JEREMY Charles’ goal in the 1986 Milk Cup final was the latest in a string of career highlights – but it was also one of the last.

The Welsh forward sealed Oxford United’s victory over Queens Park Rangers with four minutes left, tapping home after goalkeeper Paul Barron palmed away John Aldridge’s shot.

It saw the U’s go 3-0 up and allowed their 37,000 fans at Wembley – part of a crowd exceeding 90,000 – to start celebrating the club’s first major trophy.

At just 27, Charles had already been part of Swansea City’s rapid rise through the divisions, finished fifth in the top tier with QPR and helped United reach the highest level of English football for the first time.

After playing a key role in the U’s Milk Cup win, though, his next game in the competition was very different.

United thrashed Gillingham 6-0 the following September to begin the defence of their trophy, but Charles picked up a knee injury that would eventually finish his career.

He said: “The knee just kept swelling up and at the end they just said it’s never going to get better.

“At the age of 27 it was a big blow, because you think you’ve got a few more years in the game.

“It took me a few years to get over it.

“I look back and I was very lucky – I had the years at Swansea when we went from Division Four to One, I played in Europe, I was at QPR and at Oxford we had promotions and the Milk Cup.

“I did quite well out of it really.”

Charles arrived at United in February 1985, scoring four times before the end of the season as Jim Smith’s side won the Division Two title.

He played all-but two matches in the successful Milk Cup campaign and grabbed the decisive goal against Aston Villa in the second leg of the semi-final, as Maurice Evans’ side triumphed 2-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.

But with eight league matches between the last-four tie and the final, Charles knew that would not guarantee him a starting place at Wembley.

He said: “We had a lot of games in between that and you’ve got to keep your fitness and form, as we had an extremely good squad.

“I don’t think people realise how good the players were in that side.”

He added: “We were unbelievable on the day and the supporters were absolutely magnificent.

“I was just trying to make the most of it.”

“When my goal went in, Malcolm Shotton ran up to me and said ‘we’ve won it’.”