With my trusty camera in the coat pocket I took the chance to photograph Ollie and Olivia the bull and cow Oxford mascots. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: A great night out giving high flying League Two Oxford United a run for their money. More exits would speed this up. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. We found street parking on Grenoble Road about 200 yards from the ground. Disappointing to find the ground still has only three stands with an open end with no access for fans behind that goal. One of the Oxford fans explained that a temporary fourth stand will be erected in 2012. Fantastic to have Brian Wood MC at the training ground this morning to give the players and staff an incredible talk on team spirit, togetherness, leadership and the importance of mental health.. Though all three of the stands are good, they are all seated stands. There are several marked blue badge bays near to each stand on a first come, first served basis. Where to Eat and DrinkAt the stadium there are concessions in each concourse selling hot and cold food (including burgers and excellent pies) and drinks. No problems at all back on the M40 within 20 minutes. It took 30 minutes to get out although I've known worse than this. The ground looks very impressive and the double-tiered stand opposite is Premier League standard. These are the lines and routes that have stops nearby - Bus: X4. Nightmare getting to the Kassam Stadium, good once there, nightmare getting away. The closest SatNav postcode for the car park is OX4 1SR or you can use the interactive map above to plan your route. I have followed Sunderland for over 40 years home and away. If you are using SatNav to find us, set 'Holywell Street' as the destination rather than the postcode as the postcode will take you to the New College Lane entrance. By Air - Heathrow and Gatwick airports are both reasonably close to Oxford and linked to the city by a bus service that takes around an hour and twenty minutes. U18s face Bristol Rovers at home - Oxford United Official | Facebook We had a tip from some West Ham fans on Twitter regarding a pub called the George Arms on Sandford Road so we went there and parked. 12,243 v Leyton Orient He was looking forward to the game more than me. The stadium itself is next to a mini-retail park development, and has a bowling alley / cinema / generic-chain-restaurants, so has a strange sort of atmosphere about it. There are plans for some more modernisation though albeit minor works. The stewards were very friendly as we're the staff, facilities were ok as we're the pies. The closest SatNav postcode for the sports ground is OX3 0HJ or you can use the interactive map above to plan your route. The journey was straightforward down the M40 and the ground is well signposted although one wonders whether it is quicker to continue down the M40 south than get off at the A34 as you are instructed by the signage. The game itself was very good. At least it wasn't a Tuesday night game with no buses running! It was decided in 1995 that Oxford United would leave the Manor Ground, with the cramped and out-dated stadium no longer suitable for the club take itself to the next level. At least three coaches didnt get into the game until 15-20 minutes had gone. No issues with the home fans it was very relaxed. League Two For the first 20 years of their existence, Oxford lived a nomadic life with no home stadium as such. But as I already had the tickets for this game, I was determined to go. There is a roundabout by the second entrance, which will take you back to the first entrance if the other half is full. NEWCASTLE UNITED (DARSLEY PARK) - Site Profile | Football Foundation Fairly modernised and a decent size for the level. Then left back Ricardinho played a one two into the box before shooting through the keepers legs to give a 2-0l half time lead to Oxford. We offer a full range of pitches for training and tournaments including Six 3G pitches for five-a side The pie was very good the ground isnt one I will bother visiting again but its another one ticked off and I only have 27 to go now. Although the positioning of the away fans meant we didn't see that until the highlights afterwards showed it, even though Hylton was clearly backing in to the keeper looking for a foul so a harsh penalty in our opinion. League Two * Under 7s and Under 13s must be accompanied by a paying adult (**maximum two under 7s per adult). The work didnt resume again until February of 2000. I picked my teams and Grand National horses in the first pub 'The St.Aldate Tavern'. South Stand (Upper Tier Wings): The view is fine. They will have known, at least, that there were no evil spirits at the stadium. On arrival there was a bizarre lack of direction for the coach driver, although he did make a bit of a drama out of the whole episode, especially as we ended up parking right by the away turnstiles. Oxford United v Southend United In spite of this effort however, fans and press still called it the Kassam Stadium. 01865 337 501 Ticket Office: Directions and Map | New College Views from the away section are good Portsmouth following never sit down so again we stood, my boy on the back of the seats in front and me standing behind him holding him up. On arrival at the Kassam the coach was directed to park up in the large car park behind the open end. BBC South Live - BBC News Find relevant information about the location, other related codes, or search . Either enter a postal code (eg. Well, top of the League against a side in the relegation zone. GetTheData Source: OS VectorMap District (Ordnance Survey) Licence: Open Government Licence (requires attribution) West Ham United Fc (Chadwell Heath Training Ground) geodata. Right on half time Carey whipped in a corner and there was Bradley to head in as he did many times last season. The A34 from Newbury nearly takes you to the Kassam's front door! I had also heard good things about the Kassam Stadium. After the roundabout with Sainsburys on one corner, take the left turning signposted Cowley/Wallington/Oxford Science Park and you eventually come to the ground on your left. It was an okay day out. From the away section next to this end, we had a fine view of the car park behind it! Adults 24, Over 65s 17, Under 22s/Students 16, Under 13s 10*, Under 7s 6* The ball seemed to regularly go out over the unused end leading to stoppages in the game. This was not Argyle's best recent performance but they managed to get ball three points. The stadium is well signposted, but it is in the middle of two very big council estates and near to a huge industrial area. Good day with the best fans in the league , especially as now every club seems obsessed in trying to force a rivalry with us for some weird reason (Oxford included). We were going to drive and make a day of it with our wives. Oxford University Sport is committed to reducing our impact on the environment and reducing congestion in and around Oxford. The new proposal is set to be approved by Oxford City Council next Wednesday. The ground is modern with cantilever stands offering fans a great view. Executive boxes are always a good place to start if theres a group of you, coming with padded covered seating, waiter service and half time refreshments; or the 1893 Club may also impress with a three course meal, special guest speakers including club players and a match day host. Refreshments on offer include: Cheeseburgers (3.80), Burgers (3.40), Hot Dogs (3) and a selection of Pies produced by Chunkof Devon; Steak & Kidney, Steak & Ale, Chicken & Mushroom, plus Pie of the Week (all 3.50) as well as Traditional Pasties (3.30), Cheese & Onion Pasties (3.30) and Sausage Rolls (3). No other fans were in the pub. I then went to the nearby St Aldgate's Tavern to celebrate. We arrived at 11:15am so, as you would expect, there was no issue getting a parking space although there were already several cars there, some football supporters and some for the bowling/cinema. The news that York could only get a draw against Crawley meaning we remained seven points clear ahead of their trip to Plymouth on Easter Monday gave us even more reason to celebrate. Entry into the away stand which is shared with home fans was quick and after a quick stop for some tea I headed to my seat. It is really rather odd to arrive in the car park and to be able to see into the ground with only a wooden fence in the way. Half Time Score: Oxford United 0-0 Stevenage Call cost 5p per minute plus your telephone company's network access charge. From the city centre take the Oxford Bus Company City13 towards the John Radcliffe Hospital from Queen's Lane (stop K3). However as I was starting to come out, Oxford took the lead through Liam Sercombe. The food was very average in choices and prices, BUT the steak and Ale pie was worth every penny of the 3 and I would highly recommend it. Capabilities. The ground interested me more, but couldn't understand where the missing stand is? It was a sunny day and we were only going 30 minutes down the road, so it was no hardship whatsoever for us, but if you were in a rush or popping back to somewhere further afield then it might have been a bit less enjoyable. Normally I would be looking forward to the trip, but not this time around. Living in the south of England and supporting the Blades means that I mainly get to see only away games, and with Oxford being only an hour away it was an ideal opportunity to take advantage of a re-arranged fixture. For Tuesday night matches note that the last bus back to the city centre is currently at 9:50pm. Open on matchdays from 11-3 and for an hour after the final whistle (10-19:45 for evening matches). Right next to the ground is this Hampton hotel that has a business centre, a snack bar and a restaurant as well as a lounge. It was built as a replacement for their previous stadium, the Manor Ground, where they had played their football for 75 years. The Referee blew for full time and the reaction from the Green Army was brilliant. Oxford scored within the first couple of minutes, then Luton scored twice within as many minutes just before half time. The Oxford United training ground has been rebranded the Bangkok Glass Training Centre. A 10 minute walk to the stadium. There is not much around the ground in terms of pubs and eating establishments, although refreshments inside the stadium are okay, although if there is a large away support, then it can take quite a while to get served. Oxford United were in fine form and had just qualified for the Wembley Checkatrade Final. Manchester United (Aon Training Complex) - Carrington - GetTheData Oxford United FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website). CAE London Gatwick. Anti-Social BehaviourOxford United Football Club operates a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour in any form and expects all supporters to treat each other with respect at Grenoble Road. The catering was fine, normal fayre. Struggling for a Xmas - Wayne Brown Goalkeeper Academy | Facebook 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. From the train station, catch either the 4A, 4B or 4C bus from the Frideswide Square stop to travel in the direction of Rose Hill. They became the first team that had won a major trophy to be relegated out of the Football League. It is near the village of Carrington, Greater Manchester, England, and replaced The Cliff as the club's training ground in 2000. At the Memorial Stadium in Bristol, by 1pm the place is bopping multiple bars, all pints 3 before 1.30pm, multiple food outlets, friends and families gathering, face painting, kids activities, etc.. Oxford United should take note. This was our first game of pre-season at a venue I had not visited previously. West Ham United Fc (Chadwell Heath Training Ground) - Romford - GetTheData Floodlights are a bit rubbish. The journey took over three hours but was straightforward. Oxford Unitedare always tough to beat at their place so this would be a real test. You cant get much closer to the ground than a hotel that is actually part of it. I didn't interact with home fans mainly due to the horrendous rain and conditions of the day. The idea was that they would move to a new 16,000 seater stadium in Blackbird Leys by the turn of the millennium. / White (Third). What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Kassam Stadium? This has a huge bar where home and way fans mixed quite happily watching the early match on the big screens. Supporters may be permitted to bring musical instruments into the ground if they obtain prior permission from the Safety Officer. Second half Southend could not make a breakthrough and Oxford seemed happy enough to see things through for the 2 0 win and 3 points to get further from the relegation places. Overall: The parks are located in thecity centre of Oxford and haveseveral entrances depending on your mode of transport. Ron Atkinson, who would later go on to manager Manchester United, is the clubs appearance record holder and his brother Graham is Oxford Uniteds top scorer. 54 Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6AE (01865 557 309). Unique. I decided to go straight inside the stadium after that, so I didn't have any contact with home fans. After the game, we were straight away before the game they served a good pint of Kronenbourg! This kept the lid on any tension. I must say the Oxford fans in the 7,500 crowd gave their team fantastic backing for long spells throughout. "We believe they are well placed to manage the site and, like us, they are keen to ensure that the community use of the site remains a key element of any future tenancy," she said. We drove from Milton Keynes and the journey took us a little over an hour, a fairly straightforward journey with not much traffic either. The most convenient for away supporters is in the north-west corner, accessed through car park B1 (https://w3w.co/such.casual.tune). The atmosphere was obviously good in the Southend section and Oxford fans made themselves heard in the 2nd half as they fought for a goal. A chasm between the supporters and the clubs previous owner led to the Oxford United Supporters Trust attempting to get the clubs fans to call the ground The United Stadium instead of its official name of Kassam Stadium. I eventually found somewhere approx one mile away no problem for me but a warning for those who may not want or be able to walk that far. The Kassam Stadium is a pleasant enough modern venue. We parked in the free club car park right next to the ground, but if we arrived later than we did I don't think we would've got a space. The old Rover Sports and Social Club facilities, on 25 acres, has four full-sized grass football pitches, two grass 9v9 football pitches and two small sided grass football pitches. If these are full you will be directed to the overflow carpark which is past the VUE cinema and club shop. The game itself was entertaining particularly as Southend scored twice in the first half to take control. Address: TRAINING GROUND, Isherwood Road, Carrington, Manchester, M31 4BH: Car Park: Yes: Car Park Capacity: 200: Management Type: Sport Club: Management Group: . Just to add that the toilet facilities were poor, not what you expect from a relatively modern stadium. The few home fans who were in there were welcoming enough. We spent some time discussing this with the stewards and we got a perfectly acceptable explanation of the methods. All the home fans seemed friendly enough with no sign of any trouble. I wandered around the outside of the Kassam Stadium andhad a cup of tea from a burger stand. The North stand is where the away supporters are put. Coming off the M40 onto the A34 into Oxford. There was just about sufficient car parking, and the advantage is that it is free, but latecomers do have to park behind the Vue Leisure Complex on land that is muddy, unlit and unlined, which I imagine could cause some trouble finding your car after a night game. Also weird having no stand on the west side, indeed kids were standing on cut tree stumps on the bank taking it in turns to watch for free! The stewarding was a little controversial at this match, many felt it was way to heavy handed. Can't comment on the pies, burgers etc as didn't eat any, having eaten at the pub beforehand. Getting away was easy as our coach was waiting for us outside the away end, and a Police escort away from the ground meant we were on our way out in a matter of moments, and another fantastic journey meant we were arriving back in Stevenage for just after 6.30pm. At the previous home match, against local rivals Swindon Town, things had gone a bit pear shaped so they were determined that a sell out away crowd from London were not going to catch them out two matches running. Picture: OUFC OXFORD United's training ground has been rebranded the Bangkok Glass. And we sat in the car waiting for at least 15 minutes before even bothering to join the non-moving queue. Definitely an upmarket place to go, but worth it. Address: Roman Way, Cowley Zip code: OX4 2RY City: Oxford, Oxfordshire Capacity: 1000 Surface: grass The U's Year Ground Opened: Only space I found was very near ground. Other services from the city centre which stop a short 5-10 minute walk away from the ground are Stagecoach routes 12 (at Plover Drive in Greater Leys) and 16 (at Carpenter Close in Minchery Farm). The entrance for cars is located throughJackdaw Laneoff the Iffley Road. The George is a lovely little pub located halfway between the stadium and the centre of Oxford. Oxford came out fighting in th second half and we're once again on top, their dominance showed with two goals in the 74th and 87th minute to send the home fans wild, deep into added on time with literally the last touch of the game Vincelot headed to equalise for the bantams earning a good point. On the whole, I found the Kassam Stadium to be an enjoyable and largely friendly day out. Plus it has a number of TV screens to watch the early game on Sky/BT and it also a burger van outside on match days for food. Although I hit it twice out of four shots, I didn't win a prize. Before the game: The three stands also sit completely unconnected to each other. Oxford City Councils objective is to increase participation in sport to help tackle health inequalities across Oxford. The Oxford Sports Park is situated just off the Oxford Ring Road near Horspath, by the MINI Factory. Keep an eye out for the single lane right turn into Iffley Road Sports Centre (the second right hand turn after Bannister close). Even more so with a goalkeeper debutant and without striker Rene Howe (suspended). The home side were on top throughout the first half, however, Bradford took a 1-0 lead into half time through a superb strike by Omari Patrick. I travelled up on Friday before without any issues and stayed two nights on the outskirts of Oxford. I can see the glare from the sun being an issue for away fans due to stadium design on sunny days, as we are in a protracted spell of unsettled weather this wasn't an issue today! The Kassam Stadium is quite nice, it would, of course, look better with four stands but it was a good day out for us despite the result,. Next time, I'll park 15 minutes walk away and get away 45 minutes faster. Just looks very odd to say the least. Oxford Sports Park - Oxford United The atmosphere at the game was really good. That aside I always love an away day and the Kassam Stadium was a new ground for me. In 2001, Oxford moved into the Kassam Stadium and Manor Ground was demolished. After having to stand on the way back from Oxford to Birmingham New Street, then I will definitely drive next time. There will soon be wrap around digital advertising boards added; theyll be used to improve the match day experience for fans and bring in advertising revenue for the club. Oxford vs Reading rivalry: The Oxford Reading rivalry is underpinned by an attempt club merger back in 1983. The home fans are obviously more experienced about where to park and how early to get there for the space you want. The roundabouts made things worse with cars cutting in from inside the bus, and outside, making it virtually impassable. No Shirt Sponsors: The closest car park does mean quick in/out but you risk your car getting hit by a stray ball. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Football Ground Guide. Manchester United (Aon Training Complex) is located in Carrington, Manchester (M31), and offers Grass Pitches, and Artificial Grass Pitch. Thorp Arch (training ground) - Wikipedia Oxford United, Fusion Lifestyle and Oxford City Council have reached an agreement for Oxford Sports Park to become the new home of Oxford United's training facility. Speak to a steward if you need to use this facility, or to find out more contact our Disability Liaison Officer ataylor@oufc.co.uk, For further information for disabled supporters,CLICK HERE. The refreshment facilities were quite good, service was cheerful and quick, but it was a bit cramped with such a big away crowd. How the Oxford fans put up with that each home game is beyond me as I wouldn't want to do it. There are several venues which welcome both home and away fans (for high-profile matches this may be reviewed, so we suggest you call ahead if in doubt) these include:Frankie and Bennys: bar and restaurant (pre-booking advised for meals) 01865 778309, Hollywood Bowl: bar and bar food menu, https://www.facebook.com/HWBOxford/. Saturday, April 28th, 2012, 3pm I got the impression that they aren't so friendly if local rivals, Swindon are visiting. Arrived about 1:10pm and found the car park nearly full. The most convenient bus is the Stagecoach 3 or N3 bus which runs between the city centre and Iffley Road. The food appeared good but rather expensive compared to other grounds in League Two. Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. How can parents appeal over school places? Oxford Sports Park to become new home for Oxford United's training Nevertheless it boasts a restaurant, bar, free wifi, parking and breakfast - even a playground for the kids. Taking the coach was helpful as we were shepherded nicely away from the ground in quite short order, but those driving I understand did not fare quite so well. Right next to Oxford Railway Station is this fun pub with bags of personality and a brilliant menu. However there were good views of the pitch with no obstructions. Although for some high profile matches the Club opt not to sell any. Behind this area is the large stadium car park. I spoke to an Oxford fan about the departure of Matty Taylor and their performance against Luton a few days before. For all bus journeys, disembark at Ferry Road and walk 5 minutes down Edgeway Road, following the walking and cycling instructions. So far I have managed all 65 grounds watching either Tottenham or Exeter, and taken my time, I have now decided to finish the 92 in the next two years so have abandoned that plan and will be taking in some neutral games, starting at Brighton in 3 weeks time. From the South or London-use Thornhill Park and Ride. Take the bus towardsthe city centre or walk straight to the sports complex (15 mins). With kick off fast approaching I ran from the car park to the ground! It was a cold and damp day, more like winter than spring and windy, but both sides endeavoured to play a passing game helped by the good standard of the pitch. We will arrange a quality city centre Munich hotel for you as well as coveted match tickets to the big game. The three sides that are there are nominally the same design although the Main (South) Stand is two tiered and has the offices, hospitality, changing rooms, shop etc. Outside the stadium is a bronze bull statue which is a more accurate version if less amusing! Please visit the official website of Oxford United for full information on changes due to the Coronavirus. The facility consists of three sections: The Barn, The Grange and the training pitches. Oxford were definitely up for it, their (on loan from Man City) No32 Isaac Buckley-Ricketts was a handful. The facilities within and the views of the playing action are excellent, and there is also good leg room. There are about 2000 car parking spaces that are free and filled on a first come first served basis.