With Swansea suffering relegation during the 1982–83 season, Charles joined Queens Park Rangers in November 1983 for a fee of £100,000 where he remained for just over a year before moving on to Oxford United in February 1985, where he was part of the side that won the Football League Cup in 1986, scoring one of his side's goals during a 3–0 win over his former club Queens Park Rangers. However, Charles was forced into retirement soon after due to injury.