As an oxford fan who's tired of being called 'three sides' on twitter, I pretty much agree with the analysis lol I've only been able to hear stories of the Manor Ground but absolutely all of my predecessors say it's leagues better. The one thing I really do want to see in my lifetime is Oxford rise the ranks, we have great facilities and it's a huge city to have such a lower tier club, I mean Ox City are catching us for god's sake xD - but thanks so much on a personal level for making a video covering my lifelong club, sam :D
I hope to see Oxford up the divisions soon too! Would be amazing to see them in a new stadium and the top couple of leagues. Thanks for watching mate, more videos coming soon 🙌🏼🎥
As somebody who visited the Manor Ground as an away fan when they played at what is now Championship level I can honestly say I liked it a lot. It had a lot of character, loads of different stands and terraces. The wedge shaped away end was a bit of a throwback, uncovered and with a high fence at the front. I'll always remember sighting the four tall corner floodlight pylons from the away coach and feeling the anticipation (I was 15 and never been an away game without my dad before). In some ways it was a bit like Kenilworth Road, Luton. Tightly packed, old school traditional ground. Shame it was just a bit too small to be modernised on the same site.
I should now say really after the comment appearing at the top that I don't think it's the worst stadium in England, many ones you could make a good argument for being worse in one way or another.
An extra fact. When Oxford United were elected to the football league in 1962 they replaced Accrington Stanley. When Oxford lost their football league place in 2006 they were replaced by Accrington Stanley (albeit a reformed Accrington)
Didn't they replace Accrington FC in 62 then get replaced by Accrington Stanley? They are two different clubs. Accrington FC were founder members of the football league and Accrington Stanley were, if I remember correctly, formed in the 60s to replace Accrington FC
@@edbad85 The original Accrington FC who were founder members of the Football League folded in the 1890's. A new club, Accrington Stanley, was formed afterwards and were elected to the Football league and this was the cub that folded in 1962. Accrington Stanley that won promotion to the EFL in 2006 was reformed from the 1962 Accrington Stanley. Just don't ask about Gateshead :D
@@GenialHarryGrout cheers for correcting me. I should probably look these things up before relying on half remembered bits of information long after I should be asleep. I won't delete my original comment however, I'll leave it hear forever to remind me not to be so quick to comment about stuff I'm not entirely sure of in future lol
@@edbad85 I apologies if my post came across like that, it wasn't meant that way. Others may not be aware of football in Accrington, or even Gateshead, so I was just clarifying the situation with the various teams from Accrington.
I’m a 16 old Oxford fan who’s been going to the majority of games every season and I think this video is class as it shows a great evaluation on our situation at the moment. Oxford is the only professional team in the area and to have a chance of not having a ground is so scary. This is very much neglected as the young people living in Oxfordshire support prem teams because we’re in league one and our fanbase is quite old due to our 80s success our situation needs more focus on it and I think this video helps a lot. Thank you mate 💛💙
I think your problems are caused by the Roy Barry curse. Roy was a hard as nails Scottish centre half who started his career at Hearts who not so long ago went into administration and almost went out of business. He then went to Dunfermline Athletic where he captained them to their 1968 Scottish Cup win, they also went into administration in the not too distant past and survived by the skin of their teeth. From there he went to Coventry City and you know what happened to them after they left Highfield Road. He left Coventry to go to Hibs who had financial difficulties in the 80s and at one point, Wallace Mercer, the owner of Hearts tried to buy them and amalgamate both clubs. After he retired he had a period at Oxford as assistant manager and was also caretaker manager for a spell and well... you don't need me to tell you about Oxford's difficulties. Hope you get your new ground built.
Used to love The Manor Ground @Headington, Oxford with its slope. Went there every year with Millwall in the Late 1960s/Early 1970s and, initially, always the same. 2,000 Millwall turn up early and take the whole of the Home End in the days of Ron Atkinson (whatever happened to him?) and his brother Graham. After a few years Oxford got wise and the end was split down the middle in 2. I will always remember an American Tourist saying to her husband on saying Millwall fans marching from the train station to the ground " Gee, they must have a Carnival" -lol
@@dumbmutts.7758 The point I am making ,is that it took fergie 4 years to win his first trophy, no way would he get that time in the modern game, after City battered United 5-1 at Maine Road, yes before the oil money, at the next Utd home game there was fergie out banners everywhere, and the whole of the Stretford End singing it, you had no idea what was coming.
@Busybee65 I was in the Stretford End and we weren't singing Fergie out. I always had faith. I have been going since 1972 when things were bad. Watched us relegated. We could all see what Fergie was building. Arteta has gone 3 years without a trophy or final so is this season his last chance?
As a Pompey fan I enjoyed a few awaydays at the Manor ground . A piecemeal little ground with a great atmosphere and plenty of pubs and shops . Ive been to the Kassam once it's in the middle of nowhere and a bit soulless . Hope they get somewhere better and nearer the fans .
if you think the Kassam is in the middle of nowhere you wait till the new ones built....not a pub within 2 miles (real pub not restaurant)......MIDDLE OF ABSOLUTE NOWHERE!!!!
I'm from Kidlington and would love to see the stadium built. We had a village poll on it recently which was largely against the stadium. I still think it'll go ahead though. Great to see you do a video here.
Great video Sam. I’ve been supporting Oxford since I was born. I so wish I could have gone to the manor because my dad has told me so many stories about of great it was. I’ve been to the Kassam loads of time and was a season ticket holder in the 21-22 season in the east stand behind the goal. As you said, the manor ground was right in the middle of Headington and fans could walk to the stadium. Now the only fans who can walk are the ones who live in Blackbird Leys next to the stadium, everyone else comes by car and it can be a struggle to park depending on the crowd. I believe the reason we don’t have a 4th stand is because when it was being built, we ran out of money to build one and because of that the atmosphere is hampered. The east stand is where the most of the noise is but the issue is it isn’t near the away fans and I find the best atmosphere comes from when the away fans are near the noisy home fans and they can bounce if each other and because the away fans are next to the fence, their singing sort of dissipates well as if there was a stand there, it might echo a bit more. I would be delighted to move because at the moment, the fact we don’t own out stadium means that we can’t spend all our finances on the squad. The owner keep raising the rent which means we can’t buy top players and if we do get top players they most of the time are in loan. The sooner we get a new stadium the better. Even though where it is planned to be built isn’t particularly near to fans’ houses. Up the U’s.
Love this post, but just to put you right on one thing. Kassam didn’t run out of money, the stadium was designed about 8 years before it was built by Birse LTD. The law had changed and the fourth stand which is a two tier stand had no provision for disable supporters in the upper tier. So Kassam would have had to install two lifts and redesign the upper tier . He argued that he already had more disable access than most grounds ( which is true ) but the council said it’s now the law ! So Kassam 10:29 said. We just won’t build it then . Just a note the foundations are in place and would make it an 18k seated stadium also it’s designed so the corners can be filled making it a 22k seated stadium.
Love your videos Sam. When I first saw the thumbnail for this one, I thought 'no, there are at least four grounds in that division alone, that are much, much worse than Oxford in terms of facilities, fan experience etc'. But that was without the knowledge that they're your local club. As a Northampton fan, I can empathise with Oxford having a three-sided ground. We shared the County Ground with the cricket club for nearly 100 years and literally played our games on their outfield, so it was only ever a three sided ground. I never actually got to see us play there, but it's what we had until 1994 when we moved to Sixfields. But on the flip side of that, Sixfields holds way less people than the County Ground ever could, and we've had all kinds of issues with trying to get it redeveloped for years now - including when it actually operated as a three sided ground for a couple of years in the 2010's. I had no idea Oxford's lease runs out in 2026 and wish them all the best with getting the new ground sorted out.
I went to a game at the old county ground in 1987, let's just say it was a different experience. I've never been to a game at Sixfields but passed it plenty of times. I'm surprised and disappointed to hear you're having difficulties redeveloping as the site has ample space to expand. In fact, I'm sure when it was built it was reported at the time that there was space to increase the capacity to 20,000 or so. Thanks for sharing that, I'll need to find out more, hope you and Oxford can find a solution.
A decent history of the concrete shell. As an Oxford fan, I hate the Kassam. It's cold, soulless, named after arguably the worst owner we've ever had and despite it being our home ground for over 20 years, it doesn't feel like Oxfords home. Part of that is the Stadium being tricky for supporters to get to. I read a stat that claimed it's the second furthest away stadium from a train station in the 92 which has an impact given its distance to major transport hubs for away fans trying to get there, home fans mostly having to use cars and further decrease any potential new fans or possible tourist fans liklihood of going to a game. The Triangle site is promising and so are the plans the club has published but there’s a long way to go before construction can even begin, we don't know what the club plan for it to look like. Should that go ahead, it has the potential to push the club on. For the club now, the priority is to be in at least League 1 if not the Championship by the time the move occurs. Liam Manning's building a good team and we should be looking to compete in what looks a weaker L1 that previous years. We can't allow a repeat of 22/23, Karl Robinson set the club back a year in it's growth and Liam has a job on his hands for sure.
@@johnmitchell2269 He's why I said arguably. Under Maxwell yes he tried to merge the club with one of our local rivals and he will never be forgiven for that, but he did spend, brought players like John Aldridge, Ray Houghton, Trevor Herbberd among others to Oxford and the club was at it's most successful under his ownership. Going from the old third division in 1982 when Maxwell bought the club, which about to close due to financial issues, within three years Oxford got back to back promotions to the first division. Whereas under Kassam, the club went backwards. When he purchased the club in April 1999 for £1 due to more money issues, cos apparently whoever is in charge of finances at Oxford United always end up screwing it eventually, the club was about to get relegated from the second division. When Kassam sold Oxford United in March 2006, the club where just about to drop out of the football league for 5 years. Kassam's purchase wasn't the end of the clubs money problems. The current owners, who took control in September 2022, so far have been decent. But, they in March this year had to clear a £4.2m loss the club made in it's 21/22 accounts, £500K more than the previous year and the second year in a row the club has reported a loss. The new owners have some work to do to make Oxford United sustainable as well as making the club able to compete for promotion to the Championship AND build a new ground. They appear committed to the job, but many owners have said that before so we'll wait and see.
Fun fact, I was one of the people on the van during COVID. It was the play off semi final Oxford United v Portsmouth and we (Pompey) lost on pens. Painful day 😂
I love oufc and you nailed it with this vid. What you didn’t say is it’s cold the wild comes in from the fence end, the sun sets in the eyes of the fans in the east stand (opposite to the fence end) all the stands are to far apart what with not having the fourth stand makes the atmosphere hard to keep in so credit to our fans for doing what we do. There is also the fact that it’s falling apart it’s not well maintained and we can’t even make any money from the food or drinks in the stadium. My wife is a Sunderland fan and after watching the game I made the suggestion we walk back to town as the last bus had gone at about 5:30 so we walked back I know my way around and walk back to the nearest busy road when we were walking she turned to me and said I grew up not far from Sunderland on a council estate but this is next level of run down. I tuned to her and said we are town not gown. See you in the championship next season. UTM or Triangle 😂
I'm a huge Oxford fan. It's not the worst stadium in England. It's the worst stadium in Europe. Trust me the club is a sleeping giant. If luton can do it Oxford 100% can. IF we get a new stadium and local green loons don't stop us. Great video
All 72 league clubs will be thinking 'if Luton can do it so can we' so that holds little to no meaning. Getting into the Championship is very difficult. Oldham have been out of it since 98. Carlisle (also a City club) haven't been in it since 1986.
@@billymallett297 It's a one professional club county with a rapidly growing population, with a team from a city known across the world who has won silverware and competed at the top level in the past.
@@johnmitchell2269 It's a one professional club county with a rapidly growing population, with a team from a city known across the world who has won silverware and competed at the top level in the past. Oxfordshire and Oxford are bigger than Carlisle and Cumbria in terms of population, also Oxford is more attractive for investment than Carlisle due to its location (we have Indonesian owners)
@@youtubewatcher703 Milton Keynes has a bigger population than Oxford. Stadium MK is also by far the most impressive (and biggest) stadium out of all the L1 and L2 clubs. It doesn't mean anything though.
I've been an Oxford fan since 1972. I have Ron Atkinson's autograph. The ground doesn't concern me that much,but last season's team performance did. Thanks for the video.
don't worry you're not alone in concern about last season's performance - ground's got issues but it's a hard case to argue that it's the worst ground in England definitely
The first English Football game I saw was at the Manor Ground - back in 1974 - Oxford lost 0 - 2 to Bolton. I can’t remember much of the game to be honest but I do remember it having a cracking atmosphere. Keep up the good work sir - maybe catch you at a Banks O’ Dee game this season (we’ve only got 1 stand, two wee enclosures and like Oxford no stand behind the goal - though we do have the bonny banks of the Dee to admire as the river heads down to become the legendary ‘Uisge Beath’ AKA Whisky!) And I raise a glass to you Oxford for happy memories of a grand day out!
Today was the first video I've watched on this channel, I do enjoy viewing football fanbase videos found it interesting content regarding Oxford Utd and their plans for a new ground in the future. I'm a Portsmouth FC fan I've seen same epic Pompey V Oxford U games in the past at Fratton Park. All the best for the coming season
Thankfully we have a proposed new stadium in the works, as you mentioned, it’s not an ideal stadium but it’s also the first stadium I’ve been to apart from Anfield, I watch Oxford due to living in Aylesbury and the club have grown on me, the Chinese near the club shop is amazing though
I have only been to watch football in Oxford once. It was a F.A.Cup tie 85/86 season Oxford 1 v 1 Spurs. The weather was horrendous. Snow and rain. Soaked to the skin after another Spursy performance. Great days! I wish Oxford United and their fans all the best in their pursuit of a new stadium.
Many smaller clubs missed out on a rare European adventure in the post Heysel era. Southampton, Coventry, Luton, Derby, Forest, Wimbledon. Norwich missed out 3 times 😮. Oxford are the only one to miss out on their one and only chance. All the others qualified in other years or at least played in Anglo Italian cup, or Wimbledon (Intertoto) Coventry (Fairs Cup) Strangely enough local rivals Swindon also missed out when won the League Cup in the 60s as they weren't top flight.
To be fair, at the time, the club was bankrolled by a man who stole hundreds of millons of pounds, from thousands of workers pension fund, to finance his and his family's lifestyle. Other clubs and their supporters were denied the success that Oxford United enjoyed at the time because of this.
@@tonybarrett8543No they won the European Cup twice.....a much more different competition back then rather than the rich devalued competition it is now. It was champions only.
@@colinbest8610 You're right! They beat Roma away. Went out with 6 points, unbeaten. Bologna went through with 2. None of the Italians in Oxford section won a game.
Great video. Very informative too - always enjoy learning a bit about club histories and the challenges they face. Keep up the good work! If you ever make it back out to Oz, and slightly quirky stadia are your thing, you should visit the one at Gosford on the Central Coast, home of the Mariners. Another one with three stands but also palm trees behind the other. Not something you'll find in the UK or Europe!
Great video mate, went there last season as a Bolton fan, great mixing with the Oxford faithful and all round good day out.....then there's getting off the car park, say no more! Good luck next season.
Livingston is my first club. But I lived in Witney and went to see Oxford every week. Went to Wembley to get back to the football league and watched the yellows at Upton Park in the FA cup. Went to away games too and loved watching them. It was nice that they were similar colours to my beloved Livingston. Great video.
I lived at Eynsham between 1962 - 1973. Went back last year for the annual Carnival, so quiet & peaceful would love to see out my days living there again.
A season ticket holder at The Manor as a teenager. Some great memories. Hate the kassam...devoid of soul and in the middle of nowhere. Kiddy would be a great location with good bus and train links.....plus I'm originally from Cutteslowe so only up the road from my family home.....
Carlisle fan here. I feel the two clubs are in a similar spot, even though Carlisle own the ground, and it's a decent size at that, it's being run down year on year due to lack of finances, we got a lucky league one break tho. Only hoping both teams can do well!
I think Oxford`s fence is nicer than Falkirk`s at crappy Westfield,but i agree both clubs have been hampered by having unfinished stadium in a poor location for home fans to travel to. Falkirk should have played at the Warriors ground and rebuilt Brockville as there was always plenty of space and the decision was never the clubs to sell the land to a supermarket that was the criminal Falkirk Labour party that did that as the land was always council property gifted to FFC. The half built stadium is also their fault and not the clubs as they only own a share of the ground. edit silver lining and all that at least Oxford dont own any part of that terrible half built tragedy.
I drove past Falkirks ground on my way to Ochilview, it looked very impressive so I went and had a look. The gate was open so i went in (there was a kids match just finishing).... I couldn't believe it was only 3 sides!! But, I still want to go back to see a match, Falkirk is still unfinished business for me!
Great video. And really good to see a brief clip of Leichhardt Oval in there - as a Groundhopping Rugby League fan, I've been there a few times on my travels!!
The Manor Ground was a proper stadium. I got to do work experience there for a week towards the end of the 90s. They didn’t really know what to do with me, but I got to have a good look around the place, also did a day helping out in the club shop down the road. Also remember going to watch a game one Saturday afternoon, came out afterwards and couldn’t find the bus stop to get home….had to call my Dad to come and pick me up 😂
Oxford is ripe for investment. Large city, excellent links to London, huge potential fanbase, rich history. Some foreign investment and a good marketing team could transform that club.
Thankfully the club is moving when the lease ends in a few years and since they got promoted to the Championship a few days ago that money even if it's just 1 season will go a long way to funding the new stadium at Oxford Parkway
Realistically they should invest half the money there predict to earn in next season and put it towards either signings/or wages for Season long loans to consolidate championship football. Much better to be try and stay in the championship and look to build in the next 4 or 5 seasons to a shot of reaching the top flight. Much more financial reward that way, if the board staff are clever enough about it
Hi Sam, shame to have missed you, I work in the club shop! We’re open Mon-Fri and match day Saturdays! Didn’t realise you were from Oxford yourself, I watch your videos daily! Next time you visit come into the club shop for a chat 👍🏼
Great video although I would say there is a decent club shop around the corner from the Cinema (part of the same building). We do deserve our own stadium and thankfully Heads of Terms on the lease have recently been approved so it's all looking positive for OUFC 💛💙
Good video, nice to watch one of my local club, hoping 2 watch preseason friendlies later this month, something broken at that hollywood bowl doesn't surprise me, club shop just around the corner from bowling etc
In our very grim years at Bloomfield road under the oyscums ,we only had two stands for a couple of seasons ,and the biggest insult was our old south stand was demolished ,and what grew behind that on our clubs land ,not a new south stand it was a giant Travelodge a taller one then usual ,and we had two stands lol obviously because eventually we climbed the leagues ,blackpool fc and to premier league so our ground is decent now ,but incredibly still not finished on the east side of the ground still a temporary stand ,went up for premier league not a bad capacity nearly 18,000 ,and now because somehow more space is needed to build new east stand ,the club had to buy 10 houses back Henry street which we have ,the plan is to build the new east stand and bring capacity to 22,000 ,but there's no pride in a ground that isn't 4 stands .
Used to love The Manor Ground @Headington, Oxford with its slope. Went there every year with Millwall and, initially, always the same. 2,000 Millwall turn up early and take the whole of the Home End in the days of Ron Atkinson (whatever happened to him?) and his brother Graham. After a few years Oxford got wise and the end was split down the middle in 2. I will always remember an American Tourist saying to her husband on saying Millwall fans marching from the train station to the ground " Gee,that must have a Carnival"
Can't be bothered to scroll through all the comments, but just need to correct one fact in your excellent vlog. OUFC were the first team to go out of the League having once won a so-called major trophy (the league Cup). However, in 1988 Luton won the League Cup (beat OUFC in the semi-final) - and as we all know, they spent a few seasons on the National League (1 more than us). Good to see you reference the blue plaque. That is the only reference to OUFC on any building or street in the city (aside from our current 3-sided dump). A disgrace; but symptomatic of how football is viewed by the the Council, or indeed the real rulers of the city, the University! There is one other football related plaque near where Oxford City's smashing old White House Ground was. They, of course, were made homeless by Brasenose College! They spent may years just playing on a local rec after that. Contrast AFC Wimbledon's new home, where the nearby streets are named after famous players.
Derby fan here done around 38/92 and definitely up there with worst and most soulless I’ve been too, my seat was one of the last next to the empty ‘stand’ (car park). Nothing against Oxford but it’s in the middle of nowhere, no transport links and seems quite new too, baffling ground.
Any chance you could visit Basingstoke and do a video? The club were kicked out of their original ground by the owner who wants to build houses on the land and now have to rent the ground from the Hampshire FA. It's a story of greed, corruption and incompetence.
I discovered Oxford United on FIFA 15 and did a ROTG with them. I had a lot of fun with them and have been following them ever since :) I really wish to see a match at the Kassam one day. Or even at the new stadium
I was actually at the last game at the Manor. I'm a Swindon fan, but my great-grandfather not only helped build the ground, but played for Headington United and was on the board of both United and Oxford City after he retired.
As a fan that grew up supporting Carlisle United and Celtic I'm happy with both stadiums. Carlisle United have never had any money so their stadium is old with 3 sides of terracing and fans love it. Celtic on the other hand built a new stadium paid for by the fans, and is still a great stadium. Can't comment on Oxford as I've never been there but heard it's pretty soulless. A a Celtic fan I've had the experience of Ibrox as an away fan,both winning and loosing....it's pretty dam good but still not a patch on Paradise 😂
Used to love The Manor Ground @Headington, Oxford with its slope. Went there every year with Millwall and, initially, always the same. 2,000 Millwall turn up early and take the whole of the Home End in the days of Ron Atkinson (whatever happened to him?) and his brother Graham. After a few years Oxford got wise and the end was split down the middle in 2. I will always remember an American Tourist saying to her husband on saying Millwall fans marching from the train station to the ground " Gee,they must have a Carnival" lol
Being a Oxford fan majority of this was correct - only thing I would say getting for the ground is not that difficult we have recently introduced a fan bar in the complex what allows home and away fans. But ask any Oxford fan we want out of the kassam and have our new stadium
Due to Pompey bottling promotion again and again, I’ve had the luxury of Oxford away a few times recently and it’s an awful ground with dire infrastructure around it. I feel sorry for Oxford fans. For the size of the club and position they find themselves in currently, they’re well supported. Certainly think they could be a stable champ club given the right circumstances. If clubs like Luton, Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford have done it then why not Oxford I guess 🤷🏻♂️
I used to go to both the Manor Ground and the Kassam Stadium between 1997 to around 2012, I used to go to as many home games as I was able to, I have since moved away from Oxfordshire, so it has been a bit of a struggle to go back. The Manor Ground had a great atmosphere, especially in the standing area behind the goal, there was a legendary bloke nicknamed “Nappy” with a bellowing voice who started up all the chants…who sadly passed away, around the same time Oxford moved to the Kassam. I recall seeing a plaque commemorating him, once you go through the ticket gates and into the stadium… I personally have fond memories of the Kassam, there are definitely stadiums far worse, in terms of facilities etc…though, it has to be said, the area around the ground is pretty non-descript.. That said, given that it hasn’t been possible to build the 4th stand, and due to the lease about to expire, it’s definitely time to move on, hopefully fingers crossed they get the go ahead for the new stadium in Kidlington…
Nice to see a video featuring Headington, as I was a frequent visitor to the area during the 90s as my aunt (and her family) lived a few roads down from the Shark. 🙂 I never actually got to see a game, at the Manor ground though, unfortunately.
Dean Courts’ re build was completed later than planned so B’mouth played early home games at Dorchester until it was ready in November 2001 apart from one goal end which only got temporarily done after promotion to Championship 13 yrs later in 2013. Everyone complains about the ground but Oxford Utds’ ground of the same age looks twice as big as Dean Court .
I once went away to the Manor Ground and there was a cheer every time the digital thermometer dropped a degree....the game was so exciting all I remember is it got down to 2 degrees C!!!
Oxford have been totally screwed over for years by Firoz Kassam. This dodgy businessman ( check out how he first made his fortune by housing the poor in squalid conditions whilst taking government money ) originally convinced Oxford council he would finish the development of the ground ( it sat half built and uncompleted for a long time) in exchange for control of the land around it. Hence he is the landlord of the restaurants , gym etc around the ground. He was the club owner , just built three stands , did not invest in the club and sold it with talk he would sell stadium. He reneged on that deal and instead rents the stadium to the club at terms which mean it’s difficult for Oxford to build any revenue. The sooner they are out of his grasp the better. A combination of poor council officials agreeing a deal with an unethical businessman who basically got control of land for his own development purposes have held the club back for years.
As a Wycombe fan, I can think of a lot worse grounds than the Kassam. (Have you ever been to Luton?) With a 4th stand it would be a very good ground. But Kidlington would be a good option. Trouble for English clubs, particularly in the south, is the attitude of local councils. They want theglory but not the hassle. Look at Wimbledon AFC and Brighton; how long did it take them to get a new ground? Hope you get it sorted Oxford, we don't want another Bury!
Same. Worst thing about it is that is could and should be a super little ground, but it's been neglected due to all the ownership issues. Been there for a few rugby matches too and fortunately the beer and friends distract you. 😊
The owner of this club is Erick Thohir, he is the former owner of the Inter Milan club. He is very well known in Indonesia, he is the chairman of the All Indonesian Football Association and a minister who will soon be running for vice president of Indonesia. He also has shares in Persib Bandung Football Club. One of the big clubs in Indonesia and the oldest in Asia
It is awful but the manor was also a dump and neither could be classed as the worst, I do hate these out of town places where you can only get a drink at some family friendly place like that or even a bowling alley, I still think Barrow's ground is the worst.
Yeh I’m from kidlington hope this gets the go a head literally would 5min drive my first team is Chelsea but I would deffo go to games if it’s that close great vid can’t believe you from here
The worst ground in the League back then was The Shay, Halifax. It was a dreadful, semi-derelict, ground with only the sides useable between 1985 and 1998. Totally modernised now though. I'd probably say, even though I follow them as a second team, Newport County's Rodney Parade is the worst ground in the League now.
Not really the worst stadium,only thing is more of an infrastructure is needed through the new stadium and Oxford United are one of my favourites ever,good friend Sam!!!🏋️♂️
Brilliant video I've been to the Manor ground and I was surprised how Oxford managed to get to where they are currently quite sad hope they get own stadium as from my own experience of ground sharing brighton with Gillingham it's not nice good luck
As always a super video Sam, cheers pal. I do think though that Oxford City Council is more concerned with the present global warming grift and 15 minute cities than trying to help the football club.
Great video! I been watching your videos for a while and they always give me something to do when im bored! I didn't know you were born in Oxford! Keep up the good work! #Respect from Coventry
PS: I have fond memories of my only trip to the Kassam to watch a game in the second leg of the play-offs in 2007 when both my side (Exeter) and Oxford were playing non-league football. We took a 1-0 deficit there, went down 1-0 on the night to make it 2-0 Oxford, but came back to make it 2-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate, winning on penalties to seal our first ever trip to Wembley. Unfortunately we didn’t make it past the final hurdle that year, but managed it a year later thankfully to end 5 years of hurt in non-league. And look how far both sides have come now - both respectable L1 sides. Any chance of a trip down here to Devon soon Sam?
@@RaggedDan Hopefully we’ll lock horns with ‘them’ again in the not too distant future. Both games last season saw both teams give everything, I’ve seen enough over my years of following ECFC where we haven’t turned up for derbies, whereas last season we gave it a good go and it was quality and odd errors that cost us. Best of luck for the season ahead (apart from when you play us of course!).
i 100% agree with you on this and we did they and get a another temp stand and the owner of the ground said no to it due to then not having the right amont of parking for safe parking
The Manor had a covenant on the ground that meant the land had to be used for leisure purposes. This held up the sale to Nuffield for the private hospital. I think (correct me), that essentially the same condition applies to the Kassam. So while the club only has a lease until 2026 - formally, the council can veto any redevelopment of the site for housing???
THAT is the way forward....council refuse permission to demolish the kassam......Ka$$am will then negotiate a sale to the club.....but we must buy the WHOLE complex,let him keep his immigrant filled "hotels" ....there are plans to reopen a defunct rail trackright next o the Kassam ,there are plans to build 4500 houses on the other side of the road (meaning that the stadium will be surrounded by at least 25000 potential customers within WALKING distance of the ground,we could also take over the lease of the Priry pub (derelict at the monent) ....there ya go.....and even after building a 4th stand etc etc it will cost HALF what is gonna be spent on a pathetic 16000 capacity stadium in the middle of nowhere.......GET NEGOTIATING!!!!! and the council.....GROW A FKIN PAIR!!!!!
When I visited last year I thought the stadium itself was okay but I would hate to go there every week, at the back of an industrial park, only option is to drive, took a while to get out of too.
Hopefully they’ll get permission for a new ground. They’re not short of a bob or two considering how much some of their players are on, but to be able to generate their own revenue from the stadium could take them to another level.
I once saw oxford utd away to forest green rovers in non league days. early during the second half there was a power cut and the whole stadium ended up in darkness. you could not see anything. after 20 mins the lights came back on.
The reason the kassam has three sides is because Oxford city Council would not allow firoz kassam access to the adjacent land to build the ozone complex unless he built the stadium first. So in order to save money, firoz kassam did the minimum amount possible in order to get the stadium up and running, which resulted in only 3 sides getting built. He deemed this was enough for a club of oxford's size and fanbase. Kassam was only ever interested in his business, not the club. That's why there was little investment in the squad, which resulted in Oxford going down to the conference, and no further investment in the stadium. Granted, Oxford united would have gone under if firoz kassam hadn't bought the club. But i think it's clear he had an ulterior motive.
my first football game i went to was at the manor ground (Alex Ferguson's first game with Man U). Used to live in Wheatley and always remember going past the old entrance in Headington.
Looking at the number of non footballing events the stadium owners hold, the reason it only has 3 sides is to make stage building and load in/out really easy.
Have been a season ticket holder at both the Manor and the Kassam. The city might be big but the majority of residents are university students here for 3/4 years so the fan base isn’t as big as it might be. League 1 is about our level, saw them first in what is now the championship and would like to see them back at that level once more. Fearful after the last move, all that went wrong leaving us in this position and the crazy tight timescale to get a new stadium by 26/27 that things might get worse before they get better.
It's not the worst, just looks like a jigsaw puzzle missing a piece, Old Trafford is falling apart at the seems, looks good from the outside, but inside it has not had a lick of paint for years , or upgrades. Went to a champions league game there, mate had free tickets, the concourse was awful, the Glazers have not spent a penny.
Cracking feedback about the Cricket Team here - believe it or not this is the same story with AC Milan too. The Athletic and Cricket Club of Milan was set up to give the players something to do, to keep them fit and to bring some money into the club. The clue is in the name and the badge as it has the English flag in the badge along with the team being called the English name instead of the Italian Milano.
The Manor Ground was a great little stadium. Cracking atmosphere. They should never have left and there were no serious discussions about redeveloping the ground. Maxwell was there at the time and all he cared about was squeezing every last penny out of the club that he could. The Kassam is awful - soulless and a wind tunnel. You seem to give the impression that the move to Kidlington is a foregone conclusion. Not so, there are lots of hurdles still to be jumped. Nice video though. At 3:47 you are at the old Beech Road entrance to the main stand and I used to chain my bike up to the lamppost on the corner before going into the ground.
I was in the Oxford utd car park last week. It certainly needs cleaning up. Everything was so over grown with all the bushes encroaching into the parking spaces. That's the car park behind the stand opposite the open end.
As an oxford fan who's tired of being called 'three sides' on twitter, I pretty much agree with the analysis lol
I've only been able to hear stories of the Manor Ground but absolutely all of my predecessors say it's leagues better.
The one thing I really do want to see in my lifetime is Oxford rise the ranks, we have great facilities and it's a huge city to have such a lower tier club, I mean Ox City are catching us for god's sake xD - but thanks so much on a personal level for making a video covering my lifelong club, sam :D
I hope to see Oxford up the divisions soon too! Would be amazing to see them in a new stadium and the top couple of leagues.
Thanks for watching mate, more videos coming soon 🙌🏼🎥
As somebody who visited the Manor Ground as an away fan when they played at what is now Championship level I can honestly say I liked it a lot. It had a lot of character, loads of different stands and terraces. The wedge shaped away end was a bit of a throwback, uncovered and with a high fence at the front. I'll always remember sighting the four tall corner floodlight pylons from the away coach and feeling the anticipation (I was 15 and never been an away game without my dad before).
In some ways it was a bit like Kenilworth Road, Luton. Tightly packed, old school traditional ground. Shame it was just a bit too small to be modernised on the same site.
Bramall Lane was a 3 sided ground until the mid 70s. Yorkshire used to play cricket there.
I should now say really after the comment appearing at the top that I don't think it's the worst stadium in England, many ones you could make a good argument for being worse in one way or another.
@@FootyAdventures you shold come to OFK Belgrade stadium in Serbia, when it comes to the worst stadium.
An extra fact. When Oxford United were elected to the football league in 1962 they replaced Accrington Stanley. When Oxford lost their football league place in 2006 they were replaced by Accrington Stanley (albeit a reformed Accrington)
ooh i love stuff like that. beautiful footy pub quiz question
Didn't they replace Accrington FC in 62 then get replaced by Accrington Stanley? They are two different clubs. Accrington FC were founder members of the football league and Accrington Stanley were, if I remember correctly, formed in the 60s to replace Accrington FC
@@edbad85 The original Accrington FC who were founder members of the Football League folded in the 1890's. A new club, Accrington Stanley, was formed afterwards and were elected to the Football league and this was the cub that folded in 1962. Accrington Stanley that won promotion to the EFL in 2006 was reformed from the 1962 Accrington Stanley.
Just don't ask about Gateshead :D
@@GenialHarryGrout cheers for correcting me. I should probably look these things up before relying on half remembered bits of information long after I should be asleep. I won't delete my original comment however, I'll leave it hear forever to remind me not to be so quick to comment about stuff I'm not entirely sure of in future lol
@@edbad85 I apologies if my post came across like that, it wasn't meant that way. Others may not be aware of football in Accrington, or even Gateshead, so I was just clarifying the situation with the various teams from Accrington.
I’m a 16 old Oxford fan who’s been going to the majority of games every season and I think this video is class as it shows a great evaluation on our situation at the moment. Oxford is the only professional team in the area and to have a chance of not having a ground is so scary. This is very much neglected as the young people living in Oxfordshire support prem teams because we’re in league one and our fanbase is quite old due to our 80s success our situation needs more focus on it and I think this video helps a lot.
Thank you mate 💛💙
I think your problems are caused by the Roy Barry curse. Roy was a hard as nails Scottish centre half who started his career at Hearts who not so long ago went into administration and almost went out of business. He then went to Dunfermline Athletic where he captained them to their 1968 Scottish Cup win, they also went into administration in the not too distant past and survived by the skin of their teeth. From there he went to Coventry City and you know what happened to them after they left Highfield Road. He left Coventry to go to Hibs who had financial difficulties in the 80s and at one point, Wallace Mercer, the owner of Hearts tried to buy them and amalgamate both clubs. After he retired he had a period at Oxford as assistant manager and was also caretaker manager for a spell and well... you don't need me to tell you about Oxford's difficulties. Hope you get your new ground built.
Used to love The Manor Ground @Headington, Oxford with its slope. Went there every year with Millwall in the Late 1960s/Early 1970s and, initially, always the same. 2,000 Millwall turn up early and take the whole of the Home End in the days of Ron Atkinson (whatever happened to him?) and his brother Graham. After a few years Oxford got wise and the end was split down the middle in 2. I will always remember an American Tourist saying to her husband on saying Millwall fans marching from the train station to the ground " Gee, they must have a Carnival" -lol
I have supported OUFC since 1989. I agree with you, the Kassandra Stadium is disgusting.
I went to Sir Alex's first game in charge, a 2-0 defeat to Oxford United in 1986 at the Manor Ground. Freaky start to the GOAT.
Me too. Robinson came off. Yet, we rolled them right over.
Fergie out chants, most United fans sweep this under the carpet.
@Busybee65 not sure what your point is. True Reds believed and look what happened
@@dumbmutts.7758 The point I am making ,is that it took fergie 4 years to win his first trophy, no way would he get that time in the modern game, after City battered United 5-1 at Maine Road, yes before the oil money, at the next Utd home game there was fergie out banners everywhere, and the whole of the Stretford End singing it, you had no idea what was coming.
@Busybee65 I was in the Stretford End and we weren't singing Fergie out. I always had faith. I have been going since 1972 when things were bad. Watched us relegated. We could all see what Fergie was building. Arteta has gone 3 years without a trophy or final so is this season his last chance?
As a Pompey fan I enjoyed a few awaydays at the Manor ground . A piecemeal little ground with a great atmosphere and plenty of pubs and shops . Ive been to the Kassam once it's in the middle of nowhere and a bit soulless . Hope they get somewhere better and nearer the fans .
It was our old owners doing us in by refusing to build the fourth stand that has ruined the club not just the fans
if you think the Kassam is in the middle of nowhere you wait till the new ones built....not a pub within 2 miles (real pub not restaurant)......MIDDLE OF ABSOLUTE NOWHERE!!!!
I'm from Kidlington and would love to see the stadium built. We had a village poll on it recently which was largely against the stadium. I still think it'll go ahead though. Great to see you do a video here.
You get very bad one-way traffic in the morning weekdays & evenings. Can understand why.
Love watching your videos on lower or non league teams in England and Scotland. Keep up the good work.
Great video Sam. I’ve been supporting Oxford since I was born. I so wish I could have gone to the manor because my dad has told me so many stories about of great it was. I’ve been to the Kassam loads of time and was a season ticket holder in the 21-22 season in the east stand behind the goal. As you said, the manor ground was right in the middle of Headington and fans could walk to the stadium. Now the only fans who can walk are the ones who live in Blackbird Leys next to the stadium, everyone else comes by car and it can be a struggle to park depending on the crowd. I believe the reason we don’t have a 4th stand is because when it was being built, we ran out of money to build one and because of that the atmosphere is hampered. The east stand is where the most of the noise is but the issue is it isn’t near the away fans and I find the best atmosphere comes from when the away fans are near the noisy home fans and they can bounce if each other and because the away fans are next to the fence, their singing sort of dissipates well as if there was a stand there, it might echo a bit more. I would be delighted to move because at the moment, the fact we don’t own out stadium means that we can’t spend all our finances on the squad. The owner keep raising the rent which means we can’t buy top players and if we do get top players they most of the time are in loan. The sooner we get a new stadium the better. Even though where it is planned to be built isn’t particularly near to fans’ houses. Up the U’s.
I might have to unsubscribe -Oxford Utd 😂😂😂
Love this post, but just to put you right on one thing. Kassam didn’t run out of money, the stadium was designed about 8 years before it was built by Birse LTD. The law had changed and the fourth stand which is a two tier stand had no provision for disable supporters in the upper tier. So Kassam would have had to install two lifts and redesign the upper tier . He argued that he already had more disable access than most grounds ( which is true ) but the council said it’s now the law ! So Kassam 10:29 said. We just won’t build it then . Just a note the foundations are in place and would make it an 18k seated stadium also it’s designed so the corners can be filled making it a 22k seated stadium.
Love your videos Sam. When I first saw the thumbnail for this one, I thought 'no, there are at least four grounds in that division alone, that are much, much worse than Oxford in terms of facilities, fan experience etc'. But that was without the knowledge that they're your local club. As a Northampton fan, I can empathise with Oxford having a three-sided ground. We shared the County Ground with the cricket club for nearly 100 years and literally played our games on their outfield, so it was only ever a three sided ground. I never actually got to see us play there, but it's what we had until 1994 when we moved to Sixfields. But on the flip side of that, Sixfields holds way less people than the County Ground ever could, and we've had all kinds of issues with trying to get it redeveloped for years now - including when it actually operated as a three sided ground for a couple of years in the 2010's. I had no idea Oxford's lease runs out in 2026 and wish them all the best with getting the new ground sorted out.
I went to a game at the old county ground in 1987, let's just say it was a different experience. I've never been to a game at Sixfields but passed it plenty of times. I'm surprised and disappointed to hear you're having difficulties redeveloping as the site has ample space to expand. In fact, I'm sure when it was built it was reported at the time that there was space to increase the capacity to 20,000 or so. Thanks for sharing that, I'll need to find out more, hope you and Oxford can find a solution.
A decent history of the concrete shell. As an Oxford fan, I hate the Kassam. It's cold, soulless, named after arguably the worst owner we've ever had and despite it being our home ground for over 20 years, it doesn't feel like Oxfords home. Part of that is the Stadium being tricky for supporters to get to. I read a stat that claimed it's the second furthest away stadium from a train station in the 92 which has an impact given its distance to major transport hubs for away fans trying to get there, home fans mostly having to use cars and further decrease any potential new fans or possible tourist fans liklihood of going to a game.
The Triangle site is promising and so are the plans the club has published but there’s a long way to go before construction can even begin, we don't know what the club plan for it to look like. Should that go ahead, it has the potential to push the club on.
For the club now, the priority is to be in at least League 1 if not the Championship by the time the move occurs. Liam Manning's building a good team and we should be looking to compete in what looks a weaker L1 that previous years. We can't allow a repeat of 22/23, Karl Robinson set the club back a year in it's growth and Liam has a job on his hands for sure.
Robert Maxwell is not the worst owner Oxford United have had?
@@johnmitchell2269 He's why I said arguably. Under Maxwell yes he tried to merge the club with one of our local rivals and he will never be forgiven for that, but he did spend, brought players like John Aldridge, Ray Houghton, Trevor Herbberd among others to Oxford and the club was at it's most successful under his ownership. Going from the old third division in 1982 when Maxwell bought the club, which about to close due to financial issues, within three years Oxford got back to back promotions to the first division.
Whereas under Kassam, the club went backwards. When he purchased the club in April 1999 for £1 due to more money issues, cos apparently whoever is in charge of finances at Oxford United always end up screwing it eventually, the club was about to get relegated from the second division. When Kassam sold Oxford United in March 2006, the club where just about to drop out of the football league for 5 years.
Kassam's purchase wasn't the end of the clubs money problems. The current owners, who took control in September 2022, so far have been decent. But, they in March this year had to clear a £4.2m loss the club made in it's 21/22 accounts, £500K more than the previous year and the second year in a row the club has reported a loss. The new owners have some work to do to make Oxford United sustainable as well as making the club able to compete for promotion to the Championship AND build a new ground. They appear committed to the job, but many owners have said that before so we'll wait and see.
HERE NOW OXFORD ARE CHAMPIONSHIO
Fun fact, I was one of the people on the van during COVID. It was the play off semi final Oxford United v Portsmouth and we (Pompey) lost on pens. Painful day 😂
I love oufc and you nailed it with this vid. What you didn’t say is it’s cold the wild comes in from the fence end, the sun sets in the eyes of the fans in the east stand (opposite to the fence end) all the stands are to far apart what with not having the fourth stand makes the atmosphere hard to keep in so credit to our fans for doing what we do. There is also the fact that it’s falling apart it’s not well maintained and we can’t even make any money from the food or drinks in the stadium.
My wife is a Sunderland fan and after watching the game I made the suggestion we walk back to town as the last bus had gone at about 5:30 so we walked back I know my way around and walk back to the nearest busy road when we were walking she turned to me and said I grew up not far from Sunderland on a council estate but this is next level of run down. I tuned to her and said we are town not gown.
See you in the championship next season. UTM or Triangle 😂
I'm a huge Oxford fan. It's not the worst stadium in England. It's the worst stadium in Europe. Trust me the club is a sleeping giant. If luton can do it Oxford 100% can. IF we get a new stadium and local green loons don't stop us. Great video
I disagree. I don't think we are a sleeping giant. League 1 is probably about our level
All 72 league clubs will be thinking 'if Luton can do it so can we' so that holds little to no meaning.
Getting into the Championship is very difficult. Oldham have been out of it since 98. Carlisle (also a City club) haven't been in it since 1986.
@@billymallett297 It's a one professional club county with a rapidly growing population, with a team from a city known across the world who has won silverware and competed at the top level in the past.
@@johnmitchell2269 It's a one professional club county with a rapidly growing population, with a team from a city known across the world who has won silverware and competed at the top level in the past. Oxfordshire and Oxford are bigger than Carlisle and Cumbria in terms of population, also Oxford is more attractive for investment than Carlisle due to its location (we have Indonesian owners)
@@youtubewatcher703 Milton Keynes has a bigger population than Oxford. Stadium MK is also by far the most impressive (and biggest) stadium out of all the L1 and L2 clubs.
It doesn't mean anything though.
The new stadium will be ready 2027??? ...
I lived & worked in Oxford since 2018,, and Make myself Ox supporter. We just stepped up to championship 💛💙
I've been an Oxford fan since 1972. I have Ron Atkinson's autograph. The ground doesn't concern me that much,but last season's team performance did. Thanks for the video.
don't worry you're not alone in concern about last season's performance - ground's got issues but it's a hard case to argue that it's the worst ground in England definitely
It was opened just 2 months before the re built Dean Court - which is half the size of Kassam Stadium .👍
This guy is a real inspiration he’s educating people on all football clubs from around the world
The first English Football game I saw was at the Manor Ground - back in 1974 - Oxford lost 0 - 2 to Bolton. I can’t remember much of the game to be honest but I do remember it having a cracking atmosphere.
Keep up the good work sir - maybe catch you at a Banks O’ Dee game this season (we’ve only got 1 stand, two wee enclosures and like Oxford no stand behind the goal - though we do have the bonny banks of the Dee to admire as the river heads down to become the legendary ‘Uisge Beath’ AKA Whisky!)
And I raise a glass to you Oxford for happy memories of a grand day out!
Today was the first video I've watched on this channel, I do enjoy viewing football fanbase videos found it interesting content regarding Oxford Utd and their plans for a new ground in the future. I'm a Portsmouth FC fan I've seen same epic Pompey V Oxford U games in the past at Fratton Park. All the best for the coming season
Thankfully we have a proposed new stadium in the works, as you mentioned, it’s not an ideal stadium but it’s also the first stadium I’ve been to apart from Anfield, I watch Oxford due to living in Aylesbury and the club have grown on me, the Chinese near the club shop is amazing though
I have only been to watch football in Oxford once. It was a F.A.Cup tie 85/86 season Oxford 1 v 1 Spurs. The weather was horrendous. Snow and rain. Soaked to the skin after another Spursy performance. Great days! I wish Oxford United and their fans all the best in their pursuit of a new stadium.
Your not kidding. Worst weather I have seen at a footie match. 😂😂
Many smaller clubs missed out on a rare European adventure in the post Heysel era.
Southampton, Coventry, Luton, Derby, Forest, Wimbledon. Norwich missed out 3 times 😮.
Oxford are the only one to miss out on their one and only chance.
All the others qualified in other years or at least played in Anglo Italian cup, or Wimbledon (Intertoto) Coventry (Fairs Cup)
Strangely enough local rivals Swindon also missed out when won the League Cup in the 60s as they weren't top flight.
To be fair, at the time, the club was bankrolled by a man who stole hundreds of millons of pounds, from thousands of workers pension fund, to finance his and his family's lifestyle. Other clubs and their supporters were denied the success that Oxford United enjoyed at the time because of this.
Forest, I don't support Forest, but what are you talking about????? They won two Champions League during that era
@@tonybarrett8543No they won the European Cup twice.....a much more different competition back then rather than the rich devalued competition it is now. It was champions only.
Oxford also played in the Anglo Italian Cup way back in the early 70s. Pretty sure we never made it past the group stage though.
@@colinbest8610
You're right!
They beat Roma away.
Went out with 6 points, unbeaten.
Bologna went through with 2.
None of the Italians in Oxford section won a game.
Great video. Very informative too - always enjoy learning a bit about club histories and the challenges they face. Keep up the good work! If you ever make it back out to Oz, and slightly quirky stadia are your thing, you should visit the one at Gosford on the Central Coast, home of the Mariners. Another one with three stands but also palm trees behind the other. Not something you'll find in the UK or Europe!
Great video mate, went there last season as a Bolton fan, great mixing with the Oxford faithful and all round good day out.....then there's getting off the car park, say no more! Good luck next season.
I mean… technically Oxford haven’t been in the premier league, but they have been in the first division, which in old money, is the same thing
Livingston is my first club. But I lived in Witney and went to see Oxford every week. Went to Wembley to get back to the football league and watched the yellows at Upton Park in the FA cup. Went to away games too and loved watching them. It was nice that they were similar colours to my beloved Livingston. Great video.
I lived at Eynsham between 1962 - 1973. Went back last year for the annual Carnival, so quiet & peaceful would love to see out my days living there again.
I was born near Livingston and now live in Didcot supporting the U's
The old Manor Ground had an amazing atmosphere especially night games
Oxford not the only club who went into partnership with a local council for a new stadium and got shafted
Falkirk FC also
It’s not the council. The stadium is owned by Firoz Kassam
local Asian you mean.....common occurence with quite a few clubs
A season ticket holder at The Manor as a teenager. Some great memories. Hate the kassam...devoid of soul and in the middle of nowhere. Kiddy would be a great location with good bus and train links.....plus I'm originally from Cutteslowe so only up the road from my family home.....
Carlisle fan here. I feel the two clubs are in a similar spot, even though Carlisle own the ground, and it's a decent size at that, it's being run down year on year due to lack of finances, we got a lucky league one break tho. Only hoping both teams can do well!
I think Oxford`s fence is nicer than Falkirk`s at crappy Westfield,but i agree both clubs have been hampered by having unfinished stadium in a poor location for home fans to travel to.
Falkirk should have played at the Warriors ground and rebuilt Brockville as there was always plenty of space and the decision was never the clubs to sell the land to a supermarket that was the criminal Falkirk Labour party that did that as the land was always council property gifted to FFC.
The half built stadium is also their fault and not the clubs as they only own a share of the ground.
edit silver lining and all that at least Oxford dont own any part of that terrible half built tragedy.
I drove past Falkirks ground on my way to Ochilview, it looked very impressive so I went and had a look. The gate was open so i went in (there was a kids match just finishing).... I couldn't believe it was only 3 sides!!
But, I still want to go back to see a match, Falkirk is still unfinished business for me!
Great video. And really good to see a brief clip of Leichhardt Oval in there - as a Groundhopping Rugby League fan, I've been there a few times on my travels!!
... And The Rock at Cefyn Druids!!
The Manor Ground was a proper stadium. I got to do work experience there for a week towards the end of the 90s. They didn’t really know what to do with me, but I got to have a good look around the place, also did a day helping out in the club shop down the road. Also remember going to watch a game one Saturday afternoon, came out afterwards and couldn’t find the bus stop to get home….had to call my Dad to come and pick me up 😂
Oxford is ripe for investment. Large city, excellent links to London, huge potential fanbase, rich history. Some foreign investment and a good marketing team could transform that club.
Being a AFCB fan i first went to to the Manor Ground in the late 80s. Small ground like Dean Court. Never been to the kassem stadium.
Thankfully the club is moving when the lease ends in a few years and since they got promoted to the Championship a few days ago that money even if it's just 1 season will go a long way to funding the new stadium at Oxford Parkway
Realistically they should invest half the money there predict to earn in next season and put it towards either signings/or wages for Season long loans to consolidate championship football. Much better to be try and stay in the championship and look to build in the next 4 or 5 seasons to a shot of reaching the top flight. Much more financial reward that way, if the board staff are clever enough about it
Great video,as a Leicester Fan i can remember playing Oxford in a friendly in about 2012 and a great olde worlde pub there.
Hi Sam, shame to have missed you, I work in the club shop! We’re open Mon-Fri and match day Saturdays! Didn’t realise you were from Oxford yourself, I watch your videos daily! Next time you visit come into the club shop for a chat 👍🏼
Great video although I would say there is a decent club shop around the corner from the Cinema (part of the same building).
We do deserve our own stadium and thankfully Heads of Terms on the lease have recently been approved so it's all looking positive for OUFC 💛💙
Good video, nice to watch one of my local club, hoping 2 watch preseason friendlies later this month, something broken at that hollywood bowl doesn't surprise me, club shop just around the corner from bowling etc
STFC on your pitch!!! Roll on 2026 when they have no stadium and playing in non league! Bring me some popcorn 😂
In our very grim years at Bloomfield road under the oyscums ,we only had two stands for a couple of seasons ,and the biggest insult was our old south stand was demolished ,and what grew behind that on our clubs land ,not a new south stand it was a giant Travelodge a taller one then usual ,and we had two stands lol obviously because eventually we climbed the leagues ,blackpool fc and to premier league so our ground is decent now ,but incredibly still not finished on the east side of the ground still a temporary stand ,went up for premier league not a bad capacity nearly 18,000 ,and now because somehow more space is needed to build new east stand ,the club had to buy 10 houses back Henry street which we have ,the plan is to build the new east stand and bring capacity to 22,000 ,but there's no pride in a ground that isn't 4 stands .
Used to love The Manor Ground @Headington, Oxford with its slope. Went there every year with Millwall and, initially, always the same. 2,000 Millwall turn up early and take the whole of the Home End in the days of Ron Atkinson (whatever happened to him?) and his brother Graham. After a few years Oxford got wise and the end was split down the middle in 2.
I will always remember an American Tourist saying to her husband on saying Millwall fans marching from the train station to the ground " Gee,that must have a Carnival"
I went as an away fan about 20 years ago; I was told that day that Kassam was waiting until they were in the prem to build the 4th stand...
Can't be bothered to scroll through all the comments, but just need to correct one fact in your excellent vlog. OUFC were the first team to go out of the League having once won a so-called major trophy (the league Cup). However, in 1988 Luton won the League Cup (beat OUFC in the semi-final) - and as we all know, they spent a few seasons on the National League (1 more than us).
Good to see you reference the blue plaque. That is the only reference to OUFC on any building or street in the city (aside from our current 3-sided dump). A disgrace; but symptomatic of how football is viewed by the the Council, or indeed the real rulers of the city, the University! There is one other football related plaque near where Oxford City's smashing old White House Ground was. They, of course, were made homeless by Brasenose College! They spent may years just playing on a local rec after that.
Contrast AFC Wimbledon's new home, where the nearby streets are named after famous players.
Derby fan here done around 38/92 and definitely up there with worst and most soulless I’ve been too, my seat was one of the last next to the empty ‘stand’ (car park). Nothing against Oxford but it’s in the middle of nowhere, no transport links and seems quite new too, baffling ground.
Any chance you could visit Basingstoke and do a video? The club were kicked out of their original ground by the owner who wants to build houses on the land and now have to rent the ground from the Hampshire FA. It's a story of greed, corruption and incompetence.
Oxford also the only club to win back to back league titles followed by a major trophy-84, 85 & 86
Ah the Old Manor ground - in the 80s/90s ...happy days...
I had many great times at the Manor back in the 80s. My club is Pompey, and we had many fantastic battles. So happy we both clambered out of league 1.
I discovered Oxford United on FIFA 15 and did a ROTG with them. I had a lot of fun with them and have been following them ever since :) I really wish to see a match at the Kassam one day. Or even at the new stadium
I was actually at the last game at the Manor. I'm a Swindon fan, but my great-grandfather not only helped build the ground, but played for Headington United and was on the board of both United and Oxford City after he retired.
As a fan that grew up supporting Carlisle United and Celtic I'm happy with both stadiums. Carlisle United have never had any money so their stadium is old with 3 sides of terracing and fans love it. Celtic on the other hand built a new stadium paid for by the fans, and is still a great stadium.
Can't comment on Oxford as I've never been there but heard it's pretty soulless.
A a Celtic fan I've had the experience of Ibrox as an away fan,both winning and loosing....it's pretty dam good but still not a patch on Paradise 😂
Used to love The Manor Ground @Headington, Oxford with its slope. Went there every year with Millwall and, initially, always the same. 2,000 Millwall turn up early and take the whole of the Home End in the days of Ron Atkinson (whatever happened to him?) and his brother Graham. After a few years Oxford got wise and the end was split down the middle in 2.
I will always remember an American Tourist saying to her husband on saying Millwall fans marching from the train station to the ground " Gee,they must have a Carnival" lol
Being a Oxford fan majority of this was correct - only thing I would say getting for the ground is not that difficult we have recently introduced a fan bar in the complex what allows home and away fans.
But ask any Oxford fan we want out of the kassam and have our new stadium
Due to Pompey bottling promotion again and again, I’ve had the luxury of Oxford away a few times recently and it’s an awful ground with dire infrastructure around it. I feel sorry for Oxford fans. For the size of the club and position they find themselves in currently, they’re well supported. Certainly think they could be a stable champ club given the right circumstances. If clubs like Luton, Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford have done it then why not Oxford I guess 🤷🏻♂️
There was a decent pub opposite the ground but it closed a few years ago
Oxford are potentially a sleeping giant! Great video aswell mate! New subscriber here 👊
Thanks for the video Sam. Surprising there are any crap stadiums in England, annual investments of £billions. Scotland is on a very slim budget.
That weird three-stand arrangement is like some random informal open ground at a public park where everyone plays with a beer in their hand. LOL
I used to go to both the Manor Ground and the Kassam Stadium between 1997 to around 2012, I used to go to as many home games as I was able to, I have since moved away from Oxfordshire, so it has been a bit of a struggle to go back.
The Manor Ground had a great atmosphere, especially in the standing area behind the goal, there was a legendary bloke nicknamed “Nappy” with a bellowing voice who started up all the chants…who sadly passed away, around the same time Oxford moved to the Kassam. I recall seeing a plaque commemorating him, once you go through the ticket gates and into the stadium…
I personally have fond memories of the Kassam, there are definitely stadiums far worse, in terms of facilities etc…though, it has to be said, the area around the ground is pretty non-descript..
That said, given that it hasn’t been possible to build the 4th stand, and due to the lease about to expire, it’s definitely time to move on, hopefully fingers crossed they get the go ahead for the new stadium in Kidlington…
Nice to see a video featuring Headington, as I was a frequent visitor to the area during the 90s as my aunt (and her family) lived a few roads down from the Shark. 🙂
I never actually got to see a game, at the Manor ground though, unfortunately.
I'm confused, why are you not at Selhurst Park??
Dean Courts’ re build was completed later than planned so B’mouth played early home games at Dorchester until it was ready in November 2001 apart from one goal end which only got temporarily done after promotion to Championship 13 yrs later in 2013. Everyone complains about the ground but Oxford Utds’ ground of the same age looks twice as big as Dean Court .
As an away fan I like being able to keep an eye on my car whilst also watching the game 🤣🤣
I once went away to the Manor Ground and there was a cheer every time the digital thermometer dropped a degree....the game was so exciting all I remember is it got down to 2 degrees C!!!
And 10 months later they are in the Championship
Nice to see a video on oxford we dont ger many
It's a short timescale so if the new ground is to be built it has to be quickly or the club could be homeless by 2026-27 season.
Oxford have been totally screwed over for years by Firoz Kassam. This dodgy businessman ( check out how he first made his fortune by housing the poor in squalid conditions whilst taking government money ) originally convinced Oxford council he would finish the development of the ground ( it sat half built and uncompleted for a long time) in exchange for control of the land around it. Hence he is the landlord of the restaurants , gym etc around the ground. He was the club owner , just built three stands , did not invest in the club and sold it with talk he would sell stadium. He reneged on that deal and instead rents the stadium to the club at terms which mean it’s difficult for Oxford to build any revenue. The sooner they are out of his grasp the better. A combination of poor council officials agreeing a deal with an unethical businessman who basically got control of land for his own development purposes have held the club back for years.
As a Wycombe fan, I can think of a lot worse grounds than the Kassam. (Have you ever been to Luton?) With a 4th stand it would be a very good ground. But Kidlington would be a good option. Trouble for English clubs, particularly in the south, is the attitude of local councils. They want theglory but not the hassle. Look at Wimbledon AFC and Brighton; how long did it take them to get a new ground? Hope you get it sorted Oxford, we don't want another Bury!
Same. Worst thing about it is that is could and should be a super little ground, but it's been neglected due to all the ownership issues. Been there for a few rugby matches too and fortunately the beer and friends distract you. 😊
Yes Wycombe is worse than Oxford
The owner of this club is Erick Thohir, he is the former owner of the Inter Milan club. He is very well known in Indonesia, he is the chairman of the All Indonesian Football Association and a minister who will soon be running for vice president of Indonesia. He also has shares in Persib Bandung Football Club. One of the big clubs in Indonesia and the oldest in Asia
It is awful but the manor was also a dump and neither could be classed as the worst, I do hate these out of town places where you can only get a drink at some family friendly place like that or even a bowling alley, I still think Barrow's ground is the worst.
Yeh I’m from kidlington hope this gets the go a head literally would 5min drive my first team is Chelsea but I would deffo go to games if it’s that close great vid can’t believe you from here
I don't know if it was the worst ground in the Football League but Northampton Town used to share its ground with the county cricket club.
The worst ground in the League back then was The Shay, Halifax. It was a dreadful, semi-derelict, ground with only the sides useable between 1985 and 1998.
Totally modernised now though.
I'd probably say, even though I follow them as a second team, Newport County's Rodney Parade is the worst ground in the League now.
That'll be their old ground,not Sixfields......
Not really the worst stadium,only thing is more of an infrastructure is needed through the new stadium and Oxford United are one of my favourites ever,good friend Sam!!!🏋️♂️
Great analysis and video.
Brilliant video I've been to the Manor ground and I was surprised how Oxford managed to get to where they are currently quite sad hope they get own stadium as from my own experience of ground sharing brighton with Gillingham it's not nice good luck
As always a super video Sam, cheers pal. I do think though that Oxford City Council is more concerned with the present global warming grift and 15 minute cities than trying to help the football club.
Great video!
I been watching your videos for a while and they always give me something to do when im bored!
I didn't know you were born in Oxford!
Keep up the good work!
#Respect from Coventry
PS: I have fond memories of my only trip to the Kassam to watch a game in the second leg of the play-offs in 2007 when both my side (Exeter) and Oxford were playing non-league football.
We took a 1-0 deficit there, went down 1-0 on the night to make it 2-0 Oxford, but came back to make it 2-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate, winning on penalties to seal our first ever trip to Wembley.
Unfortunately we didn’t make it past the final hurdle that year, but managed it a year later thankfully to end 5 years of hurt in non-league.
And look how far both sides have come now - both respectable L1 sides.
Any chance of a trip down here to Devon soon Sam?
Devon derby would be great to cover, shame it won’t be played in the league next season
@@RaggedDan Hopefully we’ll lock horns with ‘them’ again in the not too distant future. Both games last season saw both teams give everything, I’ve seen enough over my years of following ECFC where we haven’t turned up for derbies, whereas last season we gave it a good go and it was quality and odd errors that cost us. Best of luck for the season ahead (apart from when you play us of course!).
@@chrissumner9761 absolutely mate you too
I was there for the 2nd leg 😥
i 100% agree with you on this and we did they and get a another temp stand and the owner of the ground said no to it due to then not having the right amont of parking for safe parking
Another stadium that is hard to get to if you don’t drive ,
The Manor had a covenant on the ground that meant the land had to be used for leisure purposes. This held up the sale to Nuffield for the private hospital.
I think (correct me), that essentially the same condition applies to the Kassam. So while the club only has a lease until 2026 - formally, the council can veto any redevelopment of the site for housing???
THAT is the way forward....council refuse permission to demolish the kassam......Ka$$am will then negotiate a sale to the club.....but we must buy the WHOLE complex,let him keep his immigrant filled "hotels" ....there are plans to reopen a defunct rail trackright next o the Kassam ,there are plans to build 4500 houses on the other side of the road (meaning that the stadium will be surrounded by at least 25000 potential customers within WALKING distance of the ground,we could also take over the lease of the Priry pub (derelict at the monent) ....there ya go.....and even after building a 4th stand etc etc it will cost HALF what is gonna be spent on a pathetic 16000 capacity stadium in the middle of nowhere.......GET NEGOTIATING!!!!! and the council.....GROW A FKIN PAIR!!!!!
The Kassam stadium is literally in Blackbirdleys/GreaterLeys and is a mere 2-5 minute walk to. Its so close to everyone.....
When I visited last year I thought the stadium itself was okay but I would hate to go there every week, at the back of an industrial park, only option is to drive, took a while to get out of too.
Hopefully they’ll get permission for a new ground.
They’re not short of a bob or two considering how much some of their players are on, but to be able to generate their own revenue from the stadium could take them to another level.
I once saw oxford utd away to forest green rovers in non league days. early during the second half there was a power cut and the whole stadium ended up in darkness. you could not see anything. after 20 mins the lights came back on.
Excellent video as always Sam just wondering where all the money went from the sale of the manor ground ?
Kassam's pocket by all accounts. Another reason why he isn't very well liked by the fans.
Managing them in FM at the moment. After this video, i'll make it a top goal to manage the finances strictly and improve the stadium
The reason the kassam has three sides is because Oxford city Council would not allow firoz kassam access to the adjacent land to build the ozone complex unless he built the stadium first. So in order to save money, firoz kassam did the minimum amount possible in order to get the stadium up and running, which resulted in only 3 sides getting built. He deemed this was enough for a club of oxford's size and fanbase. Kassam was only ever interested in his business, not the club. That's why there was little investment in the squad, which resulted in Oxford going down to the conference, and no further investment in the stadium. Granted, Oxford united would have gone under if firoz kassam hadn't bought the club. But i think it's clear he had an ulterior motive.
my first football game i went to was at the manor ground (Alex Ferguson's first game with Man U). Used to live in Wheatley and always remember going past the old entrance in Headington.
Looking at the number of non footballing events the stadium owners hold, the reason it only has 3 sides is to make stage building and load in/out really easy.
Have been a season ticket holder at both the Manor and the Kassam. The city might be big but the majority of residents are university students here for 3/4 years so the fan base isn’t as big as it might be. League 1 is about our level, saw them first in what is now the championship and would like to see them back at that level once more. Fearful after the last move, all that went wrong leaving us in this position and the crazy tight timescale to get a new stadium by 26/27 that things might get worse before they get better.
Good news for you
It's not the worst, just looks like a jigsaw puzzle missing a piece, Old Trafford is falling apart at the seems, looks good from the outside, but inside it has not had a lick of paint for years , or upgrades. Went to a champions league game there, mate had free tickets, the concourse was awful, the Glazers have not spent a penny.
Cracking feedback about the Cricket Team here - believe it or not this is the same story with AC Milan too.
The Athletic and Cricket Club of Milan was set up to give the players something to do, to keep them fit and to bring some money into the club.
The clue is in the name and the badge as it has the English flag in the badge along with the team being called the English name instead of the Italian Milano.
The Manor Ground was a great little stadium. Cracking atmosphere. They should never have left and there were no serious discussions about redeveloping the ground. Maxwell was there at the time and all he cared about was squeezing every last penny out of the club that he could. The Kassam is awful - soulless and a wind tunnel. You seem to give the impression that the move to Kidlington is a foregone conclusion. Not so, there are lots of hurdles still to be jumped. Nice video though. At 3:47 you are at the old Beech Road entrance to the main stand and I used to chain my bike up to the lamppost on the corner before going into the ground.
I was in the Oxford utd car park last week. It certainly needs cleaning up. Everything was so over grown with all the bushes encroaching into the parking spaces. That's the car park behind the stand opposite the open end.
Thanks for this video. Where did the money go from the sale of the Manor Ground I wonder?
Good video, have you visited Oxford City FC as well?
the club shop is actually hidden around a back alley almost, just go past franky and benny's and it's down there
Was there last season for a game v Forest Green! I'm sure the club shop was round the side of that strip mall!