Aldridge, along with the goals of fellow strikers Nigel Jemson and Paul Moody, helped the "U's" to retain their Division One status with a 17th-place finish.
In February 1998, Aldridge joined Southend United on loan, playing eleven times for Alvin Martin's struggling Division Two side, before returning to Oxford, who released him at the end of the season.
However, he then fell out with manager Nigel Worthington,[6] and in September 1999, he joined Port Vale on loan and made three goalless appearances for Brian Horton's First Division "Valiants" in 1999–2000.
In January 2000, he joined Conference club Rushden & Diamonds, also on loan, and scored sixty seconds into his debut in an FA Trophy victory at Bath City.
[3] On 30 January 2000, at the age of 25, Aldridge died as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash after leaving Rushden's 6–0 Conference win against Northwich Victoria at Nene Park, for which he had been an unused substitute.
[6] An inquest found that Aldridge had hit traffic cones and lost control of his car; four contractors were charged with failing to comply with highways regulations after it was concluded that roadwork signs had not been properly lit.