# 1999–2000 Oxford United F.C. season

During the 1999–2000 English football season, Oxford United F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division where they finished in 20th position avoiding relegation to Division Three by a single point.

## Season summary

After an inconsistent start, a run of seven defeats in eight games cost manager Malcolm Shotton his job by the end of October, and made it apparent that the club would be fighting to avoid a second successive relegation. Mickey Lewis became caretaker manager, assisted by former manager Maurice Evans, and oversaw an initial upturn in form that saw the team begin to climb up the table. A poor run of form after Christmas plunged the team straight back into relegation trouble, however, leading to Lewis stepping aside in favour of another former manager, Denis Smith, in February. Results remained inconsistent at best, but in the end the team did enough to just barely avoid relegation.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 18 | Colchester United | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 59 | 82 | −23 | 52 | |
| 19 | Cambridge United | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 64 | 65 | −1 | 48 | |
| 20 | Oxford United | 46 | 12 | 9 | 25 | 43 | 73 | −30 | 45 | |
| 21 | Cardiff City (R) | 46 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 45 | 67 | −22 | 44 | Relegation to the Third Division |
| 22 | Blackpool (R) | 46 | 8 | 17 | 21 | 49 | 77 | −28 | 41 | Relegation to the Third Division |

## Results

Oxford United's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Division Two

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 7 August 1999 | Stoke City | A | 2–1 | 11,300 | Murphy 28', Anthrobus 78' |
| 2 | 14 August 1999 | Cardiff City | H | 2–3 | 6,423 | Murphy 67', 73' |
| 3 | 21 August 1999 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–1 | 7,617 | |
| 4 | 28 August 1999 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–0 | 5,098 | Murphy 18' (pen) |
| 5 | 30 August 1999 | Blackpool | A | 1–1 | 3,670 | Lilley 57' |
| 6 | 4 September 1999 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 0–0 | 6,306 | |
| 7 | 11 September 1999 | Gillingham | H | 1–2 | 5,418 | Cook 90' |
| 8 | 18 September 1999 | Wrexham | A | 0–1 | 4,229 | |
| 9 | 25 September 1999 | Luton Town | A | 2–4 | 6,102 | Powell 59', Lilley 65' |
| 10 | 2 October 1999 | Bristol City | H | 3–0 | 6,638 | Beauchamp 7', 33', Lilley 66' |
| 11 | 9 October 1999 | Millwall | H | 1–3 | 5,392 | Murphy 66' (pen) |
| 12 | 16 October 1999 | Brentford | A | 0–2 | 6,237 | |
| 13 | 19 October 1999 | Scunthorpe United | A | 0–1 | 3,829 | |
| 14 | 23 October 1999 | Luton Town | H | 0–1 | 5,866 | |
| 15 | 2 November 1999 | Colchester United | H | 1–1 | 4,444 | Lambert 1' |
| 16 | 7 November 1999 | Reading | A | 2–1 | 10,101 | Folland 7', Murphy 84' |
| 17 | 13 November 1999 | Bury | H | 1–1 | 4,318 | Lambert 9' |
| 18 | 23 November 1999 | Notts County | A | 1–0 | 4,020 | Warren 85' (o.g.) |
| 19 | 27 November 1999 | Chesterfield | A | 0–0 | 2,768 | |
| 20 | 4 December 1999 | Stoke City | H | 1–1 | 5,700 | Beauchamp 27' |
| 21 | 18 December 1999 | Bournemouth | A | 0–4 | 4,443 | |
| 22 | 18 December 1999 | Cambridge United | H | 1–0 | 6,772 | Murphy 83' |
| 23 | 28 December 1999 | Burnley | A | 2–3 | 14,218 | Anthrobus 3', Whelan 52' |
| 24 | 3 January 2000 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–2 | 5,915 | Cook 60' |
| 25 | 15 January 2000 | Cardiff City | A | 1–1 | 6,914 | Murphy 44' |
| 26 | 23 January 2000 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–5 | 7,355 | |
| 27 | 29 January 2000 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–2 | 4,780 | |
| 28 | 1 February 2000 | Preston North End | H | 0–4 | 5,164 | |
| 29 | 5 February 2000 | Blackpool | H | 0–1 | 5,179 | |
| 30 | 12 February 2000 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 1–0 | 6,200 | Beauchamp 26' |
| 31 | 19 February 2000 | Chesterfield | H | 2–1 | 5,146 | Fear 10', Lilley 89' |
| 32 | 26 February 2000 | Wrexham | H | 1–4 | 4,988 | Edwards 71' |
| 33 | 4 March 2000 | Gillingham | A | 0–1 | 6,996 | |
| 34 | 7 March 2000 | Reading | H | 1–3 | 7,638 | Powell 8' |
| 35 | 11 March 2000 | Colchester United | A | 2–1 | 4,058 | S Weatherstone 22', Whelan 90' |
| 36 | 14 March 2000 | Preston North End | A | 1–3 | 12,008 | Murphy 64' |
| 37 | 18 March 2000 | Notts County | H | 2–3 | 4,544 | Powell 7', 76' (1 pen) |
| 38 | 21 March 2000 | Bury | A | 2–1 | 2,606 | Lilley 9', Cook 90' |
| 39 | 25 March 2000 | Cambridge United | A | 0–2 | 5,127 | |
| 40 | 1 April 2000 | Bournemouth | H | 1–0 | 5,214 | Lilley 31' |
| 41 | 8 April 2000 | Wigan Athletic | A | 0–2 | 4,848 | |
| 42 | 15 April 2000 | Burnley | H | 1–2 | 7,549 | Murphy 13' |
| 43 | 22 April 2000 | Brentford | A | 1–1 | 5,342 | Lilley 41' |
| 44 | 24 April 2000 | Bristol City | A | 2–2 | 9,046 | Powell 10', Davis 68' |
| 45 | 29 April 2000 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2–0 | 6,752 | Murphy 26', Powell 70' |
| 46 | 6 May 2000 | Millwall | A | 0–1 | 13,827 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 10 August 1999 | Southend United | A | 2–0 | 2,618 | Murphy 53', Beauchamp 81' |
| R1 2nd Leg | 24 August 1999 | Southend United | H | 1–0 | 4,162 | Murphy 61' |
| R2 1st Leg | 14 September 1999 | Everton | H | 1–1 | 7,345 | Murphy 21' |
| R2 2nd Leg | 22 September 1999 | Everton | A | 1–0 | 10,006 | Beauchamp 12' |
| R3 | 12 October 1999 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–2 | 5,328 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 | 30 October 1999 | Morecambe | H | 3–2 | 3,504 | Lilley 12', Powell 58', Abbey 87' |
| R2 | 20 November 1999 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 2–2 | 3,557 | Murphy 63', Folland 77' |
| R2 Replay | 30 November 1999 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 2–1 AET | 4,096 | Murphy 90', 117' |
| R3 | 10 December 1999 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | 8,079 | Powell 75' |
| R3 Replay | 8 January 2000 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–3 | 7,191 | Powell 72' |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 | 7 December 1999 | Luton Town | H | 2–0 | 1,220 | Powell 40', 48 (2 pen) |
| R2 | 11 January 2000 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 1–1 (5–3 pens) | 1,798 | Powell 21' (pen) |
| Quarter final | 25 January 2000 | Brentford | A | 0–2 | 2,942 | |

## Squad statistics

| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | League Trophy | Total | Total |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | Andre Arendse | 13 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18(1) | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Les Robinson | 46 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 59 | 0 |
| 3 | MF | Paul Powell | 39(1) | 6 | 3(1) | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 49(2) | 12 |
| 4 | MF | Peter Fear | 13(6) | 1 | 1(1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19(7) | 1 |
| 5 | DF | Mark Watson | 34(1) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42(1) | 0 |
| 6 | FW | Craig Russell | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(1) | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Eddie Newton | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Phil Gilchrist | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | Matt Murphy | 46 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 17 |
| 8 | MF | Paul Tait | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Steve Anthrobus | 25(11) | 2 | 3(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34(12) | 2 |
| 10 | FW | Derek Lilley | 36(8) | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45(10) | 8 |
| 11 | MF | Joey Beauchamp | 33(1) | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 | 44(3) | 4 |
| 12 | MF | Jamie Cook | 11(18) | 3 | 1(3) | 0 | 1(3) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16(24) | 3 |
| 13 | GK | Paul Lundin | 21(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29(1) | 0 |
| 14 | DF | Steve Davis | 20(4) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 25(5) | 1 |
| 15 | MF | Simon Weatherstone | 13(7) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(8) | 1 |
| 16 | FW | Rob Folland | 17(6) | 1 | 4(1) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26(7) | 1 |
| 17 | DF | Jon Shepheard | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Chris Hackett | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 |
| 18 | FW | Kevin Francis | 0(3) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(5) | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Phil Whelan | 31 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 40(1) | 2 |
| 20 | FW | Nicky Banger | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(2) | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Neil McGowan | 15(5) | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19(8) | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Mickey Lewis | 3(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(3) | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Ross Weatherstone | 3(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5(1) | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Jamie Lambert | 8(5) | 2 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10(6) | 2 |
| 24 | FW | Nigel Jemson | 13(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13(5) | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Ben Abbey | 0(10) | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0(13) | 1 |
| 27 | MF | Dean Whitehead | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| 29 | GK | Richard Knight | 12(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12(1) | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Christian Edwards | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |