 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Jim Smith akanga atora Oxford United kuenda kunzvimbo yepamusoro yenhabvu yeChirungu. Paakaenda muna 1985, mutsivi wake, Maurice Evans, akatarisa kuHoughton kuti abatsire kusimbisa nzvimbo yavo mumutambo. Akabhadhara 147 000 nokuda kwaHoughton musi wa13 September 1985. Houghton akanga atamba ka145 kuFulham uye akarova zvibodzwa 21. Akaita kutanga kwake kweU zuva rakatevera kusaina, mu2x2 dhiza neLiverpool paManor Ground. Pakupera kwemwaka wake wekutanga, Houghton akabatsira kutungamira Oxford kure nenzvimbo dzekudzikira, achingomira nekukunda pazuva rekupedzisira remwaka, asi kunyanya akarova chibodzwa chechipiri mukirabhu 30 League Cup yekupedzisirakukunda kwakaitwa Smith pachikwata chake chitsva Queens Park Rangers paWembley. 