Russell Martin now odds-on favourite to make Championship comeback after Rangers sack
Russell Martin is yet to return to the dugout since getting the sack at Rangers earlier this season.
The former Southampton manager had a torrid time at Ibrox, only winning five of his 17 matches in charge.
As a result, Martin’s managerial reputation has taken a massive hit since his failure at Rangers.
Nevertheless, he remains linked to plenty of jobs, including the current vacancy at Oxford United in the Championship.
Oxford United can confirm that Gary Rowett has left his role as Men’s First Team Head Coach.
— Oxford United (@OUFCOfficial) December 23, 2025
The Club would like to place on record its thanks to Gary for his contribution to the Football Club.https://t.co/vttxpQKyO9 pic.twitter.com/pvBb6BuM46
Russell Martin 4/6 to take over at Oxford United
Oxford United have been linked to plenty of managers since they sacked Gary Rowett at the end of 2025.
Recently, Will Still had emerged as the favourite to take over at the Kassam Stadium, until the former Southampton boss was ruled out of the race.
As a result, Martin has now emerged as a serious contender for the vacancy at the U’s, according to the bookies.
One bookmaker has the odds of Martin taking over at Oxford United as short as 4/6, making him the clear favourite for the job.
Following him, Still is the second-favourite at 6/4, while Alan Sheehan is considered an outsider at 4/1.
Martin’s managerial career explained
Until Rangers, Martin had a fairly successful managerial career.
Starting off at MK Dons, he quickly found success before moving to Swansea City in 2021.
After two seasons at the Welsh side, he took over at Southampton, with Martin guiding the Saints back to the Premier League as they beat Leeds United in the playoff final.
- Martin took over at Rangers in the summer, but was quickly sacked after a terrible start
- Since then, the manager has been linked to multiple managerial jobs
- Now, Martin could take over at Oxford United
However, he was soon sacked, months after promotion, with the South Coast club stranded at the bottom of the table in the top-flight.
To date, Martin’s lowest win percentage is 29.41 per cent, coming from his time at Rangers.
His highest is an impressive 45.21 per cent from his short, but semi-successful spell at Southampton.
Now, Martin will be aiming to restore his reputation in the dugout. However, it remains to be seen if this comes at Oxford United as they search for Rowett’s successor.