Oxford United are delighted to announce that Stevie Kinniburgh will become the club’s new Academy Manager.
Stevie is a familiar face to all Oxford fans, first arriving as a young left-back from Glasgow Rangers back in 2009.
After a playing career that continued in the lower leagues he became Player/Manager at Corby Town aged just 27, also accepting a role as Academy Manager - one of the youngest in England.
After a spell running the Academy at Kettering Town, and having earned his UEFA A Licence as well as become an Elite Youth Licence Coach he returned to Scotland to take on a prestigious role in Youth Development within the SFA as Player & Coach Development Manager.
He told us
“It’s a very proud moment to come back to Oxford and be asked to take charge of the Academy. I want to thank the SFA for their understanding - my family were settled in Scotland and I wouldn’t have left for any other club but Oxford has such a special place in my heart.
“I have seen the progress that the Academy has made and Dan Harris did an amazing job; he has left a great bunch of people within the Academy who I look forward to getting to know and working alongside.
“I am passionate about the club and about turning young footballers into First Team players and I cannot wait to get started.”
Stevie will formally start his role on December 1st but will be at the FA Youth Cup game on Saturday to see the under 18s in competitive action and Chairman Grant Ferguson welcomed him, saying
“We had some extremely high calibre applicants who spoke very well at interview and we thank them all for their interest but Stevie was the outstanding candidate.
“He is extremely well qualified, he knows the club inside out, and everyone we spoke to told us he would put his heart and soul into the role. He will work alongside Matt Jarvis, who has done an excellent job in the interim, and we know the future of the Academy is in very good hands.”
Karl Robinson added:
“I didn’t know Stevie as a player but the moment I heard him on the radio after our games I asked who he was because he was so knowledgeable and obviously cared about the club. He questioned things, he had strong views, and I like those qualities.
“The Academy Manager is a key role at any football club and I have spent time getting to know Stevie a bit better. He is honest, hard-working, well-respected and a massive believer in giving young talented players a chance to progress.
“I think it’s an outstanding appointment. He has excellent qualifications and like all of us wants to take the Academy to the next level. We all look forward to working with him.”