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Post by Best Mate on May 16, 2012 7:47:32 GMT
But it's another indication of how far we've fallen. We've got a slum landlord dictating to us who we share our "home" with. I f*cking hate what that c*nt has done to us, and fear that people of my age have lost forever the Oxford United we grew up with. I don't think I'll ever see this club united and at it's own home. We used to be so proud. We punched above our weight, we took on all comers, we were UNITED. The Manor was a fortress. Now we've become the sort of club that we used to deride......all thanks to one man, Firoz Kassam. c*nt. I don't always agree Eric - but amen to that post. I fear the same.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2012 7:53:33 GMT
I think I do too. Still think back to the likes of Denis Smith with his bull hat and thumping Leeds 5-2 in 1985
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Post by Simon Lill on May 16, 2012 7:57:36 GMT
Can see a lot of Rugby snobs being put off by the Kassams salubrious location as well, pimms in the Blackbird Hugo? Explain Gloucester and Northampton then. Both Kingsholm and Franklin's Gardens are located in 'worse' areas than Grenoble Road.
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Post by Simon Lill on May 16, 2012 7:58:48 GMT
But it's another indication of how far we've fallen. We've got a slum landlord dictating to us who we share our "home" with. I f*cking hate what that c*nt has done to us, and fear that people of my age have lost forever the Oxford United we grew up with. I don't think I'll ever see this club united and at it's own home. We used to be so proud. We punched above our weight, we took on all comers, we were UNITED. The Manor was a fortress. Now we've become the sort of club that we used to deride......all thanks to one man, Firoz Kassam. c*nt. I feel your pain Eric
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Post by pottersrightboot on May 16, 2012 8:16:29 GMT
Aren't we missing the point?
The fact that there is a potential rugby tenant in tow makes a stadium purchase more likely in my view.
The issue for me is the pitch. Can it cope? Because I am sure some of us will remember the abomination of the pitch that was Edgeley Park.
I am sure it actually contributed to Stockport's eventual relegation.
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Post by hairy on May 16, 2012 8:32:05 GMT
Can see a lot of Rugby snobs being put off by the Kassams salubrious location as well, pimms in the Blackbird Hugo? Explain Gloucester and Northampton then. Both Kingsholm and Franklin's Gardens are located in 'worse' areas than Grenoble Road. But both those clubs have history in that area and are named after those towns, while London Welsh are an unglamorous side being bought in, its not the same situation.
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Post by Simon Lill on May 16, 2012 8:38:18 GMT
Oh I understand the argument about them not being an 'Oxford' club and I would much rather see someone invest in the best placed Oxford Rugby side (whoever that is) and try and push them up the leagues.
Was just commenting on the argument about the proximity of the ground.
If there was a genuine desire for rugby in the city, at a highish level, then I don't see the location of The Kassam stadium being a factor whatsoever
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Post by outofthegloom on May 16, 2012 8:54:43 GMT
Since speedway ceased, I have though it a shame there is no other regular professional team sport in the county. Pity that University sport is not more high profile like in the US.
Not a rugby follower. So can’t profess any real knowledge or enthusiasm. If we owned the stadium and it was a one-off event, as we have had previously. I would be in favour.
The idea of regular rugby is obviously a concern for us (with regard to the pitch), London Welsh supporters (presumably they live in London) and rugby within Oxfordshire (I'd be less against Henley Hawks).
Honestly, I’m a bit a NIMBY.
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Post by cottonsocks on May 16, 2012 9:44:49 GMT
You have to smile at some people !! hostile / loud tv / hope they don`t drift over to the nose or bird , i enjoy the quiet family life off match days thats why i run the priory and not one of the other pubs mentioned, we will make the effort for them if they like it/us all good if they don`t then so be it...
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Post by Si Bradbury on May 16, 2012 9:49:49 GMT
We all derided Wimbledon moving to Milton Keynes and killing off a community and its following/support.
It looks exactly what London Welsh are proposing but then I guess they would say they were moving closer to "home".
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Post by swissyellow on May 16, 2012 11:09:35 GMT
This is directly to Eric.
READ the BBC report:
Here's some quotes
"It is a great opportunity to bring top-flight rugby to Oxford, and another top-flight sport to the community," Thomas continued.
"But we won't forget our fan base in south west London and will make sure they can get there.
"I've had direct conversations with [Oxford United chairman] Kelvin Thomas that have been very constructive.
"Clearly from the football club's point of view we would be able to share costs and build links in the community."
and the MOST important point, remember I'm no Kassam fan at all : read THIS QUOTE
"Thomas believes the move could be mutually beneficial for both clubs, although the owner of the ground Firoz Kassam would also need to approve the move. "
Shock of shocks, perhaps the club put this together and not Kassam.
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Post by ZeroTheHero on May 16, 2012 11:15:32 GMT
Since speedway ceased, I have though it a shame there is no other regular professional team sport in the county. I thought you were about to suggest speedway at the Ka$$am! That would certainly keep the groundsman occupied!
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Post by Long John Silver on May 16, 2012 11:19:36 GMT
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! If we accept this groundshare bollocks, I will personally go out to severely injure whoever is responsible. Watch out Kelvin!
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Post by The Fence End on May 16, 2012 11:20:08 GMT
This is directly to Eric. READ the BBC report: Here's some quotes "It is a great opportunity to bring top-flight rugby to Oxford, and another top-flight sport to the community," Thomas continued. "But we won't forget our fan base in south west London and will make sure they can get there. "I've had direct conversations with [Oxford United chairman] Kelvin Thomas that have been very constructive. "Clearly from the football club's point of view we would be able to share costs and build links in the community." and the MOST important point, remember I'm no Kassam fan at all : read THIS QUOTE "Thomas believes the move could be mutually beneficial for both clubs, although the owner of the ground Firoz Kassam would also need to approve the move. " Shock of shocks, perhaps the club put this together and not Kassam. Reading that there must be some benefit for the club. But what? Share the rent?
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Post by swissyellow on May 16, 2012 11:30:15 GMT
I can think of a few
Additional revenues from stadium, stand or season long sponsors, lowering of costs of certain match day charges, by using a shared resource Additional commercial opportunities for the club Potential new supporters to match day
Let's get this straight, I'm bored stoopid by Rugby but I have a feeling this all adds benefit to the club.
The main downside for me is the pitch, but Reading seem to have got over that issue.
I also feel for the 300-400 London Welsh fans who are going to be put right out.
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Post by chamonixox on May 16, 2012 11:47:35 GMT
If they can guarantee that the pitch condition will not deteriorate with too many games, then I would welcome London Welsh with open arms. BRING IT ON, it's about time top-class rugby was brought to Oxford. You will then see a fantastic game played in a marvellous atmosphere. I won't see anything, because I won't be attending any rugby matches. f*cking hate egg chasing and the middle class pompous twats who watch it. Eric - on this occasion I'll disagree with you on this one. For a start - I loved playing the game. Violence and aggression and no CCTV to worry about - you should try it sometime! No Aquascutum however - rugby blokes prefer contact to posturing!! Certainly better than playing football on a Sunday and find you had a fine in the post by Thursday for some innocuous tackle ("it was below the waste Ref")! As for the middle-class twats bit - father (RIP) worked at Pressed Steel Fisher welding Rolls Royces (so he did have a roller - even if it was for just for 5 minutes at a time) and with several boys I wouldn't exactly call us posh! Also, pop down the road to Didcot and ask for the boys that used to play for Didcot RFC if they are middle class and posh!! Finally on the posh point, having lived in Leicester for nearly a decade, I wouldn't call Tigers or Saints fans exactly posh either - and as for Gloucester....... Huge misconception - with the exception of the south east and particular Surrey teams! Oxford is in my blood despite having moved away - but out of the two games (Rugby and Football), one you need a brain and some bollocks - the other you don't (and I'm afraid it aint football with the former)! If it wasn't for Oxford I wouldn't give a shit about the round ball game - players diving, whining, arguing with refs, ridiculous salaries, WAGs, prawn sandwiches, all seater stadiums, I could go on - it aint the same and one might argue its football that has become the posh middle class bore! Watch a game of rugby and its fast, ferocious and thoroughly entertaining - can it be said the same about football? All in all - sharing costs has to be a good thing and I'm surprised so many are against it? Pitch has to be managed yes, but this means more money for the club, and therefore hopefully players, back room staff, youth and reserve teams, wider marketing opportunities, etc? And as pointed out by others - perhaps a long-term financial model that might make buying the ground a little closer? Only problem I see with it is that its London Welsh - as there is no way I'm going to watch anything to do with that lot over the border (the wife the exception - she is Welsh but each day she gets 'little' more English)! Watching and supporting anything Welsh is after all nearly as heinous as being associated with that lot down the A420! And funnily enough - they both play in red!
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Post by Mark on May 16, 2012 12:43:05 GMT
Obviously the revenue will go to Kassam, but presumably our service charge would go down a bit? (whatever that covers)
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Post by SteMerritt on May 16, 2012 13:22:55 GMT
players diving, whining, arguing with refs, ridiculous salaries, WAGs, prawn sandwiches, all seater stadiums, I could go on - it aint the same and one might argue its football that has become the posh middle class bore! Rugby players have recently banned for pulling hair, and for scratching eyes, and for stamping on players who are on the floor. Great role models. Footballers aren't great, as we all know, but don't get saying Rugby Players are any better. Out drinking during world cups, jumping off ferries, the list goes on and on. Oh, Gavin Henson. Worse than any footballer. Stick to Cricket, that's where all the decent role models are these days... Flintoff.... Tuffnell....
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Post by ovaltoyou on May 16, 2012 17:56:30 GMT
I like both Sports, Football and Rugby. I play and have played both sports and each to their own, but if the pitch can be maintained well for both sets of codes, then it could be a great move for both clubs. London Welsh have a great pedigree as a rugby club and are on their way back to the top. As people have said it could be that resources from both Rugby and Football may be enough to purchase the Stadium in the long run. One last little mention, I have met a London Welsh season ticket holder in Oxfordshire and there is a lot of Welsh heritage in and around Oxford, when families moved from South Wales to the Car Factory down the road.
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Post by tomox on May 16, 2012 18:33:15 GMT
I'd expect Tim at the priory isn't taking the news to badly....
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Post by Colin B on May 16, 2012 20:22:12 GMT
I won't see anything, because I won't be attending any rugby matches. f*cking hate egg chasing and the middle class pompous twats who watch it. Eric - on this occasion I'll disagree with you on this one. For a start - I loved playing the game. Violence and aggression and no CCTV to worry about - you should try it sometime! No Aquascutum however - rugby blokes prefer contact to posturing!! Certainly better than playing football on a Sunday and find you had a fine in the post by Thursday for some innocuous tackle ("it was below the waste Ref")! As for the middle-class twats bit - father (RIP) worked at Pressed Steel Fisher welding Rolls Royces (so he did have a roller - even if it was for just for 5 minutes at a time) and with several boys I wouldn't exactly call us posh! Also, pop down the road to Didcot and ask for the boys that used to play for Didcot RFC if they are middle class and posh!! Finally on the posh point, having lived in Leicester for nearly a decade, I wouldn't call Tigers or Saints fans exactly posh either - and as for Gloucester....... Huge misconception - with the exception of the south east and particular Surrey teams! Oxford is in my blood despite having moved away - but out of the two games (Rugby and Football), one you need a brain and some bollocks - the other you don't (and I'm afraid it aint football with the former)! If it wasn't for Oxford I wouldn't give a shit about the round ball game - players diving, whining, arguing with refs, ridiculous salaries, WAGs, prawn sandwiches, all seater stadiums, I could go on - it aint the same and one might argue its football that has become the posh middle class bore! Watch a game of rugby and its fast, ferocious and thoroughly entertaining - can it be said the same about football? All in all - sharing costs has to be a good thing and I'm surprised so many are against it? Pitch has to be managed yes, but this means more money for the club, and therefore hopefully players, back room staff, youth and reserve teams, wider marketing opportunities, etc? And as pointed out by others - perhaps a long-term financial model that might make buying the ground a little closer? Only problem I see with it is that its London Welsh - as there is no way I'm going to watch anything to do with that lot over the border (the wife the exception - she is Welsh but each day she gets 'little' more English)! Watching and supporting anything Welsh is after all nearly as heinous as being associated with that lot down the A420! And funnily enough - they both play in red! I was waiting for a post like this. You shouldn't jump to conclusions about people, chap. You see I come from a working class background, but I passed my 11+ exam, so went to a rugby playing grammar school. I played for the school team and my views on rugby come from the inside, not as an outsider. I still maintain that it's a middle class sport and a lot of the people who follow it (as opposed to those who play it) are middle class twerps, hoorah Henry types who think it somehow makes them tough, being a rugby fan, singing stupid songs, and playing daft drinking games. They are the sort of people who were bullied at school (probably by people like me!) and quite frankly I think they are wankers and I don't want them associated with my football club. And anybody that knows me will tell you that going to Didcot, or any other rugby club, to air my views, would hold no fears for me.
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Post by Colin B on May 16, 2012 20:24:42 GMT
This is directly to Eric. READ the BBC report: Here's some quotes "It is a great opportunity to bring top-flight rugby to Oxford, and another top-flight sport to the community," Thomas continued. "But we won't forget our fan base in south west London and will make sure they can get there. "I've had direct conversations with [Oxford United chairman] Kelvin Thomas that have been very constructive. "Clearly from the football club's point of view we would be able to share costs and build links in the community." and the MOST important point, remember I'm no Kassam fan at all : read THIS QUOTE "Thomas believes the move could be mutually beneficial for both clubs, although the owner of the ground Firoz Kassam would also need to approve the move. " Shock of shocks, perhaps the club put this together and not Kassam. What BBC report? And I would be even more p*ssed off, if it was OUFC that instigated this!
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Post by ounykee14 on May 16, 2012 22:04:30 GMT
Only going by Wiki, the ownership situation of London Welsh looks to be a bit dodgy. However, as discussed, the major benefit of a rugby club being involved is, if they have decent financial backing, perhaps they could be persuaded to do a joint ownership deal. However, from what I've seen, they're only getting attendences of 500 for some games anyway, so it may be a one man and his dog on the car park hill case for games at Kass Stad. With regards to the much talked about covenant in the stadium deal, does it refer to football having to be played at Kass Stad or simply sports? Edit: Buyer rescues club from brink, promises big Middle Eastern investment, turns out to be pony. Sound familiar? www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/6179000/Saudi-backed-rugby-deal-that-turned-to-sand.html
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Post by mojofilter on May 17, 2012 7:52:55 GMT
why would a rugby team want a stadium with three sides? so many balls would go over the fence it's unreal
also, as others have mentioned, the pitch is my only real concern.
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Post by swissyellow on May 17, 2012 12:29:56 GMT
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Post by Colin B on May 17, 2012 12:41:26 GMT
This is directly to Eric. READ the BBC report: Here's some quotes "It is a great opportunity to bring top-flight rugby to Oxford, and another top-flight sport to the community," Thomas continued. "But we won't forget our fan base in south west London and will make sure they can get there. "I've had direct conversations with [Oxford United chairman] Kelvin Thomas that have been very constructive. "Clearly from the football club's point of view we would be able to share costs and build links in the community." and the MOST important point, remember I'm no Kassam fan at all : read THIS QUOTE "Thomas believes the move could be mutually beneficial for both clubs, although the owner of the ground Firoz Kassam would also need to approve the move. " Shock of shocks, perhaps the club put this together and not Kassam. Interesting. Although the bit about kassam having to approve it is not a direct quote at all, merely the writer's words, so could mean nothing. Still can't say I'm happy with it. How about we have our own ground, which we own, and us, and only us, play on it, as an idea? Oh yeah, that's what we had before kassam came along!
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2012 12:48:38 GMT
Before kassam came along we were almost bust. He did save us. Falling into the conference vs Falling out of existence.
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Post by hairy on May 17, 2012 12:57:17 GMT
Before Kassam came along we owned our own ground and were in what is now the Championship, by the time he left after "saving us " we were doomed for the Conference and owned f*ck all. He wasnt the only option to save us and as we dont know how the other choices would of panned out its hard to tell if it was for the best of the club.
Kassams idea of saving us looked and felt incredibly like he asset stripped us and moved on, think I would give going bust a go before letting that w*nker back in.
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2012 12:59:57 GMT
Yes now that would be the case because we know what he's like. But before we were in a desperate state where any buyer would do.
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Post by Gary Baldi on May 17, 2012 13:02:48 GMT
We did own our ground. But it was mortgaged to the hilt, with no hope of paying it off and it was also a health and safety time bomb waiting to go bang. We couldn't afford to move and couldn't afford to refurbish. I believe certain areas of the Manor were fortunate to be open as long as they were.
Herd and Cox's complete lunacy of building a ground with no money gave us Kassam. I wish more people were as constantly critical of those two muppets as they are Kassam. All 3 deserve our ire.
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