Oxford United have sacked Matt Bloomfield after their relegation to League One, ending his spell in charge just months after he arrived in January. Aaron Ramsey is now part of a coaching search that begins immediately, with the club needing a new men's first team head coach for life in the lower division.
Oxford United cut ties
The club said Bloomfield had represented Oxford United with professionalism and integrity, and thanked him for his efforts before moving on. It also said, “The process of appointing a new men's first team head coach will begin immediately, and the club will provide updates in due course.”
Bloomfield, 42, replaced Gary Rowett in January when Oxford United were 23rd in the Championship and three points adrift of safety. Rowett had overseen one win in 10 matches before he was replaced, leaving Bloomfield with an immediate fight to keep the side up.
Bloomfield’s short Oxford spell
His time at the club now ends after Oxford United were relegated following two years in the Championship. That makes the dismissal a fast reset rather than a routine off-season change: the club appointed him to solve a survival problem, then turned to another manager after the same problem ended in relegation.
The contradiction is sharp. Bloomfield said in April, after relegation had been confirmed, “I've enjoyed my time at the club. It's obviously not been the outcome that we wanted for the season,” and added, “I've not given much thought to my job and the bigger situation and ultimately, as a manager or head coach, all you can do is focus on being the best you can be.”
A rapid search begins
Before Oxford, Bloomfield had already built a coaching path that included Colchester United and a move to Wycombe Wanderers in 2023, where he took them into the League One automatic promotion places last season. He later left Wycombe Wanderers to take over at Luton, where he was dismissed after they were 11th in the table and had been out of work since October 2025.
For Oxford, the next step is straightforward: appoint a new men's first team head coach and settle the leadership before the club starts preparing for League One. Aaron Ramsey now sits inside a search that has to move quickly, because the vacancy is open and the statement says the process starts immediately.
