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| Contents | |
| What's The
Kassam Stadium Like? Future Ground Developments The South & Oxford Mail Stands (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? North Stand (photo) Where To Drink? Looking Towards The West End (photo) How To Get There By Car & Where To Park By Train A Closer Look At The Oxford Mail Stand (photo) Local Rivals Admission Prices Programme Ground Layout Disabled Facilities Fixtures 2011-2012 Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Kassam Stadium Location Map |
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| What's The Kassam Stadium Like? | |
| The club moved from the Manor Ground in the Summer of 2001, to the purpose built Kassam Stadium (named after the former Chairman Firoz Kassam). The stadium was built at a cost of around £15m and is located on the outskirts of Oxford. It has only three sides, with one end remaining unused. Each of the stands are of a good size, are all seated, covered and are roughly of the same height. The South Stand on one side of the pitch, is a two tiered stand with a row of executive boxes. This is a particularly impressive looking stand with police control and press boxes situated at the back. Opposite is the single tiered North Stand, primarily given to away supporters. This has a number of strange looking floodlights protruding from its roof. At the one end is the Oxford Mail Stand, which is also single tiered. There is a special type of pitch, one of the first to have artificial grass woven into the live turf. One disappointment is the large gaps in the corners, which sets the stands back from the playing surface and means cold winds whistling through in winter. | |
| Future Ground Developments | |
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Foundations have been put in place for the future construction of a fourth stand, at the West End of the stadium. However it is unlikely that this will be built for at least a couple of years. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
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Away fans are housed on one side of the North Stand, towards the open end of the ground. This stand may be shared with home supporters, or as was the case on my visit, the whole stand was given to the away support. There is not much around the ground in terms of pubs and eating establishments, so you may have to find such comforts within the ground itself. The refreshments on offer are okay, on offer are: Rollover Hot Dogs & Burgers (£3), a range of Jacksons Pies & Pasties (£2.50) and Jumbo Sausage Rolls (£2.30). However, I have had a number of reports that it still takes an eternity to get served in the refreshment area and/or that they have run out of hot food/drinks. One visiting supporter even suggested taking a flask and a packed lunch. The Kassam is light years
away from the old Manor Ground. The facilities within
and pitch view are excellent, and there is also good
leg room. The atmosphere within the ground is not bad,
with the Oxford fans in the Oxford Mail Stand doing
their best to raise it. Although I did notice that
they hadn't quite got used to their new home, still
chanting the London Road End chant from the Manor
Ground. With one end of the ground being open, there
is always the remark 'of watch my car' as another
wayward shot flies into the car park behind. On the
whole I found the Kassam Stadium to be an enjoyable
and a largely friendly day out. |
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| Where To Drink? | |
| The nearest Public House is 'The Priory' which is just behind the car park at the open end of the ground and is quite an historic looking building. On my visit the pub seemed fine for away fans, but can get quite crowded. It boasts a large screen for SKY TV and also offered food, in the form of a wide range of pies and filled rolls. In the weather is good then the pub also do a barbecue prior to the match. Andy Wraight adds, 'There is now a Holiday Inn Express Hotel on the corner behind the Oxford Mail and South Stand, which has a fair sized bar. The bar welcomes football supporters and has Sky Television. Kim Rockall informs me; 'A new cinema and bowling alley complex was recently opened adjacent to the stadium, called Ozone. Inside the bowling alley there is a bar, which also has SKY TV and a fast food outlet'. There is also on the complex a Chinese buffet restaurant called Oxy Oriental. Alcohol is served within the ground in the form of Carling (£2.70 a pint), Worthingtons (£2.50 a pint), Budweiser (330ml Bottle £3), Magners Cider (330ml Bottle £3) and VK Vodka Kick (Bottle £3). | |
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| How To Get There By Car & Where To Park | |
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The stadium is quite well
signposted from the main routes into Oxford, with
brown football signs pointing the way. The stadium can be found in
between the Oxford Science Park & Blackbird Leys
Estate. From the A423 Ring Road, take the A4074
towards Reading. After the roundabout with Sainsbury's
on one corner, take the left turning sign posted
Cowley/Wallington/Oxford Science Park and you
eventually come to the ground on your left. Map showing the location
of the Kassam Stadium (at the bottom
of this page). |
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| By Train | |
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Oxford railway station is
over four miles from the
ground and it is really not advisable to try to walk
it. |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Swindon Town & Reading. | |
| Admission Prices | |
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Home
Fans*: |
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| Programme | |
| Official Programme £3 | |
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| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website. | |
| Fixtures 2011-2012 | |
| Oxford United FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website) | |
| Record & Average Attendance | |
| At
The Kassam Stadium: 12,243 v Leyton Orient, League Two, May 6th 2006. At The Manor Ground: 22,750 v Preston North End, FA Cup 6th Round, February 29th, 1964. Average Attendance: 2010-2011: 7,277 (League Two) 2009-2010: 5,966 (Blue Square Premier) 2008-2009: 4,879 (Blue Square Premier) |
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| Fans Reviews Of The Kassam Stadium | |
| John
Spooner (Southend United) 28/4/12 Kevin Hulbert (Port Vale) 29/10/11 Paul Dickinson (Doing The 92) 8/10/11 |
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| Hotel Accommodation | |
| If you require hotel
accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking
service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all types of
accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from;
Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast
establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced
Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward
and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small
commission if you book through them, but it will go to
help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going.
The Hotels listing also includes details of how far away
the accommodation is located from the Kassam Stadium. Access their Oxford Hotels and Guest Houses page. Remember that you can use the above link or panel below to book any other hotels that you may need for business or leisure, either in the UK or abroad. |
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| Map showing the location of the Kassam Stadium and listed pubs | |
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Instructions for using
the map: |
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| Feedback | |
| If
anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail duncan@footballgrounds.net and
I'll update the guide. |
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All rights
reserved
Last Updated: 6 May 2012