Stadium (again) - fans forum

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slappy
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by slappy »

Well it will be depressing, and possibly put the club back years if not terminally into a 'small club' if this all turns out to be a property play, which Tiger has form for, and also the other new directors.

How quickly the player trading and attractive football model fell apart, presumably once it was realised that a top 3 playing budget was literally out of our league, and that promotion to the Championship was reliant on over achieving.

I thought that Kassam had made the big property play from the club by not only profiting from the Manor, but also by getting the Ozone land, and keeping the stadium, whilst leaving the running cost of the club to someone else.
Last edited by slappy on Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Werthers Original
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Werthers Original »

It's good that the council are involved, maybe? Hopefully they would be unwilling to grant any planning permission without feeling assured that ownership of a new stadium was in appropriate hands, ie not split off from the club. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on here who may have some insights. It seems a very long-winded and complicated way for foreign investors to make money in a property deal, if that's their only interest.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Kernow Yellow »

Radley Rambler wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 9:44 am I did go to the fans forum and amongst some of the chaff, there were some nuggets of hope.

- The realisation (albeit post-due diligence phase) that FK will not sell to them unless for megabucks is refreshing. It normally takes an owner 4 years to reach this conclusion and so Tiger has saved himself 3.5 of those.

- The 5 options is interesting and Niall has set an expectation of announcements in 4-5 weeks. This is a very reasonable timeframe and doesn't keep us hanging on with false hope. If of course that timescale comes and goes, we can ask probing questions. I had a 1-1 session with Niall afterwards and will respect the confidentiality of that conversation but suffice to say Kernow Yellow, the preferred plans meet your 'redlines'!

- The Inter Milan link - from what I have read about him, if Erick Thohir joins this could be a seismic shift in our ability to perform as a club and really look at a new stadium. KR said on a few occasions that there is 'really exciting news' coming - now I know he can overpromise at times but I'm hopefully putting 2+2 together to make 4.

So.......in summary - in a month's time the whole landscape might have changed or we could be exactly where we are today - same old, same old!
Well, it's six and a half weeks and counting. No news on the stadium, nor on Mr Thohir. I'm guessing the two might be linked.

Regarding the latter, I heard Jerome on Radox a couple of weeks ago say that he understood the delay was being caused by the fact that initially an associate of Thohir was being put forward for the board as his representative, but now the man himself wants to be a director, and the hold-up lay with two sets of paperwork (including FPP tests). This was portrayed as a Good Thing, but it does rather beg the question of why the paperwork for the associate hit a snag, and why it seems to be taking so long for our Erick...
Dr Bob
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Dr Bob »

Myles Francis
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Myles Francis »

Hopefully he can pay the taxman....
Radley Rambler
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Radley Rambler »

Well I am enthused by this appointment based on his track record in building stadia and because quite frankly if the status quo remained, I'd fear for our medium term future.

Of course this enthusiasm is heavily caveated until we hear from the man himself in terms of his plans.

European Super League anyone?
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

Story in the Oxford Mail today that plans to re-introduce passenger trains on the Cowley line (which would see a station built to serve the Science Park and our current stadium) have been delayed. Current estimates are that we might see something during 2020.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Kernow Yellow »

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/oxfo ... ef=mr&lp=5

Well, nice to hear something about this (even if nothing is really being said, and the timescale initially promised has massively lapsed). One thing I really worry about is the apparent new emphasis on 'county' rather than 'city'.

“This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity for Oxford United and the county to find a solution to this problem.”
“I cannot see how a county as big and as affluent as this when you look at this unbelievable business opportunity that we will not be able to find an alternative home in this county.”
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

I guess it would really depend on WHERE within the county. A new ground in, say, Kidlington or Abingdon wouldn’t worry me, just as a ground in Headington never really bothered me. All are within easy striking distance of Oxford.

On the other hand, a ground in Banbury, or Didcot, or Henley, would be a very different thing. But I’m not sure where the magic line is crossed! I suppose probably “is it a short and easy bus ride away” is as good a rule of thumb as any.

I’d be interested to know how much the Oxfordshire FA have been involved in discussions given the above. I can’t imagine they’d want us muscling into an area like Abingdon, Banbury or Didcot where there’s already a decent non-league team (unless it was a ground-share scenario).
Werthers Original
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Werthers Original »

Yes agree with that. Just not bloody Bicester! It’s half way to MK Dons and I dont want to be an adjunct of Bicester Village. And not Witney either, it’s half way to Slumdon and deserves its own team.
recordmeister
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by recordmeister »

FYI I believe that Abingdon has the largest number of season ticket holders at the club. Not that this should mean we build a stadium there, esp as transport links to Abingdon are crap. I don't really mind where the stadium could be, so long as transport links are good and we can actually call our club 'Oxford' United- i.e. if we stay 'within' the city (for whatever that means) then I'd be happier than if we were somewhere in the wider county.

Derby is a great example of a club that embraces the county ethic (ok, it is in their name and all) but they run coaches from all over a large area to their stadium which, it must be noted, is very much within the city.

Equally, we are hamstrung by 1. A council that doesn't seem to care too much about us and 2. the cost of land. At the end of the day, we have to be realistic about what is best for the club, and first-class real estate is't easy to find.
Dr Bob
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Dr Bob »

Or maybe their involvement is simply because you do not have to go far from the city centre to find yourself in the territory of the county council, rather than the city council??
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Stadium (again) - fans forum

Post by Kernow Yellow »

Abingdon would be a truly shit place for a ground. No train, awful traffic on the A34 and very much its own town rather than part of Oxford. Kidlington I could live with, assuming it was at the south end near the railway line. But the more I think about it, there are very few likely sites in and around Oxford that would be better than we have already (especially with a potential new station at the Science Park). Oxpens being the obvious exception, but could the city council be persuaded to put a stadium in the city centre?
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