Swansea had won at Oxford earlier in the season
Joe Allen's distinguished playing career ended with a draw as Oxford United came from behind three times to deny Swansea City victory on the final day of the Championship season.
Wales great Allen played 70 minutes after announcing this would be his farewell appearance almost exactly 18 years after he made his league debut on this ground.
But there was no winning send-off for the midfielder and fellow Swansea veteran Kyle Naughton thanks to a stoppage-time equaliser from Przemyslaw Placheta.
Swansea first went ahead thanks to a sparkling Eom Ji-Sung goal, only for Oxford to level deservedly before half-time through Greig Leigh's superb volley.
Ronald restored the home side's lead but his half-volley was swiftly cancelled out by a close-range effort from Michal Helik.
Josh Tymon claimed a third assist of the afternoon when he picked out Liam Cullen to head in what looked like being the winner, but former Swan Placheta capitalised on a late Lewis O'Brien error to drive home in the second minute of added time.
That meant some frustration for Alan Sheehan in his first game as Swansea's permanent head coach, but his team end the season in 11th having lost only one of their final seven games.
Oxford finish their first season at second-tier level in 25 years in 17th having achieved their survival target last weekend.
For a while this spring, this had looked like being significant a fixture in the final-day scrap to avoid relegation.
But the fact that both sides have successfully pulled clear of danger meant much of the focus was on Allen, who was made captain for the day and had a hand in Swansea's eye-catching opening goal.
Allen stroked the ball wide for Josh Tymon, who fed Eom down the left flank.
The South Korean international did the rest, dancing inside on to his right foot before curling the ball from the corner of the penalty area and into the far top corner of Matt Inrgam's net.
There was no lack of intensity from either side, Ben Cabango seeing a header cleared off the line – and appeals for a penalty turned down – before Ruben Rodrigues was denied at the other end by Lawrence Vigouroux.
Joe Allen started and ended his career at Swansea, either side of spells at Liverpool and Stoke City
But the Swansea goalkeeper could do nothing when Tyler Goodrham's free-kick was headed up rather than away and Leigh's delightful finishing brought his sixth goal of the season.
Oxford might have led before the break, when Stan Mills broke the home offside trap and beat Vigouroux with a shot which bounced to safety off the far post.
Tymon's curling cross evaded Zan Vipotnik only for Ronald to arrive at the far post to guide the ball high into the net, but Oxford swiftly found another response from another Goodrham set-piece as Leigh headed across the face of goal for Helik to drive home from a couple of yards out.
Cullen then met another fine Tymon delivery to score his 12th goal of the season – but Placheta had the final word against the club he played for last year as Oxford ended 2024-25 on a high note.
Swansea head coach Alan Sheehan:
"When you go ahead three times, you are waiting for us to kick on. I really enjoyed a lot of our attacking play and we scored three really good goals, but I didn't like us defensively at all which is out of character for us.
"Two set-pieces and then the 94th minute of the final game we gift them another goal, that's disappointing.
"It was a full house, we have two legends of the game leaving the football club. It was a real party atmosphere.
"We wanted to get three points but sometimes things are bigger than that and those two guys deserve everything that they get."
Oxford head coach Gary Rowett:
"That shows what the team's all about. We knew when we came in it was going to be a big task to keep the team in the division.
"We've shown an incredible spirit and even if we've lost games we've never been out of them. It's a nice spirit and quality to have and today was no different.
"We went behind three times and we responded. I'm sure Swansea will be disappointed but for us it was a nice, fitting tribute in 25 games in which the team have shown form-wise they've been a top 10 team.
"That's quite amazing really considering where they were. It's a fitting end to take a point and finish in 17th place."
