Instead he directed me to the nearby bowling alley. After a good start to the season, the Bantams were in good form. I like to visit new stadiums and I heard that Oxford had a good ground. . Getting away was horrific. If you do end up arriving late at the stadium and find that the stadium car parks are full, then dont get tempted to park on a grass verge as you may well end up with a parking ticket for your trouble. I decided to go straight inside the stadium after that, so I didn't have any contact with home fans. North Stand:Adults 24, Over 65s 17, Under 22s/Students 16, Under 18s 14 After parking I walked towards the stadium to ask a steward about bars/gathering spots. There really is no excuse for not finding it by car. If you have a question you would like to ask, including admission queries, please use our Any Questions website. Opposite the open end there is a bowling complex and Sports bar, so we popped in there for a few pints, both sets of fans were welcomed and shirts were no bother, there was also a fast food outlet of sorts in there which seemed burgers, and southern fried chicken in a box, but we passed that one up as it wasnt long before kick off. If you use what3words, you can find the precise . Team were great and fans were great. Gary Parker (Doing the 92), I have been trying to tick this one off the 92 for several years and despite living in Swindon which isnt that far away, I have never quite managed to get there to watch my 2nd team (Exeter City) so at last a midweek game that I was able to get to and get it ticked of the list. See the Oxford Bus Company website for timetables. 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. https://www.football-stadiums.co.uk/grounds/england/kassam-stadium/#sigProId6166031c63, See Available Parking Near Kassam Stadium, Holiday Inn Express Oxford-Kassam Stadium - 80+, Oxford United v Crystal Palace (04/08/2001), The U's, Yellows, The Boys from Up the Hill, Swindon Town, Reading, Wycombe Wanderers, Luton Town, Quarry Recreation Ground, Wootten's Field, Sandy Lane, Britannia Field, Manor Ground, Yellow & Black (Home) / Orange & Black (Away) The stewards were okay if little jobs worthy! Had a drink in the ground given that there are no nearby pubs and an entertainment complex dominated by home support nearby. There is also on the complex a Chinese buffet restaurant called Oxy Oriental, as well as a fish and chip shop called the Ozone Plaice. Some of the best officials I have seen all season although it seemed a bit harsh to book two of our players for time wasting? The closest car park does mean quick in/out but you risk your car getting hit by a stray ball. This is a popular place; all the tables in the restaurant area were booked, but there was space in the bar and also tables outside. 2023 BBC. Building on the recent investment in sport at the Leys Pools and Leisure Centre and Rose Hill Community Centre, Oxford Sports Park will create a vast new sports facility on the edge of our city that will help people of all ages to keep fit, make social connections and have fun., Copyright 2023 Oxford City Council, Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford, OX1 1BX, Oxford Sports Park to become new home for Oxford Uniteds training facility, Six floodlit 3G pitches (five-a-side and seven-a-side), Public pavilion including six changing rooms, officials changing rooms, kitchen, social space and storage, A 150-space car park featuring 12 electric vehicle charging points. Plus Bus tickets are valid. Supporters coaches Away coaches and minibuses should head to Car Park B1 via the main entrance, where they be directed to park in a designated area, please follow stewards directions. Stadium and the game itself were good, but the bland location and the home fans rather left more to be desired. The number of pitches at the site has been increased by making more efficient use of the space to accommodate Oxford United, which will have exclusive use of four full-sized pitches and two goalkeeper training areas, as well as space to build a new pavilion. A small obsession with beating Oxford United in his head he thought it was going to be a walk in the park. If you arrive at Oxford Parkway (OXP) we suggest you take a connecting train to Oxford. The former owner Firoz Kassam, who the ground is named after, said in 2016, I would like a stadium with my name on it that is finished and not just half-built. Later customers had a long wait for chips but they were nice. As its still a fairly new ground its typically bland with no character. Although for some high profile matches the Club opt not to sell any. I took the supporters coach so the journey was very easy. How can parents appeal over school places? We had sold our allocation of 1,500 tickets very quickly and I was hopeful of a good atmosphere. 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. Street parking is available on Edgeway Road should there not be enough space in the sports ground car park. A three sided ground is always going to be a bit odd. 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. The congestion was abysmal, the lack of traffic management (by lack of I mean, there wasn't any! Coach drivers must drop-off on Marston Road and park at the dedicated council coach parking provision at: TheUniversity of Oxford websitecarries awealthof information on getting to Oxford and visiting both the city and the Universityin general. And the U's believe the new sports complex will not be completed by summer 2018 - raising the prospect the academy's 292 pupils will be homeless for six months. The Kassam Stadium is quite well signposted from the main routes into Oxford, with brown football signs pointing the way. This wasn't. Departmental and college addresses and phone numbers may be found on individual college and departmental websites. Oxfordshire weather: Forecast for snow and sleet next week, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Messages show Hancock reaction after kiss photo, Senior doctors want up to 262 an hour to cover strike, Echoes of Hillsborough for Arena families. I found out why the only spaces left free in the car park were near the ground. adults too Info at Info@wbga.co.uk One was due to a slip by the goalkeeper, which as a neutral is always amusing. Stewards were quite helpful and explained that if he couldn't see they could try to relocate, however, with Pompey selling out their allocation again we elected just to stay where we were. The new ground was hit by numerous problems and issues during the building phase, with the construction taking four years to complete because of financial issues causing the company that was building it to abandon work when they were not getting paid. I even saw a tweet from a home fan asking "Why are there so many Stewards in the away section?" Okay until pulling off the Southern Ring Road with only one road to the ground, congestion built up. However, the car parks tend to fill up fast, so try and arrive early if you can (at least 75 minutes before kick off). 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. Then in injury time our goalkeeper; Lawrence Vigouroux also got himself sent off, so our right back went in goal for the remaining minute. As a famous University town its quite used to having influxes of people coming and going, so here are the normal travel routes to the stadium youll want to consider: Train - Oxford Station is reachable from London Paddington in about an hour and is around four miles from the ground. What's the least exercise we can get away with? I had one of the Chicken, Bacon and Leek Pies, which were definitely something to taste (8/10). Conveniently located at London Oxford Airport, it is the perfect place to start EASA Integrated ATPL pilot training. Taxiswill take around 20 minutes to get to the ground from Oxford station and will usually cost around 15-20. Otherwise, alcohol is also served within the ground in the form of Carlsberg Lager, Tetleys Bitter, Guinness and Somersby Cider (all 4). The views are good, the seats comfortable enough and there are no supporting pillars to get in the way. It was an easy drive across country from Herefordshire via the A417, A40 and A34. 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. 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. 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. There are plans for some more modernisation though albeit minor works. We first went to the Jam Factory near the railway station. There is normally a 5-10 minute wait to get out of the car park at the Kassam, but that besides it was an easy ride home and we were back at 'chez Newbury' for the local fireworks display at 7.30pm. You can search popular questions or submit a question using the 'Ask a question' tab. I took the supporters coach which left at 8:45am and arrived at Oxford around 1:20pm. Turnstiles open at 1.30pm for Saturday matches and at 6.45pm for midweek evening games. There is a fair bit of parking within a two minute walk of the stadium, which is perfect but you'll have to ensure you get there in good time as it does fill up very quickly. Oxford United v Port Vale My overall impression is that Oxford is a good place to watch football. Wed love to know your thoughts on how well weve achieved that goal and what you think we can do better to improve your experience (off the pitch) in future. Even better I hit the crossbar twice at half time! Later I found out the reason why on trying to exit the car park after the match. League Two, 6th May 2006. Torquay's defence wobbled, creaked, got lucky but at the death held firm. There is no standing area. A key game for us as it would be an indicator if we had a chance of making the play-offs after six successive draws versus the top teams in League One, i.e. The journey takes around 40 minutes and then it is a 15 minute walk to the stadium (see, https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/services/OXBC/5?date=2022-07-18&direction=outbound). We parked at the George Arms on Sandford Road, a 15 minute walk away as above. The Kassam Stadium is three quarters of quite an impressive ground. I have followed Sunderland for over 40 years home and away. Be very careful with road parking and do not park on the grass verges you will be very likely to get a parking ticket. The Kassam Stadium should be used as a lesson for all stadium planners as how NOT to do it. the stewards were keen that supporters took up their allotted seats. There were lots of fans from both teams about and it seemed to be a friendly place. I thought the stewarding was excellent, not at all heavy handed; and when there was a problem it was dealt with tactfully but firmly, so well done that team. Thames Travels T2 service is another good option. It stops at Grenoble Road on the south side of the stadium. The shot ratio of 17 to 4 in Oxford's favour tells it's own story. Bus - Route 5 from the Oxford Bus Company and Route 1 from Stagecoach Services both run to about five minutes from the stadium. Cycle racks are located adjacent to the athletics track (accessed via the pool footpath) and the area of the carpark nearest reception. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Football Ground Guide. They felt this would demonstrate the unity of the fans in their belief that Kassam was not the right man to take the club forward. On the whole, I found the Kassam Stadium to be an enjoyable and largely friendly day out. John Attwood a visiting Gillingham supporter adds; when arriving at the stadium, ignore the first stadium car park entrance that you come to and go up to the second entrance as the first will have you parking at the open end. CAE London Gatwick. Super defending from Zak Vyner and Sonny Bradley kept Oxford at bay. Oxford had a deserved 2-0 advantage at the break. Fairly modernised and a decent size for the level. 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. It took about half an hour before we finally got to the Kassam Stadium and parked up. At The Manor Ground: Souless and incomplete, springs to mind. It took 30 minutes to get out although I've known worse than this. Second half wasn't great, but Oxford scored late on then missed a penalty soon after and it finished 1-0 to the home side. Oxford City Councils objective is to increase participation in sport to help tackle health inequalities across Oxford. Just looks very odd to say the least. A nightmare. The catering was fine, normal fayre. There is a roundabout by the second entrance, which will take you back to the first entrance if the other half is full. The A34 from Newbury nearly takes you to the Kassam's front door! Car - From the North take the M6 to the M42, then the M40 to the A34 at Junction 9. The Kassam Stadium is a very nice and purposeful ground. The first impressions of the Kassam are poor. Thu, Feb 17, 17:00. I should have realised when I saw the half mile queue to get off the A34 northbound onto the Southern Ring Road, but a journey that would normally take just under an hour took nearly three! To do this click on the cookie settings button below. (opens in a new tab). Postcode: RM6 6DT: West Ham United Fc (Chadwell Heath Training Ground) on a map. I decided to try a hotdog as I heard nothing good about the pies, and I only needed one bite before throwing it in to a nearby bin. Park in the housing estate behind the stadium. Parking is free of charge and on a first come, first served basis. Finally if people did not leave it to the last second to take their seats life would be much simpler for all of us. The following information is available to download here: Ticket office: 01865 337533 ticketoffice@oufc.co.uk, Supporter Liaison Officer: ataylor@oufc.co.uk. Most of the chants and singing were were from the away section, but I guess the home fans didn't have much to sing about! Oxford Mail (East) Stand: Access to the sports centre is via thepedestrian entrance from the Iffley Road (almost opposite Marston Street) Pederstrians have priority on this route but considerate cyclists are permitted. To do this click on the cookie settings button below. This has a number of strange looking floodlights protruding from its roof. A ground that I'd looked forward to going to for quite a while rather let me down. The Oxford Sports Park is situated just off the Oxford Ring Road near Horspath, by the MINI Factory. Tuesday, October 22nd 2013, 7.45pm Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! 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. Although I hit it twice out of four shots, I didn't win a prize. Both teams are in similar league positions. The reaction of the home fans at the final whistle suggested that they were clearly not happy to have drawn a blank in this one. . 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. Our fans and theirs were very good all game. Here are some of our preferred destinations: As is the case with any student town, Oxford has got a number of great places to go for a drink. There is usually a smoking pen available for use at half-time only. Kim Rockall informs me; There is a cinema and bowling alley complex located adjacent to the stadium, called Ozone. I was staying in the hotel next door to the Kassam Stadium so parked for free there. Full Time Result: Oxford United 1-1 Stevenage Oxford Sports Park will provide the following facilities for the wider community: Oxford United FC, which has a 25-year lease to operate the facility, will host club pitch hire, competitions, leagues, childrens sports parties and events at Oxford Sports Park. Then back around the M25 and up the M40. Most of them looked like they'd come from an agency and would rather be somewhere else. Here's the number. Public bookings. Overall this was a perfect Good Friday for us as we stopped the rot of losses and picked up a fantastic point away to a side challenging for automatic promotion, all the more impressive as this was only the second time we had not lost an away game since before Christmas. There are several marked blue badge bays near to each stand on a first come, first served basis. Getting there: 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. Telephone: +44 1865 270000 Fax: +44 1865 270708 The University of Oxford is not a campus university and our colleges, departments and other constituent units are to be found throughout the city of Oxford, rather than on one central site. I was a little concerned about the distance between us and the exits, but I guess in an emergency you would go on the pitch, it just meant a half time comfort break was not worth the effort. We share the car park with other facilities on the complex, including a cinema and bowling alley, and there can be a wait to exit the car park after the match. It stocks the matchday programme plus a wide range of replica kit, leisure wear, scarves, hats and gifts. Here at Oxford United, we want to make your matchday experience as enjoyable as possible. OXFORD UNITED FACTS Ground: Kassam Stadium Capacity: 12,500 Address: Grenoble Road, Oxford, OX4 4XP Telephone no: 01865 337500 Year opened: 2001 Official website: www.oufc.co.uk Twitter: @OUFCOfficial Facebook: oufcofficial Instagram: @oufcofficial YouTube: OxfordUnitedOfficial iFollow audio and video: www.oufc.co.uk/ifollow Training and workshops at the University are run by a variety of departments and divisions. Temporary and limited 3-hour permits may be approved for site bookings. 01865 337 533 Pitch Size: In the event the away end was over crowded so it would seem that the duplicate tickets and the original tickets had been used to admit fans. So no complaints from me. We offer a full range of pitches for training and tournaments including, The 3G pitches are enclosed, cage style, and are floodlit, The 3G pitches are available 5pm-9pm Monday to Friday, Oxford United Sports ParkOxford RoadHorspathOX33 1RT. 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. I wasn't looking forward to this game at all given the fact we had lost our previous five league matches, were conceding goals for fun and had one of our main centre-backs suspended. 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. There are also outlets in the car park, usually located by the south-west and south-east corners of the ground. Take the Oxford Bus Company 300 (Park & Ride) towards Pear Tree Park & Ride or the X3bus towardsthe city centre. It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this stage; not just over the last few years but also historically because the club never really had a permanent base until they got back into the Football League in 2010. Dave Langford a visiting Northampton Town fan tells me; I found a small local pub called the George Inn, situated in Littlemore just off the ring road (not far from Sainsburys). Not exactly first impressions as I've been to the Kassam around six times so high time I did a review! If you have an issue or feedback relating to the University of Oxford website itself, please contact the webmaster. 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! Our journey on the coach with East Bierley Bantams was pretty straightforward with little traffic so we arrived in good time, there is a huge car park next to the stadium so we're straight into the stadium from the coach. Take the bus towardsthe city centre or walk straight to the sports complex (15 mins). Oxford University Sport is committed to reducing our impact on the environment and reducing congestion in and around Oxford. 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. The toilets were clean and tidy. Keep your eye out on the clubs website for details, or in the local paper if you live in the area. The North Stand is used to house the away supporters and is a single-tier structure opposite The Main Stand, a two-tier structure that houses the changing rooms and dugouts as well as the grounds family section. The ground interested me more, but couldn't understand where the missing stand is? I would be happy to return. 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. However I was still able to see a goal in the game as Greg Luer and Byron Harrison combined well, with the latter calmly slotting away the equaliser, and that's how it ended.