Oxford Ultras - Over & Out

Without wishing to veer wildly off-topic (but I’ll continue) I think the reason for particular gloom is that we were seemingly so close to something better.

We had a great manager two seasons ago and Eales had brilliantly laid the foundations for the next step up. That could have seen a local multi-millionaire fan with deep pockets and a foreign investor with even deeper pockets come on board. Instead they’ve snapped up one of the best supported clubs in the country.

And what are we left with? Flirting with relegation to potentially be exactly where we were again three seasons ago. Unpaid tax bills. And now this latest news re: the Ultras (which is entirely their decision so absolutely no blame being laid at their door) and it’s just another smack round the head.

I’m an eternal optimist but what are we clinging to right now exactly? Basically that our manager implies that something positive might happen in the future behind the scenes in a typically vague, unstratrgic fashion in a post-match interview. Inexplicably, he’s having to be both coach and acting CEO on media duties due to vacuum of information. Even when club officials are put up for interviews they say half of less than nothing.

And hey, maybe things WILL turn out to be rosy in the future. Pretty unrealistic to expect the fanbase to be anything less than cynical about its likelihood however - we have been burned many, many times before.

Nick Harris got it right when he was reflecting on Stewart Donald’s interview on Saturday. A sense of sadness is palpable of what could have been possible.
Great post
 
And hey, maybe things WILL turn out to be rosy in the future. Pretty unrealistic to expect the fanbase to be anything less than cynical about its likelihood however - we have been burned many, many times before.
I get what you are saying.
I would hope however that much of the fan base can see what Is going on in the youngsters?
Anybody who reads Dan Harris's regular updates, sees Baptiste play or sees how the YT won their league and the U23s are competing with Championship clubs surely can't help but be hopeful.
Some of our own playing for the first Team is clearly the plan. and huge strides appear to be bring made.
 
As another "time served old fart" I`m more than grateful for the effort the folk put in to add some colour to the games, but life moves on and so have they. Its a bit like the evolution was at the Manor. Watching as a kid from the Beech Road Terrace before the teenage/youth years on the LRT and then off to quieter realms in later years.... it happens... a different idea will come along.
Following United is a rollercoaster and its why we love it, there are times you are in a dip (now!!) and then we hit a high......wouldn`t have it any other way and it doesn`t really matter who is sat in the driving seat.
 
I have had to register for this , the workshop these lads have put in as been second to none. The enhancement of our New owner is not there , and we got sold down the river by the old one! Struggling to see why , you put in person in place to make life hard for people who only have tried to make match days better! Because they have a point of view?
Over the 10 years the Ultra's have done a great job with some stunning displays home, away and abroad, a really great effort of their time, effort and money, very well done to all involved.
They have had their ups and downs with the club over that time in what they thought acceptable and the clubs stance, smoke bombs/flares being one issue. In recent times, has having to deal with the stadium company and the clubs disputes made life harder for the Ultra's ? And was the recent display against the owner and some of the banners on display a contributing factor to the clubs stance ?
I hope the Ultra's would reconsider their position, but if that boat has sailed can Oxvox keep perusing the possibility of a mural on the back of the East stand, as has been said a great chance of some good PR between the fans and club in creating something for the fans, I would like to think the Ultra's could have an area in the mural that recognises their efforts over the years.
 
The group was the best in 15/16. Hasn't quite been the same since.
 
The Kassam stadium will never generate that excitement within the fan base to do the Ultras hard work justice...
But as always I hope one day we will have a stadium to be proud of, a stadium that is enclosed and designed to generate the most of the noise within.
So, with that optimism I will predict one day like the Phoenix from the ashes the Ultras will rise again!!

Finally, the giant flag impaling the robin.... Total quality and I have never seem so many mouths open in the away section when that got unfurled... :LOL:
 
It’s a hell of a post sir.

So good I had to read it four times.
Ricky , thanks!
Just a bit mad ,that this is happening!if they wanted to stop then fine but if they was pushed that's not cool.
As you was one of the chaps , that stated the display type thing , you know the effort involved.
 
Over the 10 years the Ultra's have done a great job with some stunning displays home, away and abroad, a really great effort of their time, effort and money, very well done to all involved.
They have had their ups and downs with the club over that time in what they thought acceptable and the clubs stance, smoke bombs/flares being one issue. In recent times, has having to deal with the stadium company and the clubs disputes made life harder for the Ultra's ? And was the recent display against the owner and some of the banners on display a contributing factor to the clubs stance ?
I hope the Ultra's would reconsider their position, but if that boat has sailed can Oxvox keep perusing the possibility of a mural on the back of the East stand, as has been said a great chance of some good PR between the fans and club in creating something for the fans, I would like to think the Ultra's could have an area in the mural that recognises their efforts over the years.
I had forgot the smoke bombs etc LR , but that was a while ago now. I think the display just pointing a few things out may not have gone down well
with some people , but are you not allowed to display how things are , I do not think it was meant in a mean way.
I think in the old days people would have put their view across much more tbh.
 
Yet you can move heaven and earth to accommodate billy big bollox team bus and other clubs supporters coaches !!!
 
There may be one off good atmospheres but mostly it’s poor as a result of the stadium.

But most fans are very much of the opinion our matchday experience is awful and how can we disagree. Poor pubs, out of town pre fab, stinky, poor access, etc etc. it may have good moments but I’d prefer the majority of other stadiums in league one to ours
Look at Rotherham's ground as an example of how it should have been done, that was really impressive.
 
As a side note, it was interesting that at Burton there were hooks along the length of the back wall of the away terrace for flags (and presumably along the other stands as well). A small thing, but making it easy for supporters and actually encouraging them to bring some colour.
 
As a side note, it was interesting that at Burton there were hooks along the length of the back wall of the away terrace for flags (and presumably along the other stands as well). A small thing, but making it easy for supporters and actually encouraging them to bring some colour.
I can’t think of ANY other grounds in the country where flags aren’t encouraged. It’s really quite pathetic.
 
Can you prove any of this?
Yep. Look at the charge he has over the club. Look at how he manipulated the WPL debt. Look at how he sabotaged any progress OxVox had made with the stadium issue. Look at how he alienated the Ultras. Look at the state the club was left in. Look at what has happened since his choice of new owner has come in.

As others have said, Eales achieved some good things, but he also then systematically dismantled it all before scarpering. I would say that he was a Robin Herd de nos jours, but I don't think Herd managed to recoup anything he put into the club.....
 
As a side note, it was interesting that at Burton there were hooks along the length of the back wall of the away terrace for flags (and presumably along the other stands as well). A small thing, but making it easy for supporters and actually encouraging them to bring some colour.
There are hooks etc along the back of the East and part of the North stands, I put them up, but because of the tin structure of the building they wont last forever, we were limited on what we allowed to use, H&S :(
 
The problem has not been Eales or IL as such but the stadium owner who has had us over a barrel since he "saved" us

at least Eales was open and always informed he couldn't sustain things whereas the current fella talks of championship football without any evidence of how it will be achieved.
as i said in another thread we have been a million miles from Automatic promotion and the last 2 courting with relegation so time for some realism and lowering of expectations
 
There are hooks etc along the back of the East and part of the North stands, I put them up, but because of the tin structure of the building they wont last forever, we were limited on what we allowed to use, H&S :(
Yes I know - but as I recall it was a bit of a palaver persuading the club to allow them to be put them up even back then and they relied on others to do it for them. And then they whittered on about fire safety certificates etc. It was just an observation that other clubs (in this case Burton) were more accommodating - although obviously the fact that our landlord ('the guardian of the club' remember) holds the whip hand so far as the fabric of the stadium is concerned doesn't help!
 
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