Help support Oxford United’s new stadium for a better away day experience

Hi,

An Oxford United fan here in peace.

Our club is desperately trying to secure a new stadium site, or we’ll be homeless from 2026. It's a long story but essentially notice has been served on our lease to the Kassam Stadium by the owner and by 2026 we have to be out.

With that in mind, if anyone on here would be happy to fill in a short online questionnaire being run by Oxfordshire County Council, our fans would be massively grateful.

It only takes about five minutes or so to fill in the short online form at https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stadium-land-use-negotiations by 23 July 2023 where you will also find supporting information and documents.

The benefits to you as away fans will be:

• A sustainable stadium right next door to a major railway station in Oxford Parkway (a short train ride from Oxford City Centre) and opposite a large Park & Ride site, which would make it one of the easiest, greenest grounds to get to in the UK.
• Proper drinking, food and entertainment options at the ground itself, compared to embarrassing facilities currently on offer at our current ground or nearby. Those of you who have attended matches at the Kassam Stadium will know what a limited fan experience you receive there.
• A modern, well-designed ground which will help to support a proper atmosphere, rather than the soulless, three-side ground we have now.

A few sentences on any of the above for the survey’s final comment box would be really helpful in showing our County Council that the new ground will be sustainable, increase spending in Oxfordshire, and provide excellent facilities for home AND away fans.

We all appreciate the value of a good away day, whether we’re potentially playing you in a league or cup game from 2026 onwards. Taking a few minutes to support a fellow club before it becomes homeless in just a few years would be massively appreciated.

Thank you and best of luck for the 2023-24 season. Take six points off Swindon Town too while you're at it!

I'm happy to answer any questions about the move should you have any.

 

Thanks, all.

Any response helps our cause. Hope to play you again soon - at the Kassam or at our new stadium in the not too distant future

 

Thanks, Bronco. That’s a very good question. I’ve copied and pasted the response to this from the oufcstadium.com website.

‘There is also a restrictive covenant that was put in place in 2001 by Oxford City Council when the land was first released under the terms of a Development Agreement with Firoka (Oxford United Stadium) Limited to construct the Kassam Stadium. This requires the site to be used primarily for football until 14th October 2026. This does not provide any right for Oxford United to use the Stadium, only that ‘football’ is required to be the primary use at the site until 14th October 2026 at which point this covenant expires.

Therefore, the reality is that after 30th June 2026 Oxford United will have no legal right to use or occupy the Kassam Stadium. There is no right of renewal in the licence, there is no statutory security of tenure. The covenant requiring football to be the primary use also expires and all previous attempts to purchase the stadium have failed.’

I hope that helps. Thanks again for the assistance with the survey.

Today is the final day it can be completed so if there are one or two more positive responses, please do get them in today!

 

Just a quick response to say thanks to the Bradford fans who filled in the survey.

The County Council agreed to the leasehold of the land so the club can now move forward with a planning application. It’s a small step but an important one.

Thanks again and best of luck for the rest of the season.