Oxford United staff take on team of prisoners

A team of Oxford United staff visited HMP Bullingdon to take on a squad of prisoners on Thursday morning.

This was to celebrate the cohort of prisoners completing a five-week football course, delivered by Oxford United in the Community.

The course aims to support rehabilitation through the mental and physical benefits of playing sport. 

The Oxford United team included former players James Constable and Peter Rhoades-Brown, but suffered a heavy defeat after 60 minutes of football, due to some clinical finishing from the prison side. 

The team of prisoners certainly impressed following five-weeks of training from Oxford United in the Community coach Rob Porter. 

He said: “It’s fantastic for the lads. Hopefully, in the long-term, it will help when they get released and they have a better chance at having a positive future.”

Rama Said supported the coaching of the cohort and scored a consolation goal for Oxford United in the final stages.

He said: “They really enjoyed it and had a big smile on their face. It was a pleasure teaching them and getting them to play a bit of football.”