Blackpool FC 3 Oxford 1

Saturday September 16 saw Oxford United fans travel up north to the seaside for the first match with Blackpool in Division One of the FA.

The result was another home win for Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. I lived near to Oxford for many years after returning to the UK from New York and have very good memories of a part of the country previously a big unknown. At the time Oxford's football club was on a roll having been backed by a local businessman who went on to finance the relocation of the club's original ground in Headington to a new stadium on the city's outskirts.

Having visited Oxford earlier in the week the city's colourful parade of buses made a contrast with Blackpool's now homogenous branding with a conservative touch. It reminded me of the MetroCoastlines colour branding for individual routes (sorry 'Lines'). The town centre was a veritable kaleidescope of multicoloured buses much as Oxford's busy commercial centre is today.

From our hotel window - Oxford to Bicester Village by this Stagecoach gold branded bus (taken on Wednesday). Note the curving sweeps and graphics.

Ironically Oxford United's team colours are yellow and black. The same as Blackpool Transport's standard branding under previous management and still traversing the resort, reminding visitors and residents of a passing era (in bus life)...

A Blackpool bus in Oxford United FC team colours - 2017 !