Here we look back at some Oxford Mail archive photos of the 1960s.

It was the decade when the Blackbird Leys estate continued to grow, and when Oxford United, featuring Ron Atkinson, won promotion in 1967/8.

For the first half of the season, United were reliant on a bulletproof record at the Manor, where they reeled off eight league wins on the bounce.

The winter brought a full two months without a victory, but with no-one able to break clear at the top, they managed to stay on the fringes of the promotion race.

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Their big issue had been away from the Manor. Incredibly, it took until their 18th game on the road to claim a victory – 1-0 at struggling Grimsby Town, thanks to John Evanson’s effort.

With the monkey finally off their backs, United hit the accelerator.

The victory at Blundell Park began a six-game winning run, which transformed United from long-shots in ninth to bona fide promotion candidates in second place.

Derby draws with Swindon Town – watched by almost 18,000 at the Manor and then 16,000 in the reverse fixture – sandwiched a 1-0 defeat at Orient in a hectic four-day period over Easter.

That holiday hiccup saw the U’s drop out of the top two, having played a game more than most of their rivals.

But again they found another gear. Skeen’s solitary goal beat Tranmere Rovers at the Manor, before Bullock’s brace helped United to a 4-0 win at Stockport County.

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With others stumbling, the U’s went top with 180 minutes of the season remaining.

Fortunately, both games were at their Manor stronghold. The 17th win from 22 attempts arrived with a 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, courtesy of goals from Graham Atkinson and Bullock.

It came days after Graham Atkinson had signed a new contract, ending a saga where he had been on the transfer list since October.

Incredibly, both he and brother Ron almost joined Shrewsbury six weeks earlier.

Given their influence, it is hard to imagine United could have finished so strongly, with the Shrews – who finished third – the most likely to have taken their place.

But the U’s had Ron’s wife Jenny to thank for at least one of the moves collapsing, after she had reportedly said no to a move.

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The Brighton victory meant that United were all-but assured of promotion to Division 2, having been a Southern League team in 1962.

“If you had told me that six years ago,” manager Arthur Turner said, “I would have called you mad!”

But the job was only truly finished a week later, when David Sloan’s goal beat Southport in a scrappy final game to clinch the title a point ahead of Bury.

Rockets were fired from the middle of the pitch in celebration after the game, while the fans, with an eye on under-fire Prime Minister Harold Wilson, chanted: “Wilson out, Turner in!”

A jubilant Turner said: “We have achieved the impossible and this is a marvellous time for Oxford United, it’s players and everyone connected with the club.”

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF