Kassam Stadium
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Full name | Kassam Stadium |
---|---|
Location | Grenoble Road, Littlemore, Oxford, England, OX4 4XP |
Coordinates | 51°42′59.11″N 1°12′29.04″W / 51.7164194°N 1.2080667°W |
Owner | Firoka Group |
Operator | Oxford United |
Capacity | 12,500 |
Field size | 112 × 78 yards |
Surface | Grass |
Construction | |
Built | 1997 |
Opened | 2001 |
Construction cost | £15m |
Architect | ACP Architecture Ltd |
Tenants | |
Oxford United (2001–present) London Welsh (2012–2015) | |
Website | |
www |
The Kassam Stadium (also known as Grenoble Road) is the home of Oxford United Football Club, and is named after the ground's owner and former chairman of the football club, Firoz Kassam.
The Kassam Stadium currently hosts League One (third tier) games although Oxford were relegated to Division Three (fourth tier) the season before the new stadium was built and were further relegated to the
Construction
On 7 June 1995, directors of Oxford United Football Club announced that the cramped and outdated
Construction of the new stadium was begun in the summer of 1996 by Taylor Woodrow, but was suspended in December 1997 after financial problems meant the contractors weren't paid. The stadium was originally known by its location, Minchery Farm. At this time, United's chairman was Robin Herd, and the club's chief executive was Keith Cox.
Ongoing money problems meant that no further work was done on the site until February 2000. This followed Firoz Kassam's purchase of the club in April 1999, and then many legal problems involving
Oxford's fortunes on the pitch changed dramatically during this period of financial uncertainty, hardly helped by having to sell some of their best players in order to stay afloat. After winning promotion to Division One in 1996, they secured two mid-table finishes before being relegated back to Division Two in 1999 and falling into Division Three two years later – meaning that they would be a bottom division club in the 2001–02 season for the first time in more than 30 years.
Opening and recent history
The stadium is officially owned by one of Kassam's Firoka Group companies, and hosted its first football match on 4 August 2001. The game was a friendly match against
In March 2006, the Oxford United Supporters' Trust unofficially renamed the ground "The United Stadium". They urged everyone to use this name, which they claimed signified the crisis at the club, with the Chairman failing to choose the right option to take the club forward, and which also symbolised the unity of the fans. Despite the unofficial renaming of the stadium, it seems most fans and local press still refer to the home ground as the Kassam Stadium.
At the 2008
In May 2012,
In January 2022, a leaked letter suggested that Oxford United were considering leaving the Kassam Stadium for a proposed new stadium at Stratfield Brake near Kidlington.[3]
In February 2023, Oxford United unveiled plans to build a new 'all-electric', 16,000-seat stadium, to open in 2026, on the Triangle site in Kidlington. Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet had consented to lease the proposed site to the club.[4] South of Kidlington roundabout, the site is between Frieze Way and Oxford Road, with proposed pedestrian access from Oxford Parkway railway station.[5]
Records
The attendance record at the Kassam Stadium is 12,243. This was for Oxford's final match of the
In June 2006,
In
Structure and facilities
A distinctive feature of the stadium is a
The stadium offers a number of
The ground currently consists of three stands.
- The North Stand (formerly known as the Weber BBQStand) is divided for use by both home and away supporters and has a capacity of 5,026.
- The East Stand (formerly sponsored by the Oxford Mail newspaper, and still commonly known as the Oxford Mail Stand) is home to the more vocal home supporters and can hold 2,879 spectators.
- The South Stand (currently without a sponsor) is the main structure of the stadium, housing the Quadrangle conference centre, the Exhibition Bar, the club offices and changing rooms, and a row of 28 glass-fronted executive boxes. The South Stand is divided into two tiers, with the lower tier including the ground's Family Section. It has a total capacity of 4,495.
In March 2008 a bronze statue of an
Rugby union
On 2 March 2003, the stadium was used as a neutral venue for the 2002–03 Powergen Cup semi-final between Northampton Saints and London Irish. Northampton defeated London Irish 38–9 in front of an attendance of 10,039.[16]
On 30 May 2012, London Welsh RFC played the second leg of the 2011–12 RFU Championship play–off final against Cornish Pirates at the Kassam Stadium. London Welsh won the match 29–20 in front of a crowd of 3,456. The victory gave them an overall aggregate win of 66–41.[17]
The stadium became London Welsh's home ground for the
Despite the club's relegation from the Premiership at the end of the 2012–13 season, it was announced in June 2013 that the ground share would continue for the following season.[21] In June 2015, the club announced that they had left the Kassam Stadium, moving back to Old Deer Park for the 2015–16 season, despite having signed a three-year contract in 2014.[22]
Transport
The
Thames Travel offer special matchday buses to and from the stadium at selected points around the city at various times before and after kick-off.[23]
Other uses
In 2003, John Kelly, then County Emergency Planning Officer for Oxfordshire, confirmed in an interview with
Local legend
In 2001,
References
- ^ "AGM report". Oxford United F.C. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
- ^ "London Welsh name Old Deer Park as 2015–16 home ground". BBC Sport. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ Roberts, James (10 January 2022). "Letter reveals Oxford United's hope to leave Kassam Stadium for Stratfield Brake". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ Morby, Aaron (15 February 2024). "Oxford United plans first UK all-electric stadium". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "New Stadium Development Project Vision" (PDF). OUFC Stadium. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "06-05-2006 (Leyton Orient) – Match details". Rage Online. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
- ^ "06-11-2002 (Aston Villa) – Match details". Rage Online. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
- ^ Murray, Jon (26 May 2006). "United to face Rooney & Co in friendly". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ Wilkinson, Matt (27 December 2006). "U's gate sets new mark". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ Simmonds, Ellie (26 June 2006). "Sir Elton's two-hour show has fans on feet". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Oxford United". Blue Square Premier Football Ground Guide. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010.
- ^ "League Attendance". Oxford United F.C. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012.
- ^ "Oxford Sculpture Finally Unveiled". BBC Sport. 29 February 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ "Shocking pink vandals strike at Oxford Utd stadium". Oxford Times. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ "Oxford United's ox statue daubed in bright pink paint". BBC News. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ Rees, Paul (3 March 2003). "Dawson gives idle Irish the runaround". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ Gallagher, Brendan (31 May 2012). "London Welsh 29 – Cornish Pirates 20, London Welsh win 66–41 on agg: match report". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- Wales Online. 4 July 2012.
- ^ "London Welsh set for move to Oxford United's Kassam Stadium". BBC Sport. 16 May 2012.
- ^ "Premiership: London Welsh 13–38 Leicester Tigers". BBC Sport. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ "London Welsh to stay at Kassam Stadium with Oxford Utd". BBC Sport. 22 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ^ "London Welsh name Old Deer Park as 2015–16 home ground". BBC Sport. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ "Oxford United FC Football Service OX7". Thames Travel. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ "'Preparation lacking' for terrorist attack". BBC News. 14 March 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ Kearney, Chris (26 July 2007). "Flooding: Stadium open 'til Sunday". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ "North Leigh upset Banbury". Oxford Mail. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ "Elton John Gig". BBC News Online. 2 June 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
- ^ "Covid vaccinations are set to begin at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford". 25 January 2021.
- ^ Williams, Amanda (31 October 2009). "Ghostly goings-on in haunted county". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ISBN 978-0752477381.