Oxford United Apologises for United 93 Clothing Line Blunder

Oxford United have been forced into a public apology after releasing a new clothing line featuring “United 93” on the back – the call sign of one of the planes hijacked during the 9/11 attacks.

The design was intended to nod to the club’s roots, referencing their founding year of 1893. Instead, it collided head‑on with one of the most painful dates in modern history.

The club admitted the range had gone on sale “without understanding of the historical context and associations” of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on 11 September 2001 after being hijacked. All 44 people on board died. The story was later retold in the 2006 docudrama film United 93.

Oxford United, formed in 1893 as amateur side Headington and now playing in League One, had launched the “Campus Clothing” range before the issue was picked up and shared online.

The reaction was swift. So was the climbdown.

In a statement, the club confirmed the entire range had been pulled and issued a clear apology.

“The Campus Clothing range has been withdrawn and we sincerely apologise for the error,” the statement read. “It should not have reached the point of sale and we take full responsibility for not undertaking proper due diligence.

“We have removed the collection with immediate effect and are reviewing our approval processes to ensure nothing like this happens again.”

The outcry stems from the deep scars left by the 9/11 attacks, when 19 Al Qaeda members hijacked four commercial planes in the United States.

Two were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, bringing both skyscrapers down. Another slammed into the Pentagon near Washington DC. The fourth – United 93 – crashed into rural Pennsylvania, with investigators believing the hijackers had been targeting the US Capitol Building.

In total, 2,977 people were killed and tens of thousands were injured.

Oxford’s mistake lasted only briefly on the shelves. The reminder of why it caused such anger will last far longer.