bicesterox
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I wonder how many book conferences at the Kassam then find they got s**t data when they get there
General Fans Forum - Kassam Stadium - 7th March @ 6.30pm
- Thread starter OxVox
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OX14
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Found it very interesting about the away end (south stand) roof is closer to the back of the stand but the roof slopes upwards whereas the other end hotel end the roof is higher but slopes downwards. Hadn't noticed that on the plans but if so I haven't got a problem of the home end being the other end to the away end.
Yellowmania
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I’m all for that as I like it with home fans one end and away the other. I hate it when we kick to the fence end in the second half, ends sort of pick themselves being at either end of the stadium.
I know everyone won't be pleased with all the answers, but I would still like to thank the board for everything they are trying to do. We are relatively a small club, if we do finally get back to the championship we would probably be the smallest. I think when you look back at what we did in the 80s was even more amazing, what a team and what a manager. But it's a massive thank you to our board at what they are trying to achieve, Oxford need this ground to get us to the next level and be able to stay there. And to survive, we know the journey is just beginning, but the day its passed and the day we dig that first sod at the triangle will be a day nearer getting rid of that other Sod. We'll done to everyone
Orkney Islands Yellow
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Can watch it back here:
Sarge
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well done @OxVox and @OUSP -my only criticism being there wasn't enough time allotted so all questions could be asked ( I have more than a few that went unasked )
hopefully those on the top table realise after an attendance of 200 ish in person and an additional 300ish 'watching' ( and participating) online too , that there is a real need for better communication , and regular live fans forums
hopefully those on the top table realise after an attendance of 200 ish in person and an additional 300ish 'watching' ( and participating) online too , that there is a real need for better communication , and regular live fans forums
unification
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Just got back from it and enjoyed it. They disnt have time to come to me but I will be sending my question in to OxVox - so email in if you can.
I wouldn’t say there was anything revolutionary there. The financing of the stadium seemed a little clearer although I don’t think anyone is totally convinced by their answers yet. Communication was a big one and it felt rather like ‘jam tomorrow’ responses from the club. On atmosphere, I agree with the question setter who said it is on the club and supporters to do something about it.
Good to see Jon Clarke there. He knows all the ins and outs of the stadium so could answer with some authority.
Just a point for future FFs and this may be unpopular and hard to police but could there be a time limit on questions? I know people want to add colour and context since it adds the emotions aspect to their question but I reckon a few more questions could be asked if some of those posing questions could do it more succinctly.
I wouldn’t say there was anything revolutionary there. The financing of the stadium seemed a little clearer although I don’t think anyone is totally convinced by their answers yet. Communication was a big one and it felt rather like ‘jam tomorrow’ responses from the club. On atmosphere, I agree with the question setter who said it is on the club and supporters to do something about it.
Good to see Jon Clarke there. He knows all the ins and outs of the stadium so could answer with some authority.
Just a point for future FFs and this may be unpopular and hard to police but could there be a time limit on questions? I know people want to add colour and context since it adds the emotions aspect to their question but I reckon a few more questions could be asked if some of those posing questions could do it more succinctly.
billyturleyscurlywurly
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dickwalton1964
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Was the job Des Buckingham is doing not mentioned ?
unification
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There’s a fans forum for that later this year. This was a FF to ask questions of the CEO, Chairman etc.
You can wang on about Des on here instead.
OUFCGav
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ZeroTheHero
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I wasn't hugely impressed - although the bloke on the left (Jon?) seemed to know what he was on about re the stadium.
The financials were above my pay grade, but I remain unsure who is going to stump up this money - and why. The 'OUFC will always have the right to play at the stadium' line didn't gives me much of a warm feeling - if there has to be some amount of repayment of the farking huge debt, then are we going to end up giving up a huge proportions of our incomings to do so? Will be just be swapping one millstone for another?
However, I thought the first 'stadium' part of the forum was a bit more convincing than the second. The concentration seemed to be more about 'activating' new supporters than taking care of the ones they already have. Colin's question rattled them! There were some encouraging signs that they were aware of the discontent - but let's see if that translates into actual actions.
I suppose they've done their meeting with the hoi-polloi and it will be a year before we get to see them again in a similar setting.
The financials were above my pay grade, but I remain unsure who is going to stump up this money - and why. The 'OUFC will always have the right to play at the stadium' line didn't gives me much of a warm feeling - if there has to be some amount of repayment of the farking huge debt, then are we going to end up giving up a huge proportions of our incomings to do so? Will be just be swapping one millstone for another?
However, I thought the first 'stadium' part of the forum was a bit more convincing than the second. The concentration seemed to be more about 'activating' new supporters than taking care of the ones they already have. Colin's question rattled them! There were some encouraging signs that they were aware of the discontent - but let's see if that translates into actual actions.
I suppose they've done their meeting with the hoi-polloi and it will be a year before we get to see them again in a similar setting.
Chippy
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I’d like to thank the organisers and everyone who attended both from the club and the supporters, including everyone who watched on line. It was an impressive turn out all round, and from all sides. Must have been nearly 500 fans with those at the stadium and those on line, quite impressive for “little” Oxford!
Some very good and interesting questions, and I thought everything was reasonably well answered, one or two more awkward questions perhaps needed a bit more clarification in terms of the response. No real complaints from me in terms of what was actually said, other than a number of times it was acknowledged certain things weren’t working as well as they should and could be improved, so why haven’t they been? But let’s hope that’s happening.
Maybe an extra half hour would have helped tonight, especially given the stadium situation, but that’s nit picking a little bit as everyone has given up their evening to be there or to watch.
A decent fans forum in my view.
Some very good and interesting questions, and I thought everything was reasonably well answered, one or two more awkward questions perhaps needed a bit more clarification in terms of the response. No real complaints from me in terms of what was actually said, other than a number of times it was acknowledged certain things weren’t working as well as they should and could be improved, so why haven’t they been? But let’s hope that’s happening.
Maybe an extra half hour would have helped tonight, especially given the stadium situation, but that’s nit picking a little bit as everyone has given up their evening to be there or to watch.
A decent fans forum in my view.
TailsWeWin
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Oh God, please don’t encourage him!
AbsoluteZero
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Well done to everyone who attended, the excellent turnout showed the level of importance this club has on so many people.
Things I took away from the evening:
The cost of the new stadium is now getting up to £150m. That is now a whopping amount for what will be a small stadium. Not sure that feels good value now, at £100m you could argue the case compared to buying the Kassam Stadium even at overvalue and spending the same again on redoing it, but £150m now is a lot of money for a stadium that will be too small to host things like U21 internationals or Women's football international games or finals, and be too small to be used as a concert venue, and the facilities not being big enough to host national events, fairs or conferences.
The funds have not been found yet. So even if we did have planning permission would we be able to start work on the new stadium straightaway in the absence of full funding? Felt like the situation we found ourselves in when the Minchery Farm stadium started and the money ran out. I would have liked to have seen more funding already in the pot ready to go as there is no time to waste.
There is no Plan B. Wycombe was mentioned so maybe we can assume that this could be short term option? This would be a disaster though, can't think of anywhere else worse to get to also with no surrounding facilities, and definitely with no parking. Ground share wherever is really not going to work so all eggs are in one basket totally relying on the new stadium happening.
Finally a mention about the attendees. I think it is fair to say that the vast majority were in the upper middle age or senior age group. There was not a lot of representation from the younger age fanbase. My daughter came back from her studies in the Netherlands last night back to the UK for 6 days. She didn't want to miss the fans forum and will be at the game on Saturday, so a huge slice of her time back home is being devoted to this football club. Oxford United is her future and will always be a go to place for her and I feel a responsibility to protect it for her the best I can. She was probably the youngest there, but we need a lot more younger generation supporters to join in with this and become known and vocal as it is all being done for them really. As I get towards an older age group I have found other interests and OUFC is not the be all and end all for me, but it is still very important to me that it exists and is secure even if I am not as actively participating in it over the future years. It would be nice to see a young Oxford United group being created to promote the club, the stadium, stressing how important it is to younger lives and the community that they live in. At the moment this seems to be missing but if something could be brought in it would be a massive enhancement to what could be offered, and with guidance from us older generation it brings up a next generation who feel as passionately about this football club as we do.
Things I took away from the evening:
The cost of the new stadium is now getting up to £150m. That is now a whopping amount for what will be a small stadium. Not sure that feels good value now, at £100m you could argue the case compared to buying the Kassam Stadium even at overvalue and spending the same again on redoing it, but £150m now is a lot of money for a stadium that will be too small to host things like U21 internationals or Women's football international games or finals, and be too small to be used as a concert venue, and the facilities not being big enough to host national events, fairs or conferences.
The funds have not been found yet. So even if we did have planning permission would we be able to start work on the new stadium straightaway in the absence of full funding? Felt like the situation we found ourselves in when the Minchery Farm stadium started and the money ran out. I would have liked to have seen more funding already in the pot ready to go as there is no time to waste.
There is no Plan B. Wycombe was mentioned so maybe we can assume that this could be short term option? This would be a disaster though, can't think of anywhere else worse to get to also with no surrounding facilities, and definitely with no parking. Ground share wherever is really not going to work so all eggs are in one basket totally relying on the new stadium happening.
Finally a mention about the attendees. I think it is fair to say that the vast majority were in the upper middle age or senior age group. There was not a lot of representation from the younger age fanbase. My daughter came back from her studies in the Netherlands last night back to the UK for 6 days. She didn't want to miss the fans forum and will be at the game on Saturday, so a huge slice of her time back home is being devoted to this football club. Oxford United is her future and will always be a go to place for her and I feel a responsibility to protect it for her the best I can. She was probably the youngest there, but we need a lot more younger generation supporters to join in with this and become known and vocal as it is all being done for them really. As I get towards an older age group I have found other interests and OUFC is not the be all and end all for me, but it is still very important to me that it exists and is secure even if I am not as actively participating in it over the future years. It would be nice to see a young Oxford United group being created to promote the club, the stadium, stressing how important it is to younger lives and the community that they live in. At the moment this seems to be missing but if something could be brought in it would be a massive enhancement to what could be offered, and with guidance from us older generation it brings up a next generation who feel as passionately about this football club as we do.
Orkney Islands Yellow
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Common Villager
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I wasn't able to make it this evening (6:30pm start was too early for me), but managed to catch most of the stream. A few randomly assorted thoughts:
- The issue of how the stadium will be funded still seems largely unclear. Both Grant and Tim skirted the question as to whether or not the owners would be willing to self-fund the stadium if enough investment is not forthcoming. I appreciate there's a lot they still don't know, but I would've liked a bit more certainty as to the board's commitment beyond 'they're currently losing £5-6m a year'. Additionally, what happens in the event that costs exceed budgets and there's a shortfall in funding?
- Grant repeated the fact that the site would have to be used for football regardless of who owned the stadium / club. That's not the crux of the matter though, is it? We could still find ourselves in a situation such as the one we're in now, couldn't we?
- I thought Jonathan Clarke spoke well on the whole. I would've liked to ask him how confident he is that the stadium can be built in time, based on current assumptions as to when we will get a verdict regarding the planning application. I work in construction (albeit I've never worked on a project anywhere near as complicated as the stadium will be) and my humble opinion is that the timescales are unbelievably tight, particularly when you consider just how ambitious the plans are in respect of the environmental credentials
- Tim still doesn't seem to appreciate the benefit of communicating directly with the fan base. Essentially his preference appears to be to talk to us when he has something he wants to say or his boss(es) are coming over for a visit
- I don't quite understand what Jim Goddard's role is, nor why he's been brought back into the club at a seemingly much higher level than he was at before
- The issue of how the stadium will be funded still seems largely unclear. Both Grant and Tim skirted the question as to whether or not the owners would be willing to self-fund the stadium if enough investment is not forthcoming. I appreciate there's a lot they still don't know, but I would've liked a bit more certainty as to the board's commitment beyond 'they're currently losing £5-6m a year'. Additionally, what happens in the event that costs exceed budgets and there's a shortfall in funding?
- Grant repeated the fact that the site would have to be used for football regardless of who owned the stadium / club. That's not the crux of the matter though, is it? We could still find ourselves in a situation such as the one we're in now, couldn't we?
- I thought Jonathan Clarke spoke well on the whole. I would've liked to ask him how confident he is that the stadium can be built in time, based on current assumptions as to when we will get a verdict regarding the planning application. I work in construction (albeit I've never worked on a project anywhere near as complicated as the stadium will be) and my humble opinion is that the timescales are unbelievably tight, particularly when you consider just how ambitious the plans are in respect of the environmental credentials
- Tim still doesn't seem to appreciate the benefit of communicating directly with the fan base. Essentially his preference appears to be to talk to us when he has something he wants to say or his boss(es) are coming over for a visit
- I don't quite understand what Jim Goddard's role is, nor why he's been brought back into the club at a seemingly much higher level than he was at before
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greatunclekip
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Thank Christ! Are you happy about how much you paid for someone to deliver a similar record to David Kemp?! Not sure that goes down well!
Decent forum TBF, and we have some dedicated people at the very top. They’ve appointed the wrong people, but they are dedicated!
