OxVox Meeting - LIVE

[Northstandboy]

Hey

I shall try and post any key discussions in this top post. Signal depending!

A good meeting. Neil and Dan have been fantastic considering they have only been at the the club for a few weeks. Both positive and enthusiastic.


2134 - Close


2016: Q&A's -

Q - Situation on OUFC Women's
A -; decision on 5th Feb

Q - Why were shirts taken away and prices raised for the OX4Life?
A - MD is concious about bad marketing. And needs to look into.

Q - Sarge - Why no emails from club? Why is the Covered Market shop unreliable
A - Understands the lack of communications. MD is visiting Peterborough and Bristol to look at how they do things and take ideas to bring to the club. Will work hard to get it right.

OxVox are looking at murual for back of EastStand. Kassam would allow but no advertising. His corporate guests would get a better view. And Fan create a 4th stand. Kassam recently interested, but made a joke about who gets ticket money.

Q - How have we allowed this to go backwards, has one man changed it?
A - MD doesn't know enough yet, will take back to a meeting. But agrees colour band noise is needed.

Sarge mentioning flag access. No Ultras present tonight. Ultras chose the area due to only 17 ST holders.

Talk on OxTales. A gallery of person's of interest was a big issue to OxVox, so asked the club to tell fans. FSF have been looking into it. Grey area about persons of interest, like when it should be removed, by who etc... MD will take this to Mixter

Q - Sarge - How much dealings with Ian Mixter?
A - MD only met him a few times band sits in pre and post op meetings

Q - Will Kassam do a deal after arbitration?
A - No, possibly a new lease

Q - Mark Sennet - Exeter College own land next to OCC land they are willing to sell land. Would that speed up anything? And how close are legal challenges from finalising
A - Exeter College have not come forward with any plans to sell.
Arbitration business unknown. Both parties say things are "done"

Q - Science Park car parking?
A - they are willing to talk about opening car parks on match day.

Q - Sarge - Priory! Do the council own the Priory + assurances fit for use before hotel. What control doe the council have over Kassam. And now Health and Safety about toilets.
A -Bob - council planners are looking at legal action about the lack of Priory. And will get toilets checked


Kassam has been given land options, in return for selling stadium but his planning team haven't met requirements on 3 occasions and has now stopped talking

Lots of history about meetings with Kassam being talked about. Talks with Kassam breaking down.

Q - Do the club have a plan on where the club will play/be playing moving forward
A - OxVox informing about the stadium feasibility study that took place last year. That Grenoble Rd IS ok. Club can renew stadium at current deal.

Q - Jem: Any news about training Ground
A - Bob Price - new land purchased and land offered to club to make a decision on what they want. Possibly a decision Friday.

1949: Very enthusiastic intro from Dan. Seems very upbeat.
1944: MD intro over, now onto Dan, Academy.
1937: Club know they need to improve marketing + PR + growing next generation, 2 under 30's in attendance tonight.
1934: Club needs infrastructure to stop local talent going elsewhere.
1927: Neil McWilliams, MD is giving an intro. Supported OUFC since moving to the county in 1989.
1926: OxVox aware of email issues and changing the system.
1925: Ian Hudspith arrives to "are the roads bad".
1925: 990 members now. Almost at 1000. £12k in the accounts.
1924: Joke about Ian Hudspith and roads.
1923: Possibly two Ultras here tonight. Dan Harris, new academy head and MD here. Ian Hudspith is en route.
1922: It has started. Jem pleased with the turnout, despite the news about DE not coming.
1918: Bob Price has just arrived.
1909: No sign of Hudspith, but the new MD is here.
1902: filling at at The Masons now.

 

[m]

Much appreciated.

I won't be able to 'follow live' but this would provide an excellent summary when I get home.

 

[WokinghamYellow]

How about broadcasting on periscope?

 

[Northstandboy]

Keep refreshing for updates in the top post

 

[Essexyellows]

Possibly 2 Ultras? Got the snide SI on then ? lol

 

[Northstandboy]

Meeting over.

 

[Marked Ox]

Thanks ESB, very much appreciated.

 

[Northstandboy]

Not the best, but you get an idea ?

 

[mariokempes]

Thanks ESB, very much appreciated.

Great updates for those of us staying in to iron their trousers

 

[Northstandboy]

Disappointed that none of the Ultras showed up, although one guy spoke like he was linked to them, but didn't put his hand up on the head count.

Everyone agreed about the benefit of them.

 

[Gary Baldi]

It does the group no favours does it?

 

[mariokempes]

It does the group no favours does it?

Maybe, and i'm speaking as someone who knows some of them by sight and mutual acknowledgement of being Oxford fans. That they feel let down by the off pitch management at the club.

 

[Northstandboy]

Maybe, and i'm speaking as someone who knows some of them by sight and mutual acknowledgement of being Oxford fans. That they feel let down by the off pitch management at the club.

Needs to be sorted, would of been great for them to get there point over to the MD, unless they have tried in the past and failed.

 

[mariokempes]

Needs to be sorted, would of been great for them to get there point over to the MD, unless they have tried in the past and failed.

i suspect that they feel their efforts to enhance the atmosphere are unwanted. So they're gradually losing interest in putting the time and effort in

 

[Ox4Eva]

So was there anything of real significance that was not already public knowledge that came of tonight's meeting?

 

[MJB]

Needs to be sorted, would of been great for them to get there point over to the MD, unless they have tried in the past and failed.

i suspect that they feel their efforts to enhance the atmosphere are unwanted. So they're gradually losing interest in putting the time and effort in

That and the way in which they were seemingly bullied when last a meeting was held. Hardly inspires confidence to do so again. It’s why I think our new MD could think about taking this on as a personal project. It would certainly create an immediate and obvious impact which all would see.

 

[dabigfella]

So was there anything of real significance that was not already public knowledge that came of tonight's meeting?

From the minutes it appears not. The absence of Eeles more or less killed any rea] news.

 

[Paul P]

From the minutes it appears not. The absence of Eeles more or less killed any rea] news.

Lots of people have been talking about the lack of communication from the club. Two representatives of the club, the MD and the new head of the academy were there and spoke really well about what the club was hoping to do moving forward. Everyone had the chance to ask questions and I and a few others did. I found out what I wanted to know about the stadium and also what the council was doing to aid our situation. The answers weren't sexy and there were no big revelations but sometimes these things need pressing forward none the less. The MD was asked point blank if DE wanted to sell up and he answered as honestly as he could the he thinks he has the best interests of the club at heart and wants to keep the club but progress it. If that meant financial partners then great. It's a shame DE wasn't there but frankly if he is in Europe trying to seal the deal for a good youngster, i'd rather he was doing that. Maybe you guys should have come and asked some questions, I don't think anyone who was there felt it was a waste of time.

 

[Jerome'SAle]

So what's the position on the stadium now? We are just going to renew the lease when its up?

 

[holdsteady]

As someone who was there, I felt the new academy head came across very well, spoke a lot of sense about taking on the Southampton’s and Readings who for to long have been able to walk into Oxfordshire and take our young talent to there shitty plastic clubs, obviously some of that I have reworded but I was impressed and he seems a good appointment.

The news about the training ground was good as well, seems to be moving forward and the new MD wants to get in with it rather than wait and wait, that’s a positive and the council seem very keen for Oxford to be there.

There was nothing new on the ground if you are a regular on these forums, but that’s because OxVox released the e mail and the two councilman pretty much confirmed it, as great as it would be to get moving with anything it’s still a long way whatever we do.

The main positive I took was that the new academy head seems very professional and clued up, for all the stick you can give Daryl Eales, and I have given him plenty this season, it would be strange of him to appoint such an obviously professional man to such a long term role if he was looking to cash out, when there would be no benefit for him, gave me pause for thought.

 

[Paul P]

So what's the position on the stadium now? We are just going to renew the lease when its up?

I think people are working on different options. Jem stressed that OxVox were looking at all options but presently thought Grenoble Rd was the one most likely to progress. Ian Hudspeth and Bob Price agreed and under questions conceded nothing was set in stone but that the sites mentioned for a new stadium would be very problematic now and that it would take someone coming forward with the money and detailed plans to set things in motion and test how far it could get. The council have also offered Kassam a way to develop the overflow carpark cheaply if he sells the ground at a reasonable price to a community group but he didn't follow up on this and has not contacted them. All I could deduce from that was that he thinks he can get the housing without having to sell the ground and will continue to try and do that. As has been said by others and me, the MD and academy head spoke very well and I came away feeling far better about the direction of the club.

 

[Ox4Eva]

And the council was looking at legal action against the slum landlord in regards to the state of the Priory?

Let's hope they show some balls for a change and put the scumbag under some pressure!

 

[Northstandboy]

I have had a message from one of the Ultras. He planned to be at the meeting, but unfortunately his work over ran and couldn't make it.

Let's hope the MD has his meeting with Mixter and sorts it out.

 

[uptheus]

I think people are working on different options. Jem stressed that OxVox were looking at all options but presently thought Grenoble Rd was the one most likely to progress. Ian Hudspeth and Bob Price agreed and under questions conceded nothing was set in stone but that the sites mentioned for a new stadium would be very problematic now and that it would take someone coming forward with the money and detailed plans to set things in motion and test how far it could get. The council have also offered Kassam a way to develop the overflow carpark cheaply if he sells the ground at a reasonable price to a community group but he didn't follow up on this and has not contacted them. All I could deduce from that was that he thinks he can get the housing without having to sell the ground and will continue to try and do that. As has been said by others and me, the MD and academy head spoke very well and I came away feeling far better about the direction of the club.

And the Kassam isn't problematic? I'd say 15 years or so of trying to purchase it would suggest otherwise, and we still wouldn't own it 100% or be able to gain further funds for naming rights etc.

I think if land could be found with help from our local councils (yeah right!), and release ourselves of Kassam's shackles, then that would be the best option for the club.

 

[Deleted member 462]

And the Kassam isn't problematic? I'd say 15 years or so of trying to purchase it would suggest otherwise, and we still wouldn't own it 100% or be able to gain further funds for naming rights etc.

I think if land could be found with help from our local councils (yeah right!), and release ourselves of Kassam's shackles, then that would be the best option for the club.

Would we (Oufc) own the new ground 100% outright Sean ?

 

[uptheus]

Would we (Oufc) own the new ground 100% outright Sean ?

Who knows, but we'd have more say and revenue.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Maybe, and i'm speaking as someone who knows some of them by sight and mutual acknowledgement of being Oxford fans. That they feel let down by the off pitch management at the club.

I understand that. But that environment is a perfect place to talk about that because OxVox are independent in all this and other fans can show their support or offer suggestions. It's not an easy environment to go into and I understand people not wanting to stand up and talk. But I do think it would do the Ultras good to be seen and heard outside of match days. It's got all a bit he said, she said recently and it does no one any favours IMHO

 

[Deleted member 462]

Who knows, but we'd have more say and revenue.

And there is still an opportunity to have that where we are, and a lot sooner. Add in the news that the science park are open to using their car parks, 40000 people with new housing living within a 20min walk and a new train link. (All things Charles gave as prime reasons for moving to WE) then it’s suddenly not such a bad site

 

[Northstandboy]

I think that DE not being there was actually a good thing. The questions would have been about takeovers, to which DE would say "I am always open to offers, nothing has been brought to me" and then ended slagging off this forum and other social media talk.

Most questions were answered, in detail.

 

[Paul P]

And the Kassam isn't problematic? I'd say 15 years or so of trying to purchase it would suggest otherwise, and we still wouldn't own it 100% or be able to gain further funds for naming rights etc.

I think if land could be found with help from our local councils (yeah right!), and release ourselves of Kassam's shackles, then that would be the best option for the club.

I didn't say he wasn't problematic and nor did the people I was paraphrasing. It's clearly a nightmare situation too. We all know the history. I asked the MD Niall McWilliams what the club's strategy was on the stadium and the question got taken up by Jem. Then there was some sensible back and forth between I believe Mark Sennett (resplendent in green tie) and Bob Price and Ian Hudspeth on land very near WE but not a plot already mentioned. They highlighted some of the many problems but ruled nothing out of hand.

My personal opinion is we have a clock ticking now and while eight years sounds a long time, in terms of planning and developing something so large, it's a blink of an eye. We cannot let ourselves get to a year from the end of our agreement with no options left to us. Renewing under the same terms is suicide and cannot be our only option. If a deal can be made to get the ground into community or joint ownership where we gain rights over development, upkeep and revenues then that is definitely an option worth reviewing but we have to also be actively looking at other sites. This shouldn't be an either/or approach. The butting of heads over this has become counterproductive and frankly childish. We need to have explored every avenue before it's too late because one worry for me from what was a very positive meeting last night was what was said about the council offering Kassam an easy route to developing the overflow carpark for housing if he sold the ground to the community for a reasonable price. Bob Price said Kassam had since gone quiet and has not shown any interest although they said he has submitted three sets of plans for development there himself.

The worry in all this is that people have been assuming Kassam is nervous about the contract running down and wants to get planning with our help. I would say this may show he thinks he can get the planning for the overflow carpark without our/the council's help and that arriving at renegotiation on the ground with us left with no options would be fine by him. He gets to develop, keeps the conference facilities and revenue income and has us tied into a very favourable deal for him.

The fact DE is in arbitration with Kassam was mentioned as a possible reason for holding a deal up but frankly I think that's a red herring. This is a businessman and given his previous dealings this should be water off a duck's back. If the ground is sold or is moved into community ownership it goes away anyway. If he really holds a grudge over DE brining it to arbitration he will still feel that way once it is ended.

In my humble opinion we need to assume the worst and plan for all eventualities, rather than argue amongst ourselves while time ticks away.