Manager/Coach Jim Smith RIP

I was born in 93 so unfortunately missed the glory years but I distinctly remember the buzz when hearing on the radio that Jim had come back as part of the consortium takeover in 2006. Ok it didn't go as planned but he was still very much a part of the club when we returned from the abyss so he surely righted that wrong. It's a shame the teams I saw under him were not fit to lace the boots of his team in the mid 80's (of course, even Jim himself didn't have the answers for it on that famous April day), but such is life. He clearly shared our bewilderment at the utter ineptitude of lower league officials - I'll never forget him taking off and offering his glasses to the linesman during a conference game who had flagged one of our players offside inside our own half!

Legend. RIP Jim.
 
"The Jim Smith Stand" has a nice ring to it...

Would work either in the Kashstad or in our new stadium.


RIP Jim.
 
I have been fortunate enough to witness some of the most exciting times in our history from the FA Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers to the Conference Promotion Final and more recently the team that Michael Appleton built. However for sheer unrivalled football quality and excitement the period in the 80’s watching the teams that Jim Smith built has to be the best. Thanks for the memories Jim.
 
I think the best times I ever had as an Oxford fan were the two seasons we were promoted under Jim Smith. The football was incredibly exciting, we were scoring goals for fun, it seemed like we had a big game at the Manor under the floodlights almost every Tuesday night, and it never seemed to rain (except at Portsmouth away). Absolute legend, The Jim Smith Stadium has a good ring to it.
 
Thanks for all the great memories Jim, the pride you brought too Oxford United was amazing, what a great ride we all had.
 
I’m gutted.
Thanks Jim, the greatest manager OUFC has ever seen, he was a U’s fan and gave us a team to be proud of in the 80’s. RIP you true legend.
 
Some wonderful tributes on here, as is Chris Williams's brilliant piece on the OUFC website.

Jim is the reason I love football so much and why I will be an Oxford supporter for the rest of my life. The team Jim moulded in the mid-80's was the inpsiration for a generation, none more so than me. As a teenager I was lucky enough through my dad to travel on the team coach a few times to away matches and I got to know his warmth, humour and above all passion for the game. I remember after we had been beaten 6-0 at Liverpool he came back on the bus and said "Lads, a mate of mine runs a pub not far away, shall we call in for a drink on the way back". Greeted with a load of negative responses from an understandbly despondent bunch of players, he retorted "Right f**k it we'll go home but you miserable sods had better f***ing cheer up, we only lost 6-0, it could have been a lot worse!!'

Jim was generous with his time and loved to laugh. Even though I hadn't seen him for quite a few years, back in the late 90's Jim and his lovely wife Yvonne accepted an invitation to my wedding with his great friend Paul Reeves. I'm sure Jim never realised just how much that meant to me. Think I was more excited to see him on the day than my wife to be!! (Still happily married I hasten to add!). Jim was the life and soul of the party - he loved life, loved a drink, loved a cigar, loved a punt. A proper old school manager but a brilliant judge, a fine footballing tactician and a great man manager. He produced a brand of football during out two promotion years which made us all (players and fans) feel invincible. The Manor was our fortress and Jim our King. There will never be one better, to my eyes anyway.

My condolences to Yvonne and all the family. Rest assured that Jim's memory will for ever live on in the hearts of the thousands of Oxford fans who witnessed his greatness as a manager. A gentleman and a legend indeed. 'In the town.....'

May he rest in peace.
 
RIP Jim.

What a team he created.
In 1984-85, in what is now the Championship, we had 21 home league games and scored 62 goals.
 
RIP Jim.

What a team he created.
In 1984-85, in what is now the Championship, we had 21 home league games and scored 62 goals.

Wow, I knew we were good but not that good, it really did feel as though we were invincible, guess we pretty much were, I think we as fans should all push for a statue of him which can be moved to our new stadium too
 
Hopefully by boxing day, possibly even the Wycombe game. Cannot guarantee at this point though!

Just let us all know when the money can be donated - much appreciated. [emoji1303]
 
One of my main memories of Jim during his second spell was at the first game of the season at the utter shithole that is Barrow. He had travelled up and i shook his hand on the terrace, then encountered him again after the game as he had to stand and watch bottles being launched by the local neanderthals landing inches from his lovely Jaguar.

After managing in the premiership and winning leagues, a tiny bit of him must have been asking "what on earth am i doing here?!"

But that was his love for our club.
 
One of my main memories of Jim during his second spell was at the first game of the season at the utter shithole that is Barrow. He had travelled up and i shook his hand on the terrace, then encountered him again after the game as he had to stand and watch bottles being launched by the local neanderthals landing inches from his lovely Jaguar.

After managing in the premiership and winning leagues, a tiny bit of him must have been asking "what on earth am i doing here?!"

But that was his love for our club.
Even more so because he wasn't actually the gaffer then, it was Patto. So he was there because he wanted to be there!
 
Whichever game the full tribute is done, it would be so special to get as many ex players on the pitch as possible from his two stints with the club, the memories would come flooding back and many of his players especially from 1983-1985 era would not have had the careers they enjoyed without the belief Jim installed into them...
 
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