Reece Oxford

Reece Joel Oxford (born 16 December 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Bundesliga club FC Augsburg. Oxford made his debut for West Ham United aged 16 years and 198 days, making him the club's youngest ever player, beating a record of 16 years and 221 days set in 1922 by Billy Williams.[5][6]

Reece Oxford
Oxford warming up for West Ham United in 2014
Personal information
Full name Reece Joel Oxford[1]
Date of birth (1998-12-16) 16 December 1998[2]
Place of birth Edmonton, London, England
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[3]
Position(s) Centre-back
Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 FC Augsburg
Number 4
Youth career
0000–2011 Tottenham Hotspur[4]
2011–2014 West Ham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2019 West Ham United 8 (0)
2017 → Reading (loan) 5 (0)
2017 → Borussia Mönchengladbach (loan) 3 (0)
2018 → Borussia Mönchengladbach (loan) 4 (0)
2019 → FC Augsburg (loan) 8 (0)
2019– FC Augsburg 69 (2)
2023 → FC Augsburg II 1 (0)
International career‡
2013 England U16 3 (0)
2014–2015 England U17 18 (1)
2016 England U18 2 (0)
2015–2017 England U19 7 (0)
2016–2017 England U20 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:46, 22 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Club career

West Ham United

Oxford was born in Edmonton, London,[7] and was a boyhood supporter of Arsenal.[8] He began playing football at Tottenham Hotspur's academy but was released from the club in 2011. He then joined West Ham United at under-13 level.[9][4] He turned out for the under-18 team while still an under-15 schoolboy, and made the bench for a League Cup match in August 2014, still aged 15.[10]

On 11 January 2015, Oxford signed a long-term professional contract with West Ham.[11] Four months later, he won the Dylan Tombides Academy Player of the Year Award.[12]

Oxford made his competitive, first team debut on 2 July 2015, aged 16, starting in midfield in a 3–0 win against Andorran club Lusitanos in a UEFA Europa League first qualifying round first leg tie. In so doing, he became West Ham's youngest ever player.[13] He then made his Premier League debut on 9 August, playing the first 79 minutes before being substituted for Kevin Nolan as West Ham won 2–0 away to Arsenal. Following his start, Oxford became the second-youngest Premier League starter of all-time, after Jose Baxter.[14]

Ahead of the 2016–17 season, Oxford was named in The Daily Telegraph's list of the best youth prospects in English football.[15] On his 18th birthday, 16 December 2016, Oxford signed a new, four-and-a-half year contract with West Ham.[16] Just over one month later, he was sent on loan to Reading for the remainder of the season.[17] He made his Reading debut on 11 March 2017 in a 3–0 away defeat to Preston North End, coming on as a second-half substitute for Paul McShane. He made five appearances, his final match being the 8 April away defeat to Norwich City, 7–1.[18]

On 21 June 2017, Oxford was sent on loan to Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach for the 2017–18 season.[19][20] He did not make his debut until 28 October when he came on as an 89th-minute substitute for Lars Stindl in a 3–1 win against Hoffenheim.[21] On 12 December, Oxford made his first league start for Gladbach, against Freiburg. After the match, sporting director Max Eberl praised Oxford's development during his time at the club and stated exploratory talks had taken place over a permanent deal.[22] His loan was cut short and he returned to West Ham on 29 December 2017.[23]

On 31 January 2018, Oxford was loaned to Borussia Mönchengladbach again.[24]

Augsburg

On 31 January 2019, Oxford again went out on loan, this time joining German team FC Augsburg until the end of the season.[25] Oxford made nine appearances for Augsburg, his final game coming in the last day of the Bundesliga season in an 8–1 defeat by Wolfsburg.[26] On 2 August 2019, Oxford joined Augsburg permanently on a four-year deal.[27]

International career

Oxford has played for England up to under-20 level and captained his country at the 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[28] The Young Lions reached the quarter-finals, and Oxford scored in the penalty shootout as they defeated Spain in a play-off for the 2015 U-17 World Cup.[29] West Ham refused permission for him to play in the U17 World Cup in Chile, fearing that exposure to an international football tournament would lead to burnout.[30]

Style of play

UEFA.com has described his playing style as, "Tall and quick, he is not daunted in the face of illustrious opponents."[31] On several occasions, Oxford has been compared to former West Ham academy graduate Rio Ferdinand.[32][33]

Personal life

Oxford is of Jamaican descent through his grandfather. His grandfather, Karl, is the brother of the Jamaican footballer Neville Oxford.[34] In December 2018, Oxford was the victim of a theft when his 18-carat Rolex watch was stolen from the changing rooms at West Ham's Chadwell Heath training ground.[35]

Career statistics
As of 22 May 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Ham United 2014–15[36] Premier League 000000—00
2015–16[37] Premier League 7020003[lower-alpha 1]0120
2016–17[18] Premier League 0000002[lower-alpha 1]020
2017–18[18] Premier League 1020——30
2018–19[18] Premier League 000000—00
Total 80400050170
Reading (loan) 2016–17[18] Championship 500000—50
Borussia Mönchengladbach (loan) 2017–18[38] Bundesliga 7010——80
West Ham United U-21s 2018–19[38] — ———2[lower-alpha 2]020
FC Augsburg (loan) 2018–19[38] Bundesliga 8010——90
FC Augsburg 2019–20[38] Bundesliga 12000——120
2020–21[38] Bundesliga 24010——250
2021–22[38] Bundesliga 30211——313
2022–23[38] Bundesliga 3000——30
Total 772310000803
FC Augsburg II 2022–23[38] Regionalliga Bayern 1000——00
Career total 9628100701113
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

West Ham United

Individual

References
  1. "Player shirt numbers for 20 Barclays Premier League clubs released". Premier League. 8 August 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  2. "Reece Oxford". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  3. "Reece Oxford | Playerprofile | Bundesliga". bundesliga.com. DFL. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  4. "West Ham youngster Reece Oxford reveals he was rejected by Tottenham". The Guardian. London. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  5. @whufc_official (1 July 2015). "OXFORD: @Reeceoxford_ will become #WHUFC's youngest-ever first-team player on Thursday, aged 16 years 198 days" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 July 2015 – via Twitter.
  6. @whufc_official (1 July 2015). "OXFORD: @Reeceoxford_ will beat Billy Williams' record. Billy was 16 years 221 days old when he debuted v @BlackpoolFC on 6 May 1922" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 July 2015 – via Twitter.
  7. Stonehouse, Gary (2 July 2015). "England U17s skipper enjoys winning senior Hammers debut". The Football Association. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  8. Benge, James (3 March 2016). "Boyhood Arsenal fan Reece Oxford delighted with West Ham's win over Tottenham". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  9. "Reece Oxford: West Ham teenager was rejected by Tottenham". BBC Sport. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  10. Church, Daniel (16 December 2016). "SHOOT for the Stars: West Ham United prodigy Reece Oxford". Shoot!. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  11. "England U17s skipper Reece Oxford pens long-term contract with West Ham United on the pitch — England". The Football Association. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  12. "Who is Reece Oxford". Sky Sports.
  13. "West Ham vs Lusitans match report: Diafra Sakho gives Hammers winning start to marathon season". The Independent. London. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  14. "Arsenal 0–2 West Ham". BBC Sport. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  15. "Reece Oxford and the best Premier League youth prospects — in pictures". The Telegraph.
  16. "Oxford signs new contract — West Ham United". www.whufc.com. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  17. "Reading FC Reece is a Royal!". Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  18. "Games played by Reece Oxford in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  19. "Reece Oxford: West Ham defender signs for Borussia Monchengladbach on loan". BBC Sport.
  20. "Reece Oxford joins Borussia Monchengladbach on loan". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  21. "1899 Hoffenheim 1–3 Borussia Mönchengladbach". BBC Sport. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  22. "Gladbach want to keep West Ham's Oxford". 15 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  23. "Reece Oxford loan spell at Borussia Mönchengladbach ends as West Ham recall youngster". bundesliga.com. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  24. "Reece Oxford returns to Borussia Mönchengladbach from West Ham United". bundesliga.com - the official Bundesliga website. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  25. "West Ham: Reece Oxford joins Augsburg on loan". BBC Sport. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  26. Inkersole, Sam (19 May 2019). "Oxford suffers Augsburg humiliation but defender poised to complete transfer". football. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  27. "FC Augsburg verpflichtet Reece Oxford" (in German). FC Augsburg. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  28. "West Ham and England U17s defender Reece Oxford aims to put Big Sam's lessons into practice against Europe's best — England". The Football Association. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  29. "England see off Spain from the spot to seal World Cup berth".
  30. Edwards, Luke (3 October 2015). "West Ham refuse to let exciting midfield prospect Reece Oxford play for England". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  31. "UEFA.com's weekly wonderkid: Reece Oxford". Uefa.com.
  32. "Is Reece Oxford West Ham's new version of Rio Ferdinand?". HITC. 5 August 2016.
  33. "Manchester United lodge transfer bid for West Ham's Reece Oxford". Metro. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  34. Howard, Walker. "Reece gives 'Oxford' new meaning". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  35. "West Ham defender Reece Oxford has Rolex watch stolen, prompting police investigation".
  36. "Games played by Reece Oxford in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  37. "Games played by Reece Oxford in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  38. Reece Oxford at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  39. "Dev Squad crowned Cup Champions". West Ham United F.C. 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016.
  40. "Awards". West Ham United F.C. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
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