Oxford United have sacked head coach Matt Bloomfield following their relegation to League One. The 42-year-old replaced Gary Rowett in January and despite some encouraging results and performances in the second half of the season, he was unable to keep them in the Championship. Oxford said Bloomfield had represented Oxford United with professionalism and integrity. We would like to thank Matt for his efforts and wish him every success in the future, a club statement added. The process of appointing a new men's first team head coach will begin immediately, and the club will provide updates in due course. Bloomfield had been out of work since he was sacked as Luton boss in October 2025. He was appointed by Oxford at a time when they were 23rd in the Championship, three points adrift of safety, coming in after Rowett had overseen a dismal spell of one win in 10 matches. Oxford United's relegation was confirmed in April, and Bloomfield said he was confident of keeping his job. I've enjoyed my time at the club, he said. It's obviously not been the outcome that we wanted for the season. We've been pleasantly content with some of the improvements we have made but ultimately we wanted to stay in the league. Oxford looked capable of pulling off a great escape in late February and early March when they won three games in a row to move up to 21st. However, just two wins in the following eight matches saw them lose ground on the sides above them. Relegation brought an end to a two-year spell in the second tier after they won promotion via the League One play-offs in 2023-24. The decision to sack Bloomfield may have come as a surprise to some, given that it was made after the end of the season. But with a new chairman, Dusan Bogdanovic, at the helm, the club may be looking to make changes ahead of the new season. Bogdanovic, an ex-pro player and agent, may want to be more hands-on with the football side of the club than his predecessor. So far, there haven't been any new signings for next season, a situation that needs to change imminently. This was probably as late as they could leave a managerial change without the potential of recruiting. Oxford United will now begin the process of appointing a new head coach, with the club providing updates in due course. The future of the club is uncertain, but one thing is clear: Oxford United will be looking to bounce back from relegation and make a push for promotion next season.