Potential New Ground

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Sounds so much like one of my posts!!

I'm deliberately keeping out of this now, but my position is there for all to see. The negativity is draining and you've only got to Google our board members to realise that they're not in town to tart up the Kassam!

I look forward to the time when we are surprised!

I truly hope you are correct and that day finally dawns

 

[Wallop]

In that case we have no chance so we can stick with OGB

£40m for a new stadium @bazzer9461, I’ve no idea what OGB would seek to charge

 

[uptheus]

Sounds so much like one of my posts!!

I'm deliberately keeping out of this now, but my position is there for all to see. The negativity is draining and you've only got to Google our board members to realise that they're not in town to tart up the Kassam!

I look forward to the time when we are surprised!

Would just be good to get some updates rather than 10+ years of ‘when we’ve got some developments we’ll update you!’

Not that I’m saying it’s the same, but this stadium saga feels like the boy who cried wolf!

 

[MJB]

Ironic really that this season would have been perfect to have already moved out of the Kassam and ground-shared while the new one was built. Hindsight and all that.

 

[Scotchegg]

Would just be good to get some updates rather than 10+ years of ‘when we’ve got some developments we’ll update you!’

Not that I’m saying it’s the same, but this stadium saga feels like the boy who cried wolf!

The difficulty is that NMW said in one 5 mins fans forum that he expected news by the end of last season and now Bazzer and others use that to infer that nothing is happening.

I'm on record as saying that progress is being made, but that the end of last season was always optimistic. I felt that the end of 2020 was more likely, but of course we then had Covid and that's changed the timeline if not the final outcome.

Like I said in the transfer thread, I know a bit about what's going on and whether others believe that or not is entirely up to them. However, @Colin B is a poster who is known to have connections around the club and is not one for ideal gossip. When he is saying the same thing then it really pays to listen.

I'm sure everyone at the club would love to speak openly about where we are, especially NMW who is involved in so much more than he gets credit for. (No he's not me, I am not he!!!) But, for once, we need to put our faith in everyone who continues to work towards creating a very positive future for our club and community.

 

[Foley]

Still waiting for NMW’s announcement

These things take a lot in time and are complicated. There would be a lot of reasons why things can't really be announced until contracts are signed ( any announcement would have to be vague)
Colin paints a positive picture and as hd is close to it that's good enough for me
As somebody else suggested these Directors are not likely to be in this to tart up the Kassam

 

[uptheus]

The difficulty is that NMW said in one 5 mins fans forum that he expected news by the end of last season and now Bazzer and others use that to infer that nothing is happening.

I'm on record as saying that progress is being made, but that the end of last season was always optimistic. I felt that the end of 2020 was more likely, but of course we then had Covid and that's changed the timeline if not the final outcome.

Like I said in the transfer thread, I know a bit about what's going on and whether others believe that or not is entirely up to them. However, @Colin B is a poster who is known to have connections around the club and is not one for ideal gossip. When he is saying the same thing then it really pays to listen.

I'm sure everyone at the club would love to speak openly about where we are, especially NMW who is involved in so much more than he gets credit for. (No he's not me, I am not he!!!) But, for once, we need to put our faith in everyone who continues to work towards creating a very positive future for our club and community.

To be honest I’ve almost given up on the stadium situation as it’s been a saga for 20+ years in one way or another, but like you say, when I read Colin’s posts it gives me some optimism so would just be good if we got some insight into it in some way or another.

I just cannot wait to hear we’ve relinquished that noose from around our necks, but then hope it’s not a case of jumping out of the fire and into the frying pan as they say be careful what you wish for sometimes.

 

[Scotchegg]

To be honest I’ve almost given up on the stadium situation as it’s been a saga for 20+ years in one way or another, but like you say, when I read Colin’s posts it gives me some optimism so would just be good if we got some insight into it in some way or another.

I just cannot wait to hear we’ve relinquished that noose from around our necks, but then hope it’s not a case of jumping out of the fire and into the frying pan as they say be careful what you wish for sometimes.

I totally understand why people are concerned, especially with how the Kassam deal turned out. However, it feels very different this time with some good people ensuring that the long term future of the club is safe. NMW is hugely under appreciated (still not me!) but is one of those who will mean that the next chapter in this stadium saga will be very different from those of a generation ago.

 

[Foley]

I totally understand why people are concerned, especially with how the Kassam deal turned out. However, it feels very different this time with some good people ensuring that the long term future of the club is safe. NMW is hugely under appreciated (still not me!) but is one of those who will mean that the next chapter in this stadium saga will be very different from those of a generation ago.

Its a huge issue for the club and if NMW helps pull this off he won't be under appreciated.
This obviously takes a lot of time but due to confidentiality, people have no idea of what NMW is doing/ has done.
Both you and Colin seem.very positive so hopefully things are getting closer.

 

[Oslernorth]

I totally understand why people are concerned, especially with how the Kassam deal turned out. However, it feels very different this time with some good people ensuring that the long term future of the club is safe. NMW is hugely under appreciated (still not me!) but is one of those who will mean that the next chapter in this stadium saga will be very different from those of a generation ago.

A clear difference between Kassam and the current Board is the investment in the squad.
This makes me think the current Board have better intentions for the football club than Kassam did. But sadly we probably won’t know until whatever Deal is done.

 

[bazzer9461]

The difficulty is that NMW said in one 5 mins fans forum that he expected news by the end of last season and now Bazzer and others use that to infer that nothing is happening.

I'm on record as saying that progress is being made, but that the end of last season was always optimistic. I felt that the end of 2020 was more likely, but of course we then had Covid and that's changed the timeline if not the final outcome.

Like I said in the transfer thread, I know a bit about what's going on and whether others believe that or not is entirely up to them. However, @Colin B is a poster who is known to have connections around the club and is not one for ideal gossip. When he is saying the same thing then it really pays to listen.

I'm sure everyone at the club would love to speak openly about where we are, especially NMW who is involved in so much more than he gets credit for. (No he's not me, I am not he!!!) But, for once, we need to put our faith in everyone who continues to work towards creating a very positive future for our club and community.

Just repeating what NMW said, although we’re in a middle of a pandemic ( although looking at the roads you wouldn’t think so ) you would think he had some news back then, but obviously still in its early stages. So it wouldn’t have been prudent to say anything then but as NMW did mention there would be some news by the end of last season, would have thought a bit of positive news about the stadium may have been mentioned during this doom and gloom of a pandemic to give the fans some news if only to brighten things up for the fans.

 

[Essexyellows]

Its like a game of poker with lots of players, multiple decks of cards and a cheat at the table.

 

[bazzer9461]

These things take a lot in time and are complicated. There would be a lot of reasons why things can't really be announced until contracts are signed ( any announcement would have to be vague)
Colin paints a positive picture and as hd is close to it that's good enough for me
As somebody else suggested these Directors are not likely to be in this to tart up the Kassam

I understand, I also know @Colin B is close to it,
But I do feel NMW shouldn’t have made that announcement back then.

but as others had inferred to if it’s a new ground and with our contract with OGB ending in soon and we have no new ground or it won’t be completed before the lease runs out, we could be at the mercy of OGB.

Mund you have heard nothing from Oxvox for some time now.

 

[Scotchegg]

I understand, I also know @Colin B is close to it,
But I do feel NMW shouldn’t have made that announcement back then.

but as others had inferred to if it’s a new ground and with our contract with OGB ending in soon and we have no new ground or it won’t be completed before the lease runs out, we could be at the mercy of OGB.

Mund you have heard nothing from Oxvox for some time now.

The current deal with Kassam is for a second lease on the same terms as this, but there's absolutely no reason why changes can't be negotiated.

IF, and take this entirely hypothetically, we found a new home to build a stadium, but couldn't complete before the current lease agreement ran out, then do you think it would be beyond our board to agree a short term deal to stay at the Kassam?

The idea that we would be stuck for 20 odd years or have to upsticks to MK or somewhere is very narrow minded. We have a much better relationship with FK and have serious business people involved. People have dismissed NMW saying that we have a 6 month notice period, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that we have some agreement already in place beyond the end of this lease.

As for NMW, he made the announcement about the end of the season on the back of a couple of board meetings showing how things were progressing. There was a huge about of optimism behind the scenes with Tiger saying we would have news "soon". However, we then had covid and that changed everything. To dismiss this as an excuse is ridiculous. Tiger and co. have been out of the country for most of the last 12 months, and whilst there are things that can be done remotely, it's not quite the same. Had we not this pandemic, then I honestly believe we would have something in place by now. There will always those who will use this time frame against me, as they did with NMW, but that's their choice.

The world has adapted to lockdown and more can happen this time round than would have been possible in March/April/May. And therefore I hope that we will soon (deliberately not giving a date) have something that shows the very real progress being made.

 

[Foley]

Would just be good to get some updates rather than 10+ years of ‘when we’ve got some developments we’ll update you!’

Not that I’m saying it’s the same, but this stadium saga feels like the boy who cried wolf!

Surely the point is that nobody is crying wolf.
Communications will happen as and when there is something to say.
You clearly don't agree, but I know that Colin is close to all of this and what he said yesterday is very positive in my view.

 

[bazzer9461]

The current deal with Kassam is for a second lease on the same terms as this, but there's absolutely no reason why changes can't be negotiated.

IF, and take this entirely hypothetically, we found a new home to build a stadium, but couldn't complete before the current lease agreement ran out, then do you think it would be beyond our board to agree a short term deal to stay at the Kassam?

The idea that we would be stuck for 20 odd years or have to upsticks to MK or somewhere is very narrow minded. We have a much better relationship with FK and have serious business people involved. People have dismissed NMW saying that we have a 6 month notice period, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that we have some agreement already in place beyond the end of this lease.

As for NMW, he made the announcement about the end of the season on the back of a couple of board meetings showing how things were progressing. There was a huge about of optimism behind the scenes with Tiger saying we would have news "soon". However, we then had covid and that changed everything. To dismiss this as an excuse is ridiculous. Tiger and co. have been out of the country for most of the last 12 months, and whilst there are things that can be done remotely, it's not quite the same. Had we not this pandemic, then I honestly believe we would have something in place by now. There will always those who will use this time frame against me, as they did with NMW, but that's their choice.

The world has adapted to lockdown and more can happen this time round than would have been possible in March/April/May. And therefore I hope that we will soon (deliberately not giving a date) have something that shows the very real progress being made.

I agree about covid and the lockdowns and I am certainly not dismissing it. What I was trying to say from the announcement made by NMWit did sound like that there is a good possibility of news by the end or just before the end of the season and I was hoping that even it’s “ on going work in progress, because of the pandemic things have been put on hold “ it might only be a small bit of info but something is better than nothing.

now I don’t know Kassam personally but we have all witnessed what he can be like, he is a ruthless businessman who probably doesn’t give one iota towards the club apart from the rent money.

I am also surprised that none of the clubs owners since the fraudster have made headway over amour service charges abs rhe lack of action from the landlord.

now it may well be the news that NMW was going to announce is that they’ve reached an agreement with Kassam over a future lease regarding the fact we may or may not have a new stadium, which in the long term would benefit the club.

I won’t hold my breathe on that one

I also know forums are made up of 50% truth and 50% bull, that’s people who post and know to be ITK, people who post and post Bullshit and people who post wanting info from as accurate as it possibly can be but alas it’s not that forthcoming.

 

[uptheus]

Surely the point is that nobody is crying wolf.
Communications will happen as and when there is something to say.
You clearly don't agree, but I know that Colin is close to all of this and what he said yesterday is very positive in my view.

The point I was trying to make, is that we hear stuff of hope from time to time for it to then not materialise. Not saying that there isn’t anything going on behind the scenes, but it’s been very frustrating over a very LONG period of time to hear these sound bites of hope to have them ultimately swept away e.g. like the boy who cried wolf!!

Put it this way, knowing Colin, if he was kept in the dark (mushroom syndrome) then he’d be mightily pissed off/frustrated with the drip feed info of hope without any real substance over a LONG period. Yes, a few months/years, but not decades! And I know this isn’t all down to the current management!

 

[Yellows1]

I still think the Kassam is our only realistic choice. Whether its to purchase or to sign a new lease on better terms I don't know. I just can't see us building a new stadium. Would easily cost £20m.

Disagree, The Kassam is not option, just my opinion of course, you can’t deal with a guy who won’t do business with OUFC......

 

[Upthecowboys]

Honestly, some of you are so bloody negative!

Kassam is not the only option, and isn't really an option at all. As I've said before, just because every move isn't being broadcast in public, it doesn't mean that nothing is going on. I think some people are going to be very very surprised!

I'm not one of those fans that thinks we should hear about everything that is going on behind the scenes, or the ins and outs of every deal etc. However when it is so quiet, and when you don't have connections at the club then you do start to wonder. Then when you chuck in what must be a high level of uncertainty / trading challenges caused by Covid / Brexit etc then you start to wonder the likelihood of a new ground. Zaki also on a recent podcast said that an improved lease could be an option, he did caveat it saying that this was only an option but nonetheless he did mention it.

However I'm heartened by what Colin has said, he is one of those posters that seems to know his stuff!

 

[horseman]

i posted this on another thread but it's relevant here

Shaun Rice said:
I omitted the word quick because it he’s been a few years. Christ if I’d have written it some smart a**e would have posted... well it’s not a quick buck because... blah blah

As for making money, none of them id expect. But ask yourself:
Why did Tiger buy the club? A play thing? A business venture? Or does he love Oxford? Why did he buy Reading? He is making money from that little venture I’m sure. He owns all the land around the ground. Rents all the property around it too so I’m told by a Reading fan. Sound familiar?
Everyone knows if the club is to be successful we need the ground. If he really wanted it for the club he and his board would’ve brought it by now. But Kassam basically has everything from this ground already. They can’t make much back. But a new ground well as long as he does the same as he did a Reading he’ll own another little gold mine.

Perhaps this is why individuals or indeed a Group should not be involved in future leasing or purchase of stadiums as they are not going to be around for long to oversee "The Football club" as in most cases the end game is the property etc and the football club is a means to obtaining retail complexes etc.
We are never going to see any Owners Business Plan or that whoever owns a club will still invest in on field activities in the Long Term, i have said many times a shiny new stadium is of little consequence if success on the pitch does not follow.

Football has changed and the clubs currently in the Championship are no great pull for the casual fan or indeed many hardcore fans, it's all about the top 5/6 premiership clubs. Even with a 20.000 stadium with 3.000 away fans you would still need around 3 times our normal home support and i do not believe they are there and if success (in the eyes of many) does not come you're soon faced with a virtual empty new stadium.