The football club has confirmed the death of former board member Desmond Morris at age 98.

Mr Morris died on Sunday, April 19, after a brief illness—prior to this, he had never been hospitalized.

He gained fame for his influential work “The Naked Ape,” examining human behavior and achieving over 20 million sales.

Referred to warmly as “Doc Morris,” he also wrote “The Soccer Tribe,” drawing from his experiences with Oxford United supporters.

Throughout his involvement with the club, Mr Morris held positions including season ticket holder, board member, deputy chairman, and honorary vice president.

His most lasting impact came through designing the team’s symbol—the ox head—introduced in 1978.

The crest, inspired by an ancient Minoan bull, has remained the club’s emblem since then.

In his final years, Mr Morris lived in Ireland alongside his son Jason and his family, having left his Oxford residence following the passing of his wife Ramona, with whom he had been married for 66 years.

Mr Morris worked as a zoologist, writer, television personality, and surrealist painter, continuing to write and create art until his final week.

He followed every Oxford United match available on television, including a victory over Watford one week before his death.

The club offered its sympathy to Mr Morris’s loved ones, noting that he “leaves a legacy with the Club.