Matt Bloomfield said he was disappointed after Oxford United dismissed him in June and replaced him with Aaron Ramsey. The change ended a short spell in charge after Oxford United had already dropped into League One.
In his first statement since leaving, Bloomfield said he was proud of the players, coaching staff and the work they put in to turn the season around. He added that Oxford United had not been able to make up the points deficit they inherited, but believed the outcome would have been different with more time together.
Bloomfield’s June exit
Oxford United begin League One reset with Ramsey now in charge, leaving Bloomfield to reflect on a spell that moved some of the numbers in the right direction even as the club chose a new manager. The statement came through the League Managers Association, and it was Bloomfield’s first public reaction since the dismissal.
He was direct about the personal blow. “Naturally, I'm disappointed not to be taking things forward. I was excited to continue this work and implement our clear vision to evolve the playing style and move the club forward.”
Oxford United’s mixed progress
The numbers under Bloomfield explain why the change carries weight. Oxford United increased their points per game from 0.88 to 1.19 under him, and their clean sheets rose from two to six. Those gains sat against the broader fact that the club had suffered relegation to League One last season.
Oxford finished last season on 47 points in 22nd place, four points behind West Bromwich Albion in 21st. That gap left little room for error, even with the improvement in performance measures during Bloomfield’s tenure.
Ramsey takes over
Oxford United turned to Aaron Ramsey, the former Arsenal and Wales midfielder, to lead the next phase. The move gives the club a new manager after a run in which the underlying numbers improved, but not enough to erase the points deficit inherited at the start of Bloomfield’s spell.
The split between progress and outcome is the real story here. Bloomfield says the players gave everything and that more time could have changed the finish; Oxford United have already moved on with Ramsey, and that is now the part of the season that will define them.
