Kassam Stadium
On 7 June 1995, directors of Oxford United Football Club announced that the cramped and outdated Manor Ground would be replaced by a new 16,000-seat stadium, situated in the Blackbird Leys area of the city, by the end of the decade.Construction of the new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.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.The game was a friendly match against Crystal Palace, which Oxford won on penalties following a 1–1 draw, and Paul Powell scored the club's first goal at the ground."[1] In May 2012, rugby union club London Welsh applied to move their home ground to the Kassam Stadium following promotion from the RFU Championship, and their opening Premiership fixture was played there on 2 September 2012.[10] In 2006–07, when Oxford led the Conference National for most of the season before being overhauled by Dagenham & Redbridge and then being eliminated from the playoffs by Exeter City, the average attendance at the Kassam Stadium was 6,332.[11] Promotion back to the Football League was achieved via the playoffs in 2009–10, during which Oxford's average attendance enjoyed a dramatic rise and narrowly exceeded the 6,000 mark.[19] London Welsh played their opening fixture of the 2012–13 Aviva Premiership season against Leicester Tigers on 2 September 2012, losing by 38 points to 13, in front of a crowd of 6,850 people.[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.[28] In 2001, Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries conducted an exorcism after the feeling of a malicious force and the team's loss of thirteen of their first seventeen games at the new stadium was blamed on a gypsy curse placed on the club by a Roma man who had been evicted from the site during construction.
LittlemoreOxfordCoordinatesOxford United F.C.CapacityOxford UnitedLondon WelshFiroz KassamConference NationalManor Ground2023–24 seasonChampionshipBlackbird LeysTaylor WoodrowRobin HerdOxford City CouncilThames WaterMorrells of OxfordCompany Voluntary Arrangement2001–02 seasonCrystal PalacePaul PowellRochdaleFootball League Third DivisionFootball League TwoJamie Brooksrugby unionInternational footballAnnual General MeetingNick MerryRFU ChampionshipPremiershipOld Deer ParkRichmond-upon-Thames2014–15 seasonKidlingtonOxford Parkway railway station2005–06 League Two seasonLeyton OrientLeague CupAston VillaManchester UnitedConference PremierWokingRushden & DiamondsSir Elton John2006–07Dagenham & RedbridgeExeter City2007–082008–092009–10reflectivepanellingvandalismconference roomscorporateprivate hospitality boxesManor HospitalWeber BBQOxford Mailsponsorhealth and safetyvandalised2002–03Powergen CupNorthampton SaintsLondon IrishLondon Welsh RFCCornish Pirates2012–13 seasonEnglish PremiershipRugby Football UnionRichmondLeicester Tigersfollowing season2015–16 seasoncar parkVue cinemaThames Travelkick-offBBC News 24Abingdonfloods in 2007Oxfordshire Senior CupOxfordshire Football AssociationfootballElton JohnCovid-19 pandemicBishop of OxfordRichard HarriesWales OnlineBBC News OnlineOxford United Football ClubOxfordshireCurrent seasonThe clubManagersPlayersRecordsSeasonsThames Valley Royals proposalLuton TownNorthampton TownReadingSwindon TownWycombe WanderersGeickeThohirDes BuckinghamOxford United W.F.C.1986 Football League Cup final2010 Conference Premier play-off final2016 Football League Trophy final2017 EFL Trophy final2020 EFL League One play-off final2024 EFL League One play-off final2024–25EFL ChampionshipAshton GateBramall Lanebet365 StadiumCardiff City StadiumCarrow RoadCoventry Building Society ArenaDeepdale