Oxford United appoint Aaron Ramsey as new head coach

Oxford United have appointed former Arsenal and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey as the club’s new First-team head coach following the departure of Matt Bloomfield.

Bloomfield had replaced Gary Rowett at the helm in January and, despite an uptick in form, could not prevent relegation to League One.

The U’s were relegated following a two year stint in the second tier at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, finishing four points adrift of 21st place West Brom.

Ramsey inherits a side without last season’s top scorer and young player of the year Will Lankshear, and will no doubt be looking for reinforcements in the coming weeks.

Honour

Speaking with the club website Ramsey expressed his delight at joining explaining “It’s an honour and privilege to be appointed Head Coach of Oxford United. 

“From my discussions with the Club, I can sense the ambition and desire for success, which gives me great excitement about this opportunity.

“This is a moment I have been preparing for over many years. I’ve played under some of the best managers in the game and experienced high-pressure environments throughout my career.

“I want to use what I’ve learnt to bring a culture of high standards, professionalism and work ethic to this talented group of players.”

He continued “My teams will play with a clear identity, be built on elite habits, with a commitment to improving every day. I want a squad that fights for the badge until the end, and one that makes our supporters proud.

“I understand the responsibility that comes with this role, and can’t wait to get started, meet the players, and connect with our supporters as we strive to bring success.” 

Ambitions

Chairman Dusan Bogdanovic also expressed his delight with securing Ramsey’s signature, commenting “From the moment we met with Aaron to discuss this opportunity, we knew his ambitions and desire to succeed matches those we have for the Club.

“The process was thorough and considered, reflecting the importance of this decision.  We were determined to find a leader who can help shape this next stage of our development.

“Aaron impressed at every stage and we are confident he is the right person to take this Club forward.”

The Welshman’s only previous managerial experience was a three-game stint in charge of Cardiff City, following the sacking of Omer Riza, with Ramsey unable to prevent the Bluebirds’ relegation to League One.

Rookie managers have a strong track record within League One with Michael Skubala, John Mousinho and Ramsey’s former teammates Jack Wilshere all experiencing success in the third tier.

While many would point to his lack of experience as a regression from Matt Bloomfield, it would be dangerous to write off a man with the leadership qualities of the former Wales captain.

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