During the pre-season, Alfie Potter was brought in on a season-long loan, Rhys Day was signed on a free transfer, and Andy Melville returned as first-team coach.
A 3–1 aggregate victory over Rushden & Diamonds in the play-offs saw United return to Wembley for the first time in 24 years to face York City.
Once again James Constable was the club's top goalscorer in all competitions, scoring 24 times, 22 of those coming in the league, one in the FA Cup and one in the play-off final.
Oxford announced a number of pre-season fixtures, including a two-game tour to Scotland to face Morton and Rangers.
Other pre-season fixtures included games at home to Queens Park Rangers and Peterborough United, a visit to local rivals Oxford City and finally a match against an Aston Villa XI.
[3] Alfie Potter was signed on a season-long loan from Peterborough United on 3 July,[4] and ten days later former defender and Welsh international Andy Melville returned to the club as first-team coach.
[18] Youngster Sam Deering was loaned out to Conference South team Newport County for one month to regain full fitness after breaking his leg last year.
[21] A 4–0 win against Eastbourne Borough sent United eight points clear at the top of the table,[22] before they fell to their first defeat of the season, away at Mansfield Town.
[27] A behind-the-scenes friendly was played against Watford mid-week to give players without game time a run out, the result being 1–0 to Oxford.
[32] Before the FA Cup tie against Yeovil Town, Oxford beat Leicester City 4–0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly,[33] and on the same day Shane Killock and Alex Rhodes left the club.
[39][40] Neither loanee featured in Oxford's 1–1 home draw against Barrow in the FA Cup,[41] which meant a replay at Holker Street, the third fixture between the two sides in as many weeks.
Oxford maintained this lead, and their winning run, with a comfortable 4–2 home victory over Ebbsfleet,[44] but in their FA Cup replay at Barrow they were comprehensively and uncharacteristically beaten 3–1, denying them a lucrative 3rd-round tie with Premiership side Sunderland.
[45] A home victory over Hayes and Yeading in the 1st round of the FA Trophy[46] was scant consolation, though it provided competitive match action for some of United's squad players.
Cold weather meant that the away fixture against Cambridge United and the home game on Boxing Day against Rushden & Diamonds were postponed, the latter somewhat controversially and with a large crowd expected.
[50] Despite beating Grays Athletic in their second and last league game of January,[51] Oxford failed to regain first position, due to Stevenage's results.
After 90 minutes Oxford led 1–0 in the crunch fixture at Luton, but two goals in injury time, the second direct from a corner kick, saw the home team gain an important victory.
[56] As before this season, Oxford followed a rare defeat with a run of good results, in this case home wins against Histon,[57] Rushden & Diamonds[58] and AFC Wimbledon,[59] which saw them reopen some breathing space at the top of the table.
[66] A 2–1 home victory over Gateshead on 27th[67] was United's first win in March and boosted the supporters' hopes for the upcoming "six-pointer" against in-form Stevenage.
They secured a much-needed home win over Salisbury with a late Alfie Potter goal on 5 April,[71] and were boosted by AFC Wimbledon's failure to beat York City on 7th, which meant United were mathematically certain of a play-off place, though their chance of automatic promotion as champions looked to be gone as the end of the season loomed.
With the pressure eased, United's form improved as the month progressed; after the Salisbury match they won three of their next four fixtures (beating Altrincham away[72] and Mansfield[73] and Wrexham[74] at home, and drawing at Cambridge[75]).
[76] United thus finished in third place in the table, behind Luton and promoted Stevenage, and due to play fourth-placed Rushden and Diamonds in the play-off semi-finals.
United took the lead through James Constable in the first leg of their play-off semi-final away to Rushden & Diamonds, before the home side equalised; the game finished 1–1.
[77] In the second leg at the Kassam Stadium, second-half goals from Constable and Matt Green confirmed Oxford's place in the Wembley final.
The draw for the fourth qualifying round took place on 12 October, pitting Oxford United against promotion chasing Thurrock from the Conference South.