a key element of the club’s structure and coaching emphasis with many younger players now progressing into the senior sides. The club also has huge Futsal success with the talented Oxford City Lions and our Under 19s players regularly winning national competitions. This will continue to be a growth area for the club with the forming of an academy and development of an indoor venue.
In 2013 the structure of the club was broadened to take further advantage of the strong international Oxford brand and link commercially with other sports and educational organisations overseas. This initiative, with Thomas Anthony Guerriero as club President has been a major success financially with increased sponsorship and the unique membership of a diverse sports portfolio has significantly raised the profile of Oxford City. This season sees the return to the club of ex-player and manager Justin Merritt in the important role of General Manager. Justin has won promotion with City in the past and will be looking for more success. Exciting times for the club – both on and off the pitch.
The Conference North is the highest ever level achieved by Oxford City who finished 10th in their first season (2012/13) and avoided relegation last season due to the resignation of Vauxhall Motors, resulting in just the bottom two sides being relegated.

Lowestoft Town v Oxford City
(Crown Meadow)
Saturday 18th October 2014
3pm kick-off

Come on you Trawlerboys!!

Terry Bullen