Steven Kinniburgh spent three seasons with Oxford United and played a part of Chris Wilder’s squad that won promotion from the Conference League in 2010.
Although his career was hampered by injuries, his time at Oxford was a highlight of his profession.
Now working alongside the team with BBC Radio Oxford and a regular voice on the Wasn’t at the Game Show, Kinniburgh has taken up broadcasting following a brief managerial spell in non-league.
We had a question and answer session with the former full-back about his time at Rangers, his spell at Oxford and how he got into management after hanging up his boots at such a young age.
You came through the youth set up at Rangers. Did you support Rangers growing up in Glasgow and what was it like being part of the set up of a top club like that?
Yes, my family are all Ranges supporters and still have season tickets for Ibrox. It was an unbelievable upbringing at Rangers, I learned so many life skills for my piers and coaches and, although I didn’t make it to the first team squad, I learned so much about the game of football as well as myself as a person.
During your time with the youth team, you won the U19 League and Cup double. How did it feel to be part of that team at the time?
Amazing feeling and something that I still talk about today. Playing at the Scottish national stadium in front of 20,000 fans and winning both times was a wonderful feeling and doing it for my boyhood club against Celtic, our biggest rivals, was the icing on the cake.
You had loan spells at Queen of the South and St Johnstone but made just two appearances for The Doonhamers. What was the purpose of the two loans? To get more game time? And if so, why were the appearances limited?
It was to get me into an adult environment and progress me into men’s football for the youth game. I joined both clubs at difficult times, Queen of the South were not winning a lot of games at the time so stuck with more experienced players while St Johnstone won the Scottish Championship while I was on their books on loan. However, those environments allowed me to know what to expect when I joined Oxford United on loan and did get much more game time.
Your first move out of Scotland came at Oxford United. You joined on loan for the 2009/10 season. What were your thoughts as you joined the club?
I didn’t know much about the club at the time but after looking into it and speaking with different people it looked like a good move and, over the past ten years, it’s now my English club that I have grown very fond of, and delighted to have been a small part of a history-making season in 2009/10 season.
You made 14 appearances during your loan spell, scoring once in a 3-1 win over Crawley Town. Despite the injury, would you look back on your loan spell as a success?
Yes, it was a big success as eventually, I signed for the club full time, If it wasn’t for the injury I would have played a lots more games for Oxford but these things happen in football and there isn’t much anyone can do about that, unfortunately.
After picking up the injury and returning to Rangers in December, what was going through your mind at the time?
Just try and get back fit as quickly as possible and try and get back to Oxford in the January window but time wasn’t on my side.
With the team Chris Wilder had assembled and promotion the aim, were you confident the club would achieve their goals that season?
Yes, it was a good squad of players and even going to Wembley I did believe that the players were good enough to get through and win that game.
At the end of the season, Oxford achieved promotion and you were released by Rangers. Firstly, how did you feel not being a part of it but were you happy to return to the club in the summer?
Delighted to come back and be part of the squad as I thought I would be able to kick on with the club and my career. It’s never easy as a young player being released but having a new club lined up already definitely helped.
You were in and out of the side under Wilder in League Two. How did that feel not managing a run of games and did the manager give you any advice?
Very frustrating not getting a paper run of seven or eight games in the team as it’s very difficult to build momentum in any performances and establish yourself as a regular starter. Not really, the manager was more focused on the whole squad and getting results rather than individuals.
How did you feel when your time at Oxford came to an end?
I was gutted to leave the club but knew my time was up under the manager but always kept in contact with people at the club and still do to this day.
When you left Oxford, you had spells at Telford United, Bedford Town, Kettering Town and Corby Town. What did you learn from your experiences at those clubs?
Lots about the game and how it works and got to know more and more about the off-field working of football which has helped in my roles I’ve had since stopping playing.
You took the managerial duty at Corby and later became assistant at Kettering, was management something you had always looked at getting into?
Yes, coaching and managing was always my biggest enjoyment in football. It’s the reason I stopped playing so early so I could go and get my UEFA A Licence and UEFA Elite Youth Licence and develop my coaching and understanding of the game.
Best manager you have worked with?
I would go back to my Rangers days and my U19s manager Billy Kirkwood as I leaned and developed most of my game at that point in my career.
Best player you have played with?
Barry Ferguson played in a reserve match for Rangers on returning from injury and he was an unbelievable player.
Best player you have played against?
In an U16s tournament, we played Barcelona and the Dos Santos brothers and Bojan played against us. They were quite good I suppose!
What is your best memory of your time at Oxford?
The goal against Crawley at the Kassam.
What is the best game you have played in?
Against Luton for Oxford for atmosphere (2-0 win, September 2009) – but won the league with Kettering and that was also a great time.
What is the worst game you have played in?
The game I got sent off in (3-1 loss at Kidderminster, November 2009) and we got beat at Oxford!
Obviously, it has been a slow start for Oxford this season, but where do you think the U’s will finish?
I think it’s a mid-table season I’m afraid
How did you get into working with BBC Radio Oxford and are you enjoying working in media?
Bit of luck like everything, right place right time and I loved it and the guys enjoyed me being on. Hopefully, It continues for a while longer and see where it can go.
