In July 2014, private equity broker Darryl Eales took over the club from previous owner Ian Lenagan and installed Mark Ashton as Chief Executive and former Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers manager Michael Appleton as head coach.

The new management team had little time to assemble a side, with Danny Hylton (signed by outgoing manager Gary Waddock to replace long-serving forward James Constable) the only new player among the first-team squad at the time of the takeover.

The season opened badly: a series of four narrow defeats left United pointless and at the foot of the League Two table and fearing a second relegation to non-League football.

Matters gradually improved, but the team never reached the top half of the table and calls were heard during the season for Appleton's dismissal.

Oxford fell at the first hurdle in the Football League Trophy, losing to Cheltenham Town in the first round.