Notes & Queries - 29th October, 2013: Can anyone improve on Alex Ferguson's retirement plan?

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If he can overlook the implied association with one of Manchester United's north London rivals, Sir Alex would make a valuable addition to the board of The Foxes Arsenal Woodland Trust, in Bicester ('Footie Wood' as it is referred to by fans).

The wood is made up entirely of Cobbs Oak. Each tree is dedicated to a former footballer, who are commemorated on plaques planted at the base of the trunks.

Its origins lie in a request made in the final will and testament of the Oxford United star goalkeeper, Gerald Deller, that an oak tree be planted in his memory. His will went on to stipulate that, when the tree was fully grown, it should be chopped down and used to make goalposts.

It wasn't until 1955, three years after Deller's death that the site of Foxes Arsenal was chosen as the location for his memorial. The land, which had lain derelict for many years, had been occupied by a large munitions depot during the First World War and by an aerodrome during the Second. For a while it was temporary home of a local, non-league, football team – the Bicester Bombers (the Carnies) - who wore carnations on their shirts during every away match. This was a nod to the bomber crews who had flown sorties from the former airfield, and who would pick carnations from the local gardens and hedgerows and pin them to their jackets prior to going out on raids.

The wood has long outgrown its original plot and has spilled over into the neighbouring fields which have been purchased by the Trust. Its current size is given at around 30 acres, or 17 football pitches. New trees are planted in random clusters in order to avoid certain areas becoming associated with particular teams. Part of the upkeep of the site is paid for on a sliding scale by all 92 football clubs in the four top leagues with teams in the lower leagues paying a symbolic sum (as little as £1 a player).

There are currently two downloadable apps available offering guided walks around Foxes Arsenal Woods, focusing on different teams, or eras of the sport. The uptake of these apps has been instrumental in making the area a popular place of pilgrimage for football fans from both home, and abroad, with visitor numbers having soared in recent years.

In March 2013, the football writer, Don Wilton, became the figurehead of a campaign to renovate a row of eleven cottages on the border of the woods. These will be turned into homes for retired footballers who have fallen on hard times. Tenants will live rent free and will help to manage the site as it continues to grow and expand.

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