Oxford United

"It was almost like the season in a microcosm because it was much better than you expected, entertaining to the last, but I think I'd go further than that and talk about how vibrant it was, how the atmosphere was brilliant.

"It was an advert for what you want the Championship to be. The one thing it didn't have was the nail-biting, stomach-crushing pressure of some of the previous weeks."

BBC Radio Oxford's Jerome Sale shares his thoughts on the 3-3 draw at Swansea on the final day.

He joins BBC's Robyn Cowen, former U's defender Ben Purkiss and supporter and podcaster George Elek on the latest episode of The Dub podcast.

They reflect on Oxford's final week of the season, staying in the Championship and what might happen in the summer transfer window.

Listen to the full episode of The Dub podcast on BBC Sounds.

Swansea City and Oxford United are set to enjoy their final game of the season with nothing on the line - bar pride, of course.

The two will meet in Wales on Saturday (12:30 BST), with Swansea six points under the play-offs and Oxford no longer in relegation threat.

The U's secured safety last time out with a 2-0 victory over fourth placed Sunderland.

They go into this game knowing their goal has been achieved but the job is not done for either side, who will want to end their campaign with a bang.

• Swansea City are unbeaten across their last four league games against Oxford United, winning each of their last three in succession (D1).

• Oxford United have failed to win any of their last four away league games against Swansea City (D2 L2), since a 2-1 victory in November 2000.

• When playing at home on the final day of a league campaign, Swansea have lost three of their last four games (W1), including a 1-0 defeat to Millwall last season.

• After winning their last match 2-0 against Sunderland, Oxford will be looking to win successive league games for the first time since January.

• Since Alan Sheehan's first Championship game in charge of Swansea City, only Burnley (29), Leeds (25) and Millwall (24) have won more points than the Swans (P12 W7 D2 L3).

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United chief executive Tim Williams has doubled down on his stance that the club needs a new ground after retaining their Championship status.

The lease on the Kassam Stadium expires in June 2026 and the club is still awaiting a decision from planners about a proposed new 16,000-seater venue, which is expected this summer.

In April Williams said that without a new stadium, there would be no Oxford United, and that there was "nothing more important".

"Staying up is why we need a new stadium," he told BBC Radio Oxford. "If people had any doubts, then Saturday showed why it is needed.

"Up or down it doesn't matter, Oxfordshire needs a football club with its own stadium in the heart of the county and that is the most important thing. We're a Championship club for the second season and we deserve a Championship stadium.

"We've been through some tough times this season and we made some very difficult decisions on the way.

"But we've done it for the right reasons and they are that we stay in the league for another year. It's an extraordinary and brilliant achievement."

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United should be ambitious and look beyond just thinking about securing their Championship status, according to midfielder Cameron Brannagan.

The U's beat Sunderland 2-0 on Saturday to guarantee a second campaign in the second tier having been promoted via the League One play-offs last season.

"Ever since I've been here we've been little old Oxford and we don't mind that - keep writing us off," Brannagan told BBC Radio Oxford.

"I said in an interview this year I want to push for the Premier League and I stand by that - we want to regroup and having stayed in the Championship why can't we be ambitious and go as high as possible?"

Oxford finish their season at Swansea on Saturday (12:30 BST) and Brannagan is keen they get the three points despite having achieved their aim of safety.

"We can go an enjoy it but when the ball rolls we want to win, we want to finish on a high," he added. "People think it's done but we've got another game and want to go and win it."

Image source, Getty Images

A delighted Oxford United boss Gary Rowett said he is "really proud" as the U's achieved Championship safety on Saturday.

With one game left to play this season they are now four points clear of the bottom three and therefore out of reach of the chasing pack.

Oxford started the season with Des Buckingham in charge but after parting company with him in December, former Millwall boss Rowett came in and got them over the line in this campaign.

"It's absolutely incredible - the focus was there from the players." Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"I'm really proud of everyone at the club and I thought we played really well.

"I thought we created some good moments in the game because we were playing a good team.

"I need a lay down and a glass of wine but that will probably have to wait until tomorrow night."

In their final game of the season Oxford will face Swansea City at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett said that he may choose a more experienced squad as the side look to secure Championship safety against Sunderland on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The U's are three points above the relegation zone and could take themselves out of a final day relegation fight if they pick up three points against the Black Cats.

"At this stage of the season, do you err more on experience, people who have been here before?" Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"Picking a team at the start of next season might be very different from picking a team with two games to go, and that's a bit of a challenge. You always want to pick the team on merit.

"But I think you do have half an eye on who is going to make good decisions when there's a little bit of pressure on in the game. Certainly that will be in my mind."

Having been there and done it is not the only attribute Rowett is looking for in his squad selection.

He is also mindful of those who are returning from long injury spells, such as left-back Greg Leigh, who missed eight games with a hamstring injury.

"When you come back from a hamstring injury, do you just go with someone whose a bit more game ready?" Rowett added.

"When there's two games to go, match fitness plays a big factor."

As for freshly returning players, right-back Hidde ter Avest is back in training and will be available for selection.

Oxford United will be seeking safety from relegation against fourth placed Sunderland when they face each other on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The U's are currently three points above the relegation zone and could see themselves out of danger if they take victory against the Black Cats.

While facing a top team may seem like a daunting task for a team fighting for survival, their visitors have not been at their best as of late and are winless across their past four league games (D1 L3).

Having already secured their spot, Sunderland's eyes are firmly on the play-offs ahead and have been giving their top players a breather before their promotion hunt begins again in May - however with boss Regis Le Bris keen to gather momentum, perhaps Oxford won't fare so lucky.

• Oxford are winless in their last 13 league games against Sunderland (D6 L7) since a 3-2 away win in April 1994.

• Sunderland are unbeaten in their last eight away league games against Oxford (W5 D3), winning the last three in a row. Their last defeat away to this opposition came in December 1991 (0-3).

• Oxford have lost four of their last six home league games (W2), more than they had in their first 16 this season (W8 D5 L3).

• Having lost just three of their first 17 league games in 2025 (W9 D5), Sunderland have now lost each of their last three in a row.

• Only Sheffield Wednesday (24) and Bristol City (20) have gained more points from losing positions in the Championship than Sunderland this season (18), while only Norwich (30) and Preston (28) have dropped more points from winning positions than Oxford (26).

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett has said that he is "not concerned at all" regarding his side's precarious position near the bottom of the Championship table.

With two games remaining the U's are three points above the league's bottom three and know that if they can better Luton or Derby's result on Saturday then they can confirm Championship safety.

They have won two of their last five league games and on Monday snatched a point away at Cardiff City thanks to a thunderbolt of a strike by midfielder Cameron Brannagan.

"I'm not concerned at all, the squad is full of character," Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"We have shown that at home we are more than a match for any team, every game is in isolation and we have to go and take care of business next weekend.

"There are twists and turns and there will be all kinds of movements, we have a home game next and if we win that then it's all over isn't it.

"Hopefully we'll perform a bit better. We need to focus on the performance and not get caught up in the moment of the season, we need to have a bit more intensity and quality about our play at the weekend."

The U's face Sunderland at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday, while Luton - who are three points below them and occupy 22nd - take on sixth-placed Coventry.

With Sunderland being comfortably fourth in the division and a play-off spot confirmed two weeks ago, the Black Cats have lost each of their last three games.

Derby - who are also three points below Oxford - face Hull City in another huge game at the bottom of the table.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United manager Gary Rowett spoke to BBC Radio Oxford after his side's 1-0 defeat to Leeds United.

The U's are five points ahead of the relegation zone with three matches to play and travel to 23rd-placed Cardiff City on Monday (15:00 BST).

"They're excellent in the final third and if you switch off for a second, they seem to react a tiny bit quicker with that little bit more speed," Rowett said, of Leeds.

"We huffed and puffed a little bit first-half but we hung in there. We knew this wasn't the type of game we could chase too early.

"Second half, we were a lot more aggressive, we showed a lot more energy and against the best side in the league, we made them very uncomfortable for the last 20 minutes.

"We can't let the disappointment linger. We're proud of the performance, disappointed with the result, but now we have to make sure we recover.

"If we go again with half that performance on Monday, we give ourselves a very good chance of getting the result we want."

Championship leaders Leeds make their first visit to Oxford for 35 years and know they just have to keep things sensible over the remaining four games to keep Sheffield United at arm's length in the race to go up automatically.

With the late kick-off (20:00 BST) at the Kassam Stadium, Daniel Farke's side will know a bit more about what they need to do. Even if the Blades beat Cardiff (17:00 BST), a draw for Leeds will keep them, effectively four points clear, given their superior goal difference.

• Oxford United have lost four of their previous seven English Football League encounters with Leeds United (W2 D1), including each of the past three by an aggregate score of 10-3.

• This will be Leeds United's first EFL trip to Oxford United since a 4-2 win in March 1990 under Howard Wilkinson. Indeed, the three previous fixtures have averaged six goals per game.

• Oxford have lost only one of their past six league games on Good Friday (W2 D3), both scoring (9) and conceding (9) in each of those games.

• Leeds have won just one of their past six league games on Good Friday (D3 L2), drawing 2-2 at Watford last time in 2024.

• Only Leeds teammate Dan James (13 – seven goals, six assists) has more Championship goal involvements in 2025 than Manor Solomon (11 – five goals, six assists), with three involvements in his past two games (one goal, two assists).