Making a Manager - The Story

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A wonderful season for Oxford City Football Club. Let's have a look at the stars of the season for City.

GK | Craig King | 21 y/o (01/07/1997) | English
51 Appearances | 67 Goals Conceded | 9 Clean Sheets | 7.06 Average Rating
A young and promising shot stopper. King was our undisputed number one goalkeeper for the season and he had a rather decent year between the sticks. Despite conceding 67 goals in 51 games in all competitions, the former Luton Town youth player kept 9 clean sheets; a club best. It may not sound like the best of tallies but, in lower league football, this could be considered quite impressive. He made a number of inspirational saves in the final of the FA Trophy.

DR | Luke Ruddick | 29 y/o (03/03/1990) | English
44 Appearances | 0 Goals | 12 Assists | 7.05 Average Rating
A very strong season from the experienced full back. He combined attacking contribution and defensive resilience well to be an important part of our squad. He provided an incredible twelve assists as he proved to be an important asset on the right wing for us.

DC | Brad McGowan | 23 y/o (30/04/1996) | English
41 Appearances | 3 Goals | 0 Assists | 6.87 Average Rating
Our central defenders didn't have an incredible year but they had a decent one. Brad McGowan joined the club in September and went straight into our starting lineup. He scored three times as he proved his aerial prowess and was a mainstay throughout the season.

DC | Regan Upton | 22 y/o (17/09/1996) | English
54 Appearances | 5 Goals | 2 Assists | 7.00 Average Rating
It was quite a good season for Regan Upton, who joined us in the summer. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers youth player scored five goals and assisted two more. Not bad for a defender! His presence in the air made him formidable in both boxes and he was an important part of our defence.

DL | Kris Owens | 20 y/o (07/12/1998) | English
44 Appearances | 1 Goal | 4 Assists | 7.10 Average Rating
The former Liverpool youngster did well in his debut season for the club. He had originally been playing as second fiddle to Ben Jefford but broke into the starting lineup and never looked back. He proved to be a formidable defender and has a bright career ahead of him.

DM | Michael Freiter | 23 y/o (05/01/1996) | English
50 Appearances | 5 Goals | 2 Assists | 7.02 Average Rating
Freiter joined in the summer to play in one of the most difficult positions in lower league football. He became our holding midfielder and was charged with breaking down opposition attacks. He did a pretty good job of that and settled into the team very well.

MC | Rob Sinclair | 29 y/o (29/08/1989) | English
46 Appearances | 8 Goals | 14 Assists | 7.38 Average Rating
A masterclass of a season from Rob Sinclair. He played as a deep lying playmaker for us this year and he controlled the midfield with aplomb. He had a habit of scoring absolute screamers and his all-round midfield play meant he could not be displaced from the starting lineup. He was magnificent.

MC | Josh Ashby | 23 y/o (03/05/1996) | English
49 Appearances | 15 Goals | 10 Assists | 7.37 Average Rating
Our captain fantastic. Josh Ashby was tremendous as a box to box midfielder. His all-round contribution, particularly his habit of scoring and assisting, made him the best player in the league. With contract negotiations ongoing, everybody at the club wants this man to stay.

AMR | Nosa Iyamu | 20 y/o (28/10/1998) | Nigerian
53 Appearances | 14 Goals | 18 Assists | 7.06 Average Rating
A very good season for (arguably) Ryan Ferguson's best signing of the season. The former Birmingham City youngster brought pace, skill and flair to the team and he was constantly heavily involved in attacking play for the club. He played the majority of the season on the right wing but switched to the left to accommodate for the inclusion of Sam Pickles, another up-and-coming young winger.

AML | Zac McEachran | 23 y/o (11/11/1995) | English
52 Appearances | 16 Goals | 10 Assists | 6.99 Average Rating
A very strong season from McEachran. He made a habit of scoring important goals for the club, particularly late winners. His speed made him a formidable threat and a very valuable asset to our attack.

ST | Kabongo Tshimanga | 22 y/o (10/08/1996) | English
52 Appearances | 46 Goals | 9 Assists | 7.35 Average Rating
Where would Oxford City be without Kabongo Tshimanga? His incredible goal tally made him (arguably) the most feared striker in non-league football. The team itself scored an incredible amount of goals, but Kabongo stole the show on a weekly basis. On record breaking form, can he become an English footballing legend?

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Ryan Ferguson: My first season in senior football management was a fruitful one. At the helm of Oxford City, I got my hands on both the National League South and FA Trophy titles. A memorable season was a great way to begin my career. Let's sum up how it went.

Upon my arrival I discovered the senior squad to be very short of numbers. There were very few defenders and just one wide midfielder available, and so a series of mass-signings had to occur. Very few players left the club as we looked to build a squad with the numbers required to be a force.

The major signings were Nosa Iyamu (winger), Kris Owens (full back), Regan Upton (central defender) and Brad McGowan (central defender). They all slotted into the starting lineup and performed well throughout the season. Iyamu and Owens, in particular, were star performers for the team in wide areas.

In terms of departures, there were a few which brought regrets. Adebambo Akinjogbin joined in the summer but was out the door in January. He was signed on a non-contract, meaning he was free to move when he pleased, and a move to Partick Thistle followed. He was a player with great promise so I was disappointed to see him leave. Matthew Paterson also left the club. The striker had a very good goals-to-game ratio for us but was second fiddle to the amazing Kabongo Tshimanga, and so I had great respect for him when he asked for a move to a club where he could be first choice. He moved to a team in our same division, and ended up scoring more goals than games played for them.

Four wins and a draw in the opening five games set the tone for what would be a very successful season. Just five defeats put blots on an otherwise impressive year of league football for Oxford City, as we pushed teams aside.

Beating Dulwich Hamlet both home and away, particularly 4-1 at home, definitely highlighted our ability, with home and away victories over Billericay Town and Torquay United exemplifying our ability to perform in the big games.

The obvious disappointments were the defeats. Weston-super-Mare did the double over us, while we also suffered at the hands of Concord Rangers, Woking and Eastbourne Borough.

In the end, we were champions by a five point margin. 109 goals scored exemplified our attacking prowess, which was a league best (84 goals scored the next best). We conceded 53 which was by no means the bets record in the league but wasn't terrible for a division notorious for lacking defensive discipline. We will look to improve on that record but it wasn't a completely awful tally.

Our success in the league and FA Trophy may be overlooked by our run in the FA Cup. We defeated a number of high profile teams to reach the third round of the competition, where Birmingham City brought us to our knees.

Victories over Thatcham Town, Staines Town and Maidstone United in the qualifying rounds brought a great deal of pride to the football club, particularly the victory against a Maidstone United side a tier above us. We were up against it when we faced EFL League One side Walsall but we brought them back to our place on a replay, where we defeated them in extra time. A dramatic victory over EFL League Two side Swindon Town followed, sending us to the third round.

We knew we would be facing a real quality team in the form of Birmingham City in the third round. We were away from home, and they were in the EFL Championship. They demolished us on the scoreline, but we created chances of our own in an exciting game. Nevertheless, we lost, but gained great experience and a big fat amount of prize money for reaching that stage.

We did the double when we lifted the FA Trophy. A strong run of form, including a 6-3 demolition of FC United of Manchester, saw us soar all the way to the semi finals. It took a dramatic stoppage time winner for us to sink Stockport County in the first leg of the semi finals, and we did enough to see them off in the second leg. Chesterfield, a tier above us, awaited us in the final, but we were leading 3-0 with less than ten minutes remaining. The players collapsed from exhaustion but we held on to deny them a complete comeback, earning us a second trophy for the season.

Our success in cup competitions brought in a great amount of money to the football club. We were in a position where we could significantly increase our wage spend by bringing in a higher caliber of player. Our stadium, Court Place Farm, is also under works to increase the capacity to 4,500. Not bad at all!

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National League South and FA Trophy champions Oxford City have revealed their new kits for the upcoming 2019/2020 season. Manufactured by Macron, the home and away kits will represent new kit sponsor University of Oxford, who have signed a one year deal with the football club.

The home kit is designed with the club's traditional blue and white hoops, with a polo collar. A red Macron alternative logo embroiders the arms, while University of Oxford is cut into one of the hoops on the chest of the shirt. The kit is finished with a small white detail on each sleeve cuff.

The away kit is in a business-like granite colour. An opaque white detail covers two third of the torso, with a white hoop detail on the sleeve cuffs. As with the home kit, the away kit has a polo collar and an alternate Macron logo embroidering the sleeves. A club-made version of the Oxford ox is used as the club's crest on this kit.

The one-year deal with University of Oxford is valued at an estimated £27,500. Students and staff at University of Oxford will also have the opportunity to avail of discount ticket prices at Oxford City Football Club fixtures at Kassam Stadium until mid-March, and then at Court Place Farm for the remainder of the season.

The public response to the new kits has been a good one, with a number of fans lining up at the club's official store to get their hands on the kit. Adult-sized kits are available from £25, with kids able to get their hands on kits for as little as £10. Will you be getting your hands on the home kit for next season, or the away kit?

@KabongoFromTheCongo: Can't wait to pull on the new #OCFC kit on next season. Let's make it another memorable year #ComeOnOxford #CityForLife #NewKitFeeling

@TheRealRobSinclair: New #OCFC kits look fresh. Will it improve a man's Tinder game? Asking for a friend. #SinglePringleWantingToMingle #WorldsSexiestFootballer

@BenJeffordinho: Super excited about the new #OCFC kits. Bets kits in football. #WeAreTheBest

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It has been a busy start to the transfer window for Oxford City Football Club. The newly promoted National League side has added eight players to their ranks, with each player having agreed pre-contract deals in the previous months. Let's have a look at who joined.

A very exciting signing. Just a teenager but already very capable of coming into the senior team and making an immediate impact. Formerly a Huddersfield Town youth player, Bamford has the aerial ability and marking ability that makes him a very special young talent. He has some assets of his game which require work, such as his tackling, but overall he could become a very incredible defender for us in the future.

A true leader. Clark comes in and offers something which Bamford cannot; experience and leadership. 378 career league appearances prior to us signing him summed up his experience, having played most recently for Ebbsfleet United. He's not the quickest his defensive skills will be of great benefit to us throughout this season. He will also prove to be the perfect mentor for Bamford.

A proper athlete. Coombes joined to give competition to Kabongo in the striker position. His high standard in every facet of fitness, as well as his determined personality, makes him a brilliant player to have in the squad. Despite his age, Coombes has relatively very little experience. A tally of 92 career league games doesn't bode well for a player entering his peak years. Hopefully he can do the job, despite his inexperience.

Nathan Ferguson offers something different to the midfielders already at Oxford City's disposal. The former Dulwich Hamlet player will play a backup role on the most part, but his specific skill set will surely be a huge asset in games where we will need to work hard to win.

Formerly a very promising young English player, Connor Hunte's career has not yet kicked off as expected. The speedy winger failed to break into the Wolves team before moves to Greenwich, Kingstonian and Billericay Town. Connor will be hoping a move to Oxford City will give the chance to reinvent his career, can he become an important player?

A very promising young winger. Born in Edinburgh, Michael McGregor could become a Scottish international if he develops as expected to. A determined player, he will need to make sure he develops well to reach the heights he wants to. Can he do it? Hopefully.

Our record signing from Curzon Ashton, Jordan Wright will add pace, skill and flair to the team. He will be direct competition to Nosa Iyamu for a starting spot. While we did pay a fee for Wright, I think it is small enough to be considered good value for a player of his quality. He could add the spark when the fire is dim for us.

Last but not least, a full back. This was a problem position for me to find a suitable candidate and I will be looking for potential targets that would be even better than Young. However, Young is good at what he does and he will provide competition to Luke Ruddick for a starting spot in the team.

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