The Manor Ground stood on London Road in Headington, Oxford, serving as the home of Oxford United F.C. — formerly Headington United — from 1925 until 2001. Built for around £10,000, the stadium’s four stands surrounded a pitch that witnessed the club’s rise from amateur Headington United to a top-flight Football League side, making it one of the more remarkable stories in English football.
For 76 years, the ground was the beating heart of the club and the community it served. Its greatest moment came on 29 February 1964, when 22,750 supporters packed in for an FA Cup 6th Round tie against Preston North End — a crowd that remains Oxford United’s all-time attendance record. By the time the club departed in 2001, the ageing terraces could hold only about 9,500, and the cost of converting them to modern all-seater standards proved prohibitive.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Oxford United F.C. (formerly Headington United)
- Location: London Road, Headington, Oxford, England
- Opened: 1925
- Closed: May 2001
- Final Capacity: 9,500
- Record Attendance: 22,750 (vs Preston North End, FA Cup 6th Round, 29 February 1964)
- Site Today: The Manor Hospital (Nuffield Health)
A Ground Built for a Different Era
When the ground opened in 1925, its first match was between Oxford City and Bicester Town — a modest beginning for what would become a storied football venue. Headington United took over the site and gradually improved it, expanding the terracing in 1946 and installing floodlights in 1959. The four stands — Beech Road (west), London Road (south), Cuckoo Lane (north, used by away supporters), and Osler Road (east) — gave the ground a traditional, intimate character that fans cherished.
The 1947 season brought adversity when the River Thames overflowed and flooded the pitch, but the ground endured. Through promotions, relegations, and decades of change, The Manor Ground remained a constant — a place where Oxford’s football identity was rooted.
The End of an Era and the Ground’s Legacy
Oxford United played their final league match at The Manor Ground on 1 May 2001, a 1–1 draw with Port Vale that also confirmed their relegation to Division Three — the club’s lowest standing in 35 years. It was a bittersweet farewell to a ground the community had called home for three-quarters of a century.
The site was sold for around £12 million and the stadium was subsequently demolished. The Manor Hospital, a private facility operated by Nuffield Health, now occupies the land. Oxford United relocated to the purpose-built Kassam Stadium, while The Manor Ground passed into the memory of supporters who experienced its unique atmosphere firsthand.
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The Manor Ground FAQs
Why did Oxford United leave The Manor Ground?
The terraced stands made it impractical and too costly to convert into a modern all-seater stadium as required by post-Hillsborough safety regulations, so the club relocated to the newly built Kassam Stadium in 2001.
What is The Manor Ground’s record attendance?
The record attendance was 22,750, set on 29 February 1964 during an FA Cup 6th Round match against Preston North End.
What stands on the site of The Manor Ground today?
The stadium was demolished after Oxford United’s departure, and The Manor Hospital — a private hospital run by Nuffield Health — now occupies the site on London Road in Headington.
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Photo: Steve Daniels / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.