I'm not cutting my beard until we get a penalty

It has been 643 long days since Oxford United were last awarded a penalty - leading one fan to take on a novel fundraiser.

Gary Hudson, who is better known as Fred Big-Ox, has said he will not be shaving until his beloved Yellows are awarded a spot kick - a challenge that began around Christmas, after the club crossed 600 days without one.

In the meantime, he has started wearing a yellow wig and blue beard to matches to show the sheer amount of time its been since the club got a penalty.

Hudson is using the stunt to raise money for The Joey Beauchamp Foundation - a mental health charity formed in honour of one of United's greatest ever players.

The last time the Yellows won a penalty was 85 games ago, when they drew 1-1 with Peterborough United in the second leg of the League 1 playoff semi-final in 2024.

Club captain Cameron Brannagan dispatched that penalty, with United going on to beat Bolton in the final - ending the club's 25-year absence from English football's second tier.

But since then, the club have played more than a season-and-a-half of Championship football without winning a spot kick - thus inspiring Hudson's fundraiser.

"It started off as a joke before Christmas when we got to 600 days which was against Swansea City and then I started wearing it," he told BBC Radio Oxford.

"Then people said I should get it sponsored, so I thought I'd raise money for the Joey Beauchamp Foundation, 'why not?'."

The challenge has striking similarities to Manchester United fan Frank Ilet, who is also from Oxford and is not cutting his hair until his team win five games on the trot.

Both hair-based challenges could end tonight though. Man Utd face West Ham, hoping to win their fifth game in a row for the first time in two years.

Meanwhile at The Kassam, Oxford will be looking to break their spot kick hoodoo against Norwich City.

But Hudson isn't confident that will be the case.

When asked if Tuesday could be the night the curse ends, he said: "No, we've had so many [penalties] that we should have had but didn't."

"There's been so many times we should have had one and I think referees now have thought, 'I don't want to be the one to break that record, [I've] gotta keep it going'," he added.

You can find out if Oxford United win their first penalty in 643 days against Norwich City on Tuesday live on BBC Radio Oxford.

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