If it does all end....

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

I do think I've learned something from being an away fan. (It's a bit like &quotunder-promise and over-deliver&quot, except without the over-deliver, obviously.

[Ascension Ox]

I'm, not bothering this with this valedictory stuff. Get real!

The supporters should be getting together to make sure the club is saved.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

I'm, not bothering this with this valedictory stuff. Get real!

Oh for pity's sake read the opening posting and either grow up or go away. This was an interesting and thoughtful thread until you arrived on it.

[SmileyMan]

The supporters should be getting together to make sure the club is saved.

But right now, if the supporters &quotget together&quot, the best we could probably achieve is to keep the current administration, manager, players and landlord doing exactly what they've been doing for ages - ruining everyone's answer to question (c).

[Ascension Ox]

I'm, not bothering this with this valedictory stuff. Get real!

Oh for pity's sake read the opening posting and either grow up or go away. This was an interesting and thoughtful thread until you arrived on it.

Don't be so precious. I know there's not much practical that you can do for OUFC in Spain, but this is not the time for wondering how much your going to miss your club once it's gone.

When it's still here.

[Ancient Colin]

(a) I've watched other sides over the years, taking my son to see his then local side (Brentford) or his chosen side (Forest), went out with a gooner for a while so watched Arse fairly frequently in the Brady era. I was prepared to cheer and want them to win, but it wasn't deep, I didn't really care. I don't know about an AFC Ox, I don't know what I would feel. My cousin is Merton born and bred and an AFCW supporter and seems to be enjoying the ride. As I live in Reading, supporting the local side is clearly out of the question.

(b) I'm increasingly disillusioned with football - in particular the Premiership, the Faustian deals with television and the arrogance and boorishness of the players. I'm watching less and less and each smaller club's demise reinforces that.

(c) No. I should have spent more time when I could. And, for the Milk Cup alone, it was worth it. [/i]

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

Thankyou for your useful opinion, presuming to tell me and others what we should and should not think about.

Would anybody like to resume the discussion from where we were so rudely interrupted?

[Ancient Colin]

Well, I did!

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

Sir, I thank you for it.

[SmileyMan]

Would anybody like to resume the discussion from where we were so rudely interrupted?

Check the top of the page - it says &quotRage Online&quot. Off-topic rambling discussions are practically compulsory.

If this thread gets to page 4 without wandering off into the role that L Ron Hubbard's Scientology has to play in all this, it'll be a fucking miracle.

[SteMerritt]

This topic has made me think just how much of the club died on the 1st May 2001 for me. The Manor was an incredibly important place from the age of around 6 onwards, and the Kassam Stadium just hasn't replaced it to any significant degree. Sure the football being rubbish hasn't helped, but I have never got the same feeling as the old matchday routine - leaving Thame at 12:30, parking down Lime Walk, rubbish lager in the Supporters Club, watching the team punching well above it's weight, all the same faces on the LRT (left), back in the club after the game (along with the players).

Easy to remember all the good times and blank out the crap I admit, but should the worst happen, 99% of my favourite memories will have happened prior to the move.

[The OXman Cometh]

Good questions Pena,

a) Irrevocably a NO, it just wouldn't be the same.

b) Decrease, its not the 'Beautiful game' anymore its the 'Greedy game'.

c) Some of the best years of my life were spent 'Up the Manor' and following the team away, musical influences, girlfriends, exams, highs, lows can all be equated to certain seasons or certain matches even, wasted time? not on your nellie. Oh for those days again.

[OUFC4eva]

a) I could not watch another team in a proper way. The true fan of a club feels sick to his stomach when a match is lost and it makes his weekend if they win. I could watch games involving other clubs but there will never be passion and fire in the belly. I love Oxford United and will always do.

b) I dispensed with a Sky dish 18 months ago and watch MOTD on a Sunday am but I enjoy ITV's Championship programme on a Sunday am more. I watch very little live football from the &quotbig leagues&quot. I must say I get a lot of fun watching Kettering Vs Burton, York Vs Grays etc.

c) I would never contend that watching Oxford has been a waste of time. In a bizarre kind of way watching United for 30 years makes you appreciate good times and understand bad times.

My grandfather went, my dad still has a season ticket and I always look forward to Saturday home games as it is something to look forward to at the end of a tough week and over the years I have met some great people and made many great friends. The promotions we have had, the League Cup win and some great cup nights has made it a fantastic odyssey.

However we are in unprecedented times. The club is on it's knees, is non league and the economy is in desperate straits making a buy out pretty unlikely. We fight on with hope in our hearts and all that.......

[Snake]

a) No, but it’s tempting as no other club seems to be as bad as this one so maybe that would be a good thing. Has no one ever been ditched by a partner they love only to find a much better one a bit later?

b) Yes, I’d make bloody sure that if I ever did support another club I’d not get so attached again.

c) No, but then I’ve seen United in the really good times and lots of our supporters didn’t start following Us until after 1996. It’s them I feel sorry for, and it’s those people who are not turning up anymore.

[A-Ro]

a) No, not to the same extent, I'll probably go to City a bit but not with the same enthusiasm, in fact it would probably start to dwindle away after a while, especially if my United friends don't go.

b) Decrease, caused by 1 part jaded disillusionment mixed with 3 parts of bitter betrayal.

C) As most other people absolutely not, United has defined my life for the last 40 years.