Colin B Resignation

Scotchegg said:
Simon, is it your view that 4 sites would be outside of Oxford and would hinder any ambitions we have, or are there wider issues?
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For example, moving to Horspath (next to the training ground area) or Sandy Lane would see us having to reduce the capacity significantly & cause a significant strain on road infrastructure.

Building on a rugby pitch near Bicester Village is moving the club out of the 'city' although probably high up on the well researched* list of options no doubt - I'm sure it has benefits to the new board.

Water Eaton - things move on I'm sure but can't see it.

Moving to Wycombe or Northampton in a hissy fit to try and get one up on a landlord is suicidal. Actually an idiotic suggestion.

Meanwhile, staying at the Kassam Stadium, finding a deal that suits all, building a fourth stand (YES FK said he'd do that), filling in corners, getting Colin B's architects back to a table**, sat next to a new train station hub linking the city centre, seeing thousands of houses being built on the SODC side of Grenoble Road, a community hub for a growing part of the city suburbs - doesn't sound a bad idea, does it?

*research probably extends to speaking to people at Sunderland, people at the EFL or looking through this very forum.
** club official quickly adds this to list of research and might actually speak to OXVOX who might be able to help
 
Simon Bradders said:
For example, moving to Horspath (next to the training ground area) or Sandy Lane would see us having to reduce the capacity significantly & cause a significant strain on road infrastructure.

Building on a rugby pitch near Bicester Village is moving the club out of the 'city' although probably high up on the well researched* list of options no doubt - I'm sure it has benefits to the new board.

Water Eaton - things move on I'm sure but can't see it.

Moving to Wycombe or Northampton in a hissy fit to try and get one up on a landlord is suicidal. Actually an idiotic suggestion.

Meanwhile, staying at the Kassam Stadium, finding a deal that suits all, building a fourth stand (YES FK said he'd do that), filling in corners, getting Colin B's architects back to a table**, sat next to a new train station hub linking the city centre, seeing thousands of houses being built on the SODC side of Grenoble Road, a community hub for a growing part of the city suburbs - doesn't sound a bad idea, does it?

*research probably extends to speaking to people at Sunderland, people at the EFL or looking through this very forum.
** club official quickly adds this to list of research and might actually speak to OXVOX who might be able to help
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I know we are going slightly off topic, but what would you guess the ball park figure would be to do the work you suggest on the Kassam? I'm not opposed to building on what we have but do wonder if it would ever be financially viable without being able to bring in revenue from all the added extras like hotel and bowlplex etc. But it should not be ruled out for all the reasons you suggest.
 
Scotchegg said:
I know we are going slightly off topic, but what would you guess the ball park figure would be to do the work you suggest on the Kassam? I'm not opposed to building on what we have but do wonder if it would ever be financially viable without being able to bring in revenue from all the added extras like hotel and bowlplex etc. But it should not be ruled out for all the reasons you suggest.
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So now you want the revenue from other people’s business’s to fund your dream.
I get now what you are thinking, but what you have failed to realise about your dream stadium they don’t come with a ready made retail complex around them FOC, if you think some kind benifactor is going to buy the land, build a stadium, build a retail park around the stadium so we can use their proceeds to fund the football club and not want a return, that is some imagination.
 
LondonRoader said:
So now you want the revenue from other people’s business’s to fund your dream.
I get now what you are thinking, but what you have failed to realise about your dream stadium they don’t come with a ready made retail complex around them FOC, if you think some kind benifactor is going to buy the land, build a stadium, build a retail park around the stadium so we can use their proceeds to fund the football club and not want a return, that is some imagination.
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I know you love arguing with everything I say (and even more that I don't say) but please take a moment to actually read what I wrote. The advantage of building from scratch is that additional commercial opportunities can be included. If we stayed at the Kassam those options are not there, or what is goes into Kassams pocket. I'm not expecting anyone to gift anything so stop making things up for the sake of a row!
 
I’ve only just caught up with this thread and there’s so much here I’ve just skimmed through it all. I was going to make comment in the last Fan’s View but didn’t because I’d already written a lot and I’ve not got any inside info.

But, as an ex-member of the FOUL committee, I will say this – being involved in committees like this, let alone being the chairman, takes up a helluva lot of time and effort and is often a thankless task particularly when you end up getting placed in difficult positions with difficult decisions to make. Decisions that won’t please everyone.

People like Colin, Jem before him and all the others who have been, are and will be involved in the future – as long as they don’t make a complete pig’s ear of it of course – deserve our thanks and support.

A strong trust is needed, as much now as in any time in the past and probably more so.

There was so much going on in the FOUL days that at times it was almost mind boggling. There was even talk of writing a book but to have done so would have been incredibly challenging given the complexities and politics involved. I strongly suspect it has been very much the same under the watches of both Jem and Colin.
 
Scotchegg said:
I know you love arguing with everything I say (and even more that I don't say) but please take a moment to actually read what I wrote. The advantage of building from scratch is that additional commercial opportunities can be included. If we stayed at the Kassam those options are not there, or what is goes into Kassams pocket. I'm not expecting anyone to gift anything so stop making things up for the sake of a row!
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On the contrary, I despair at you unrealistic view of the future, again you think we can cultivate someone else’s income to support the football club, ignore what I put there if you want but the plain facts of your expectations are based on handouts from everyone to make it “sustainable”.
 
Scotchegg said:
I know we are going slightly off topic, but what would you guess the ball park figure would be to do the work you suggest on the Kassam? I'm not opposed to building on what we have but do wonder if it would ever be financially viable without being able to bring in revenue from all the added extras like hotel and bowlplex etc. But it should not be ruled out for all the reasons you suggest.
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This was exactly what Kassam sold us as his vision of the way forward for Oufc. Get to the promised land and then everything takes care of it’s self eg television money etc.
 
LondonRoader said:
On the contrary, I despair at you unrealistic view of the future, again you think we can cultivate someone else’s income to support the football club, ignore what I put there if you want but the plain facts of your expectations are based on handouts from everyone to make it “sustainable”.
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I actually give up. I reckon my 2 year old understands this better than you!
 
If, and it's a big if, the new money men on the board of OUFC are going to spend then they would be absolute fools to spend a penny on the Grenoble road stadium. Where is the return?

Dismissing any other sites without even knowing where they may be is plain daft.
At least one of the new board has experience of acquiring and developing land with a stadium at the heart of that development. FK demonstrated how it can be done, all be it on a very moderate scale and without much style or panache.

I am no fan of how things are being done at the moment and the treatment of OxVox and the fans has been very poor but, perhaps, just perhaps, the coming month will give us all something to boost our enthusiasm.
 
Manorlounger said:
If, and it's a big if, the new money men on the board of OUFC are going to spend then they would be absolute fools to spend a penny on the Grenoble road stadium. Where is the return?

Dismissing any other sites without even knowing where they may be is plain daft.
At least one of the new board has experience of acquiring and developing land with a stadium at the heart of that development. FK demonstrated how it can be done, all be it on a very moderate scale and without much style or panache.

I am no fan of how things are being done at the moment and the treatment of OxVox and the fans has been very poor but, perhaps, just perhaps, the coming month will give us all something to boost our enthusiasm.
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Liking your optimism @Manorlounger :)........ with a new year a few days away .... it brings with it .....star-wars-4.png
 
Manorlounger said:
If, and it's a big if, the new money men on the board of OUFC are going to spend then they would be absolute fools to spend a penny on the Grenoble road stadium. Where is the return?

Dismissing any other sites without even knowing where they may be is plain daft.
At least one of the new board has experience of acquiring and developing land with a stadium at the heart of that development. FK demonstrated how it can be done, all be it on a very moderate scale and without much style or panache.

I am no fan of how things are being done at the moment and the treatment of OxVox and the fans has been very poor but, perhaps, just perhaps, the coming month will give us all something to boost our enthusiasm.
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Well it’s obvious if you can get to the premier league. Tv money. Cf Blackpool.
 
Simon Bradders said:
For example, moving to Horspath (next to the training ground area) or Sandy Lane would see us having to reduce the capacity significantly & cause a significant strain on road infrastructure.

Building on a rugby pitch near Bicester Village is moving the club out of the 'city' although probably high up on the well researched* list of options no doubt - I'm sure it has benefits to the new board.

Water Eaton - things move on I'm sure but can't see it.

Moving to Wycombe or Northampton in a hissy fit to try and get one up on a landlord is suicidal. Actually an idiotic suggestion.

Meanwhile, staying at the Kassam Stadium, finding a deal that suits all, building a fourth stand (YES FK said he'd do that), filling in corners, getting Colin B's architects back to a table**, sat next to a new train station hub linking the city centre, seeing thousands of houses being built on the SODC side of Grenoble Road, a community hub for a growing part of the city suburbs - doesn't sound a bad idea, does it?

*research probably extends to speaking to people at Sunderland, people at the EFL or looking through this very forum.
** club official quickly adds this to list of research and might actually speak to OXVOX who might be able to help
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I will continue to assist the club, independently, with their stadium research and have already spoken to them and have arranged to introduce them to my architect contacts.
 
LondonRoader said:
Well you have one clever child if they understand the intricacies of OUFC, I bet you do great bedtime stories.
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He's very clever thanks. We're doing the Dinosaur that Popped Christmas. You should get someone to read it to you one day!!!
 
Manorlounger said:
If, and it's a big if, the new money men on the board of OUFC are going to spend then they would be absolute fools to spend a penny on the Grenoble road stadium. Where is the return?

Dismissing any other sites without even knowing where they may be is plain daft.
At least one of the new board has experience of acquiring and developing land with a stadium at the heart of that development. FK demonstrated how it can be done, all be it on a very moderate scale and without much style or panache.

I am no fan of how things are being done at the moment and the treatment of OxVox and the fans has been very poor but, perhaps, just perhaps, the coming month will give us all something to boost our enthusiasm.
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To some extent yes but people regularly forget that the stadium was started under the Robin Herd / Keith Cox regime. The money ran out. The original builders disappeared having produced the shell. And that's how it stayed until along came FK ..... and the rest is history, except the story, like the bloody ground isn't finished yet.
 
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Paul B said:
To some extent yes but people regularly forget that the stadium was started under the Robin Herd / Keith Cox regime. The money ran out. The original builders disappeared having produced the shell. And that's how it stayed until along came FK ..... and the rest is history, except the story, like the bloody ground isn't finished yet.
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Absolutely, but, Robin Herd didn't have the nous to get the land around the stadium and build real money making properties. FK blagged his way around the Manor covenants, the Minchery Farm covenants and outright conned OCC into giving him permissions for all sorts. He even got out of paying for the original build as it stood.

Robin Herd was just too nice, bless him.
 
Manorlounger said:
Absolutely, but, Robin Herd didn't have the nous to get the land around the stadium and build real money making properties. FK blagged his way around the Manor covenants, the Minchery Farm covenants and outright conned OCC into giving him permissions for all sorts. He even got out of paying for the original build as it stood.

Robin Herd was just too nice, bless him.
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And used the fans as his pawns.
 
Manorlounger said:
Absolutely, but, Robin Herd didn't have the nous to get the land around the stadium and build real money making properties. FK blagged his way around the Manor covenants, the Minchery Farm covenants and outright conned OCC into giving him permissions for all sorts. He even got out of paying for the original build as it stood.

Robin Herd was just too nice, bless him.
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They were desperate times. It was all about survival. If Robin had not been "nice" would he have been the opposite and would we be where we are now but with a different owner of the stadium?
 
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