My First Oxford Match: Olly Howells

The latest contribution to our My First Oxford Match series comes from Olly Howells, who recalls the match which caused him to fall in love with this wonderful football club. If you would also like to get in on the act and write about your first OUFC experiences, you need only email tbfuth@hotmail.co.uk, where your contribution will be gratefully received!

Oxford United 3-0 Swansea City (25/08/03)

I'll start by saying this wasn't actually my very first Oxford United game. I had been to a few games every now and then for a few years beforehand, but this is the first game I went to that I was old enough to remember every magical second of. Well every magical second of the last 5 minutes of a game that otherwise failed to deliver the goals expected, although it was a very attacking game throughout.

Living in Leicester, the majority of my friends and family were all Leicester City fans, everyone I knew supported Leicester other than my step-dad, and being only 7, I wanted to follow in his footsteps on everything. He decided to take me to a game every now and then until this game, when I truly began to love Oxford United.

It was a real top of the table clash, even if it was only at the end of August. The football was of a high quality from the outset and I remember the chants ringing around me, and even though as a kid you only really love the goals at football, I knew this was a good game. I was starting to lose patience with the game towards the end, until the ground erupted as my favourite player at the time, Dean Whitehead, was fouled for a penalty, which we scored. I don't remember how we scored the other two goals, but I remember smiling all the way home, and for about another week afterwards!

Ever since this day I've supported Oxford United as my one and only club, and I can't thank my step-dad enough for taking me to that game that made me a life-long Oxford United fan.

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