Oxford United defender Elliott Moore has been ever present in the U’s backline since his arrival from Leicester back in 2019.
The centre-back has seen teammates Rob Dickie, Rob Atkinson and Like McNally come and go but the 26-year-old continues to put in consistent performances.
Elliott Moore: Player in Focus
Time at Oxford
Moore came through the ranks at Leicester and spent time on loan at sister club, OH Leuven in Belgium. However, the centre-back joined the U’s in 2019 for an undisclosed fee.
Since then, the U’s skipper has made 185 appearances for the club, where he has also netted 11 goals.
As previously eluded to, Moore has played alongside the likes of Dickie, Atkinson and McNally – all of whom have come in as a young player and gone to a bigger club for a seven-figure fee.
The fact that he has often been overlooked during transfer windows maybe isn’t a bad thing. It means he has cemented his place into the starting line-up on a consistent basis under three different managers.
This Season
It’s no secret that Oxford have struggled to keep clean sheets in recent seasons, but that comes as a collective. However, it is more noticeable in Moore’s absence.
That was the case in Des Buckingham’s first game in charge – a 2-0 defeat at Cheltenham. Moore missed the game through suspension but returned for a goalless draw against league leaders, Bolton.
This season, the U’s have kept six clean sheets in the league and a further two in their FA Cup matches. Moore has played in all six of those fixtures.
Captain Fantastic
After Oxford’s first defeat at the hands of rivals Swindon in eight meetings, Moore was appointed club captain ahead of a goalless draw with Ipswich.
The defender skippered the side to a run of ten league games without defeat, and just two in 19.
As a leader, he has focused on his own game while helping bring these promising youngsters through. With that in mind, and the longevity of his Oxford career, he can go on to become a mainstay in the U’s team for years to come, particularly after signing a new “long-term” deal earlier this season.
