The A420 derby is a football match played between Oxford United and Swindon Town. It takes its name from A420 road, a primary road between both cities, which are only 30 miles (48 km) apart.[1]

Although the clubs played friendly matches throughout the 1950s,[2] the rivalry began when Oxford United replaced the bankrupt Accrington Stanley in the Football League.[3] The rivalry was at its peak in the 1970s since both the teams were in the same divisions for the majority of the decade.[1][4]

Occasionally, the derby has been marred by violence, especially during the 1970s,[2] when football hooliganism was at its peak.[1] The most notable incident occurred on 4 May 1982, when a smoke bomb was thrown onto the pitch by a Swindon Town fan with the score tied at 2–2. The match referee in confusion continued the game on a foggy pitch and Swindon scored the winning goal, the match ending 3–2 in Swindon's favour. After the final whistle, the referee was struck by a coin thrown by an Oxford fan and chaos ensued.[1][2]

The teams have played 62 matches in all competitions, Swindon winning 24, Oxford 17 and remaining 21 having been drawn.[5][6] Even though Swindon have won more derby matches than Oxford, the latter have an unbeaten streak of 18 years, spanning from 2002 to 2020.[4]

Head-to-head

Statistics

As of 26 April 2024[3][5][7]
Competition Oxford United wins Draws Swindon Town wins Oxford United goals Swindon Town goals
League 1319225369
FA Cup 10010
League Cup 10010
Football League Trophy 21143
Anglo-Italian Cup 00113
Total 1720246075

List of matches

As of 26 April 2024[3][5][7]
# Season Date Competition Stadium Home Team Result Away Team Attendance H2H
11965–6621 August 1965Division 3County GroundSwindon0–0Oxford20,5960
229 January 1966Manor GroundOxford0–3Swindon16,174+1
31966–6710 December 1966Division 3Manor GroundOxford0–0Swindon10,117+1
46 May 1967County GroundSwindon3–0Oxford14,156+2
51967–6812 April 1968Division 3Manor GroundOxford0–0Swindon18,012+2
616 April 1968County GroundSwindon1–1Oxford16,588+2
71969–7013 September 1969Division 2County GroundSwindon0–0Oxford–+2
824 September 1969League CupManor GroundOxford1–0Swindon–+1
913 December 1969Division 2Manor GroundOxford0–0Swindon–+1
101970–7121 November 1970Division 2Manor GroundOxford0–0Swindon–+1
1120 February 1971County GroundSwindon3–0Oxford–+2
121971–726 November 1971Division 2Manor GroundOxford1–1Swindon–+2
1326 February 1972County GroundSwindon4–0Oxford–+3
141972–7316 December 1972Division 2Manor GroundOxford1–0Swindon–+2
1524 February 1973County GroundSwindon1–3Oxford–+1
161973–7420 October 1973Division 2County GroundSwindon1–0Oxford–+2
1717 March 1974Manor GroundOxford1–1Swindon–+2
181976–7727 December 1976Division 3County GroundSwindon1–0Oxford–+3
198 April 1977Manor GroundOxford0–0Swindon–+3
201977–7826 December 1977Division 3Manor GroundOxford3–3Swindon–+3
2127 March 1978County GroundSwindon3–2Oxford–+4
221978–7916 April 1979Division 3Manor GroundOxford0–1Swindon–+5
232 May 1979County GroundSwindon2–0Oxford–+6
241979–806 February 1980Division 3Manor GroundOxford2–2Swindon7,558+6
257 April 1980County GroundSwindon1–1Oxford10,342+6
261980–8116 September 1980Division 3County GroundSwindon1–0Oxford7,709+7
271 October 1980Manor GroundOxford0–0Swindon6,071+7
281981–827 April 1982Division 3Manor GroundOxford5–0Swindon7,354+6
294 May 1982County GroundSwindon3–2Oxford7,880+7
301983–8422 February 1984League TrophyManor GroundOxford1–0Swindon4,774+6
311988–895 October 1988Division 2Manor GroundOxford1–1Swindon9,398+6
325 February 1989County GroundSwindon3–0Oxford10,227+7
331989–9017 October 1989Division 2County GroundSwindon3–0Oxford10,741+8
3424 March 1990Manor GroundOxford2–2Swindon8,382+8
351990–9122 September 1990Division 2Manor GroundOxford2–4Swindon7,961+9
365 March 1991County GroundSwindon0–0Oxford9,058+9
371991–921 October 1991Full Members' CupCounty GroundSwindon3–3Oxford5,868+9
3828 January 1992Division 2County GroundSwindon2–1Oxford8,926+10
397 March 1992Manor GroundOxford5–3Swindon7,795+9
401992–931 September 1992Anglo-Italian CupManor GroundOxford1–3Swindon4,069+10
4120 September 1992Division 1County GroundSwindon2–2Oxford7,717+10
429 January 1993Manor GroundOxford0–1Swindon9,146+11
431995–9630 August 1995Division 2County GroundSwindon1–1Oxford13,556+11
4419 March 1996Manor GroundOxford3–0Swindon8,585+10
451996–9712 October 1996Division 1County GroundSwindon1–0Oxford11,251+11
4619 April 1997Manor GroundOxford2–0Swindon8,166+10
471997–986 December 1997Division 1County GroundSwindon4–1Oxford11,408+11
4811 April 1998Manor GroundOxford2–1Swindon8,066+10
491998–999 September 1998Division 1County GroundSwindon4–1Oxford8,305+11
5013 February 1999Manor GroundOxford2–0Swindon8,179+10
512000–018 October 2000Division 2County GroundSwindon2–1Oxford7,975+11
5210 March 2001Manor GroundOxford0–2Swindon7,480+12
532002–038 December 2002FA CupKassam StadiumOxford1–0Swindon11,465+11
542011–1221 August 2011League TwoCounty GroundSwindon1–2Oxford12,113+10
553 March 2012Kassam StadiumOxford2–0Swindon11,825+9
562012–135 September 2012League TrophyKassam StadiumOxford1–0Swindon11,465+8
572015–166 October 2015League TrophyKassam StadiumOxford2–0Swindon9,013+7
582016–1710 September 2016 League OneKassam StadiumOxford2–0Swindon11,042+6
594 October 2016League TrophyCounty GroundSwindon0–0Oxford2,698+6
605 February 2017League OneCounty GroundSwindon1–2Oxford10,658+5
612020–2128 November 2020League OneKassam StadiumOxford1–2Swindon0[a]+6
629 March 2021County GroundSwindon1–2Oxford0[b]+5
  1. ↑ Played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.
  2. ↑ Played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Statistics

Records

Comparative chart of yearly table positions of Oxford United and Swindon Town in the league.
  • Widest winning margin: 5 goals – Oxford United 5–0 Swindon Town (7 April 1982, 1981–82 Third Division)
  • Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Oxford United 5–3 Swindon Town (7 March 1992, 1991–92 Second Division)
  • Longest winning streak: 6 matches – Oxford United (8 December 2002 – 10 September 2016)
  • Longest unbeaten streak: 12 matches – Swindon Town (20 October 1973 – 1 October 1980)
  • Highest attendance:

Goal scoring

Nation Player Club(s) Goals[3] Years
England Steve White Swindon Town 6 1986–1994
England Peter Foley Oxford United 5 1974–1983
England Roy Carter Swindon Town 4 1977–1983
England David Moss Swindon Town 4
0		 1971–1978
1985–1986
England Arthur Horsfield Swindon Town 3 1969–1972
England Joey Beauchamp Oxford United
Swindon Town
Oxford United		 3
0
0		 1989–1994
1994–1995
1995–2002
England George Ndah Swindon Town 3 1997–1999
Northern Ireland Jim Magilton Oxford United 3 1990–1994

Appearances

Nation Player Club(s) Apps.[3] Years
England John Trollope Swindon Town 25 1986–1994
England Colin Clarke Oxford United 16 1965–1978
England Joey Beauchamp Oxford United
Swindon Town
Oxford United		 15
0
0		 1989–1994
1994–1995
1995–2002
England John Shuker Oxford United 15 1962–1977
Scotland Jimmy Allan Swindon Town 14 1971–1984
England Joe Butler Swindon Town 14 1965–1976
England Fraser Digby Swindon Town 14 1986–1998
England Don Rogers Swindon Town 14 1962–1972
1976–1977
England Graham Atkinson Oxford United 14 1962–1974

Crossing the divide

List of players that played for both teams.[3]

Player Oxford United career Swindon Town career
Span League
apps		 League
goals		 Span League
apps		 League
goals
England Owen Medlock 1959–1963 110 0 1959 3 0
England Ken Skeen 1967–1974 270 40 1964–1967 14 4
England Jim Barron 1966–1970 152 0 1974–1977 79 0
England Mark Jones 1979–1986 129 7 1986–1990 40 9
England Alan Judge 1984–1991
2003–2004		 80
2		 0
0		 2002–2003 0 0
England Joey Beauchamp 1989–1994
1995–2002		 124
238		 20
43		 1994–1995 45 3
England Kevin Dearden 1989 0 0 1990 1 0
England Adi Viveash 2002–2003 11 0 1989–1995
2003–2004		 54
15		 3
0
England Marcus Phillips 1997 1 0 1992–1995 0 0
Wales Sam Ricketts 2000–2003 45 1 2015 9 0
France Éric Sabin 2005–2006 29 7 2001–2003 73 9
Republic of Ireland Dominic Foley 2003 6 0 2002 7 1
England Brian Howard 2014 7 0 2003–2005 70 9
England Tommy Mooney 2004–2005 45 19 2003–2004 42 15
England Lee Holmes 2012 7 0 2004–2005
2012		 15
10		 1
1
England Patrick Collins 2007–2008 2 0 2005 13 0
England Jamie Slabber 2006 3 0 2005 9 0
England Alex Rhodes 2009 4 0 2006 4 0
Wales Paul Evans 2008–2009 3 0 2006–2007 15 3
England Danny Rose 2007
2007–2008
2007–2008		 22
19
82		 1
0
6		 2019–2020 29 1
England Ben Purkiss 2010–2012 23 0 2017–2018 41 0
France Mehdi Kerrouche 2012 4 0 2011–2012 13 6
Colombia Cristian Montaño 2012 9 2 2011 4 1
England Jonathan Obika 2017–2019 46 8 2011 5 0
England Daniel Boateng 2012 2 0 2012–2013 2 0
England Lee Cox 2012–2013 14 0 2012–2014 12 1
England Canice Carroll 2015–2018 16 1 2019 17 1
England Wes Thomas 2016–2018 50 13 2015–2016 6 2
France Jérémy Balmy 2015 0 0 2015–2016 12 0
England Jack Payne 2018–2019 28 3 2020–2022 78 17

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Spafford, Nathan (2 December 2021). "Why do Oxford and Swindon Town hate each other?". football365.com. Football365. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Hassan, Nabil; Lee, Sam (2 March 2012). "Oxford United v Swindon Town rivalry explained". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "OXFORD UNITED". swindon-town-fc.co.uk. Swindon Town FC. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Ventham, Dale (23 October 2020). "Oxford United And Swindon Town – The A420 Derby". lastwordonsports.com. Last Word on Sports. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "Oxford United / Swindon Town Derby Games". englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk. English Football League Tables. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Opponent facts & figures: Swindon Town". RageOnline. 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Oxford United football club: record v Swindon Town". 11v11.com. 11v11. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A420_derby