The home fans are obviously more experienced about where to park and how early to get there for the space you want. Picture: OUFC OXFORD United's training ground has been rebranded the Bangkok Glass. Oxford United v Southend United There were assorted pies and sausage rolls available. Michael welcomes donations of Oxford United programmes. In fact, no balls kicked out of the ground during the game so all cars were safe. Note these operate cashless payment. 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! 0906 302 1222*. All Rights Reserved. An easy 3 hour trip saw me arrive at the ground at 1.45pm but already the car parks were full and all the streets close by seemed to be permit holders only. Article share . I went on one of the supporters coaches from Swindon. 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). 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. Located in the village of Thorp Arch, near the town of Wetherby, the site covers 12.1 hectares. The best way to get tickets is via the clubs official website, but the ticket office is available from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday either over the phone or in person. Plus Port Vale need all the support it can muster at the moment as we are fourth from bottom in the League. If you arrive at Oxford Parkway (OXP) we suggest you take a connecting train to Oxford. Councillor Linda Smith, Deputy Leader of Oxford City Council, said: I am delighted that we have reached agreement with Oxford United for the new Oxford Sports Park to become the home of the clubs training facility. League Two Oxford Station is approximately five miles from the stadium. Training and workshops at the University are run by a variety of departments and divisions. Taxiswill take around 20 minutes to get to the ground from Oxford station and will usually cost around 15-20. I got the impression that they aren't so friendly if local rivals, Swindon are visiting. The 24-acre site of the Oxford Sports and Social Club and Oxford Cricket Club has been United's training ground for six years. As you can see in the team supported above, that there were a mixture of reasons for me going to this game: 1) I live in Northampton and my wife's family support the cobblers (NTFC) and so are a kind of adopted team 2) Local derby with a near sell out crowd would be a good atmosphere. The atmosphere was superb from both sets of fans, the home end behind the goal was particularly loud at times. After two defeats, an away point ground out with considerable effort was most valuable in Martin Ling's opinion. Justice done therefore when Jones saved the penalty from Liam Sercombe. Whether you are a small group planning a dream sports break or seeking wonderful hospitality for your company clients, Nickes.Com has 20 years of experience in providing unforgettable sporting trips. So no complaints from me. There will be a 1 surcharge however unless you pay at the window or print your ticket a home. Given that we had plenty of time we did very little. This consists of a perimeter wall with a car park beyond. So, any ones guess then! The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. I would definitely re-visit the Kassam when, inevitably, we play them next season! 394m . We found street parking on Grenoble Road about 200 yards from the ground. The Kassam Stadium is okay. It is ope from 1.30pm (6.45pm for evening games). Unfortunately I had broken a rib two weeks previously, which was quite painful. This made it difficult to locate our car as the car park is very big. Our brand new state-of-the-art Gatwick training facility is approximately three miles from Gatwick airport and is located on Manor Royal Business District. Lee Williams met with Scott Humphries, the training ground's twenty-five-year-old head groundsman. Obviously, by Rovers winning 2-0, I enjoyed the game, but despite the efforts of the Rovers fans, it was like watching football in a cathedral. It costs 4 and is available from the away ticket office (cash) or the club shop (cash or card). The conditions made the game a tenuous affair, after scoring from a third-minute corner and taking the lead, we thought it could be worth going for it. The Holiday Inn Express might not seem like the natural place to go for a pre-match pint, but if youre after somewhere to have a drink near to the ground then this is about the best youre going to find. Public bookings. Once the match kicked off, it only took 16 minutes for there to be a major talking point as Oxfords John Lundstram saw a straight red for a very heavy tackle on Michael Tonge. All of us just about squeezed onto it but it was 5.45pm before we got back to the High Street. 2023 BBC. With my parents living pretty close by, this was always going to be one of the 'easier' of the 92 to visit and one to look forward to due to the home connections. The stadium can be found in between the Oxford Science Park & Blackbird Leys Estate. If you wish to report any incident of anti-social behaviour, either speak to the nearest steward or use our Report It line. The usual lower league ground. Inside the stadium our stewards will provide assistance and advice. The journey on the whole was uneventful and we arrived in good time at 1.30pm. The George is a lovely little pub located halfway between the stadium and the centre of Oxford. There really is no excuse for not finding it by car. The Oxford United training ground has been rebranded the Bangkok Glass Training Centre. Permits are provided for members of the sports centre, which can be applied-for at reception. Why give thousands of pounds to a bowling alley at every home game? This has a number of strange looking floodlights protruding from its roof. Can't comment on the pies, burgers etc as didn't eat any, having eaten at the pub beforehand. An additional 400 car parking spaces are now available at the Ozone cinema and bowling alley complex adjacent to the stadium, which are also free to use. Parking The stadium has unreserved spaces for around 2,000 cars at each game. Getting away from the ground took some time, however, this was due to an accident nearby. Great support from the Southend fans sticking by their team in these hard times. The Swindon fans were held back for a while. From stop R2 at the railway station Stagecoach route 1 and Oxford Bus Company route 5 run at frequent intervals (combined every 4-5 minutes on Saturday and 7-10 minutes evenings and Sunday) throughout the week to Knights Road in Blackbird Leys, a short walk from the ground. The club won the League Cup in 1986 but werent able to enter the UEFA Cup, the normal reward for the cup winners, because of the ban on English clubs entering European competition in the wake of the Heysel tragedy. Oxford United v Port Vale Oxford United v Torquay United Very kindly given a lift by my friend's daughter four of us went and it is any easy 45 minute run. The new ground was hit by numerous problems . The South Stand on one side of the pitch is a two-tiered stand with a row of executive boxes. Parking is free of charge and on a first come, first served basis. Getting there: "London") But the Kassam Stadium is situated quite away from the station. The German company agreed to fund the 4.9m sports complex on council land after senior councillors agreed the Mini plant could expand. . The landlord, the staff and the Oxford fans were all very welcoming and I would recommend this pub for any away supporters. We offer a full range of pitches for training and tournaments including Six 3G pitches for five-a side Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! There are 1,600 car parking spaces at the stadium itself, which are free. See below for parking arrangement. A 2,000 space car park with only one exit meant that nothing moved for 40 minutes. Instead he directed me to the nearby bowling alley. League Two It would have been a decent day out if the scoreline hadn't been so bad. Here are some crackers: As one of the newer grounds in the Football League, Kassam Stadiums facilities are generally quite impressive. The few home fans who were in there were welcoming enough. 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. It was very well planned. Another day trip with my five year old son. If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: contact@footballgroundguide.com and Ill update the guide. After a clear run round the M25 from Sussex, I arrived earlier than planned at around 12.45. I got a programme inside the ground for 3. We were stopped by some home fans who were interested in our anti-ownership shirts that many were wearing. If these are full you will be directed to the overflow carpark which is past the VUE cinema and club shop. With kick off fast approaching I ran from the car park to the ground! Attendance: 7,980 (262 away supporters). I enjoy the day regardless of the result. 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? I was surprised how close I was. 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/. Grass Club Nickname: It is quite compact, even if it only has 3 sides. Singha Kit Away supporters should head for car park B1, opposite the VUE cinema. 372m Oxford Sports Cricket Ground . There are about 2000 car parking spaces that are free and filled on a first come first served basis. View the embedded image gallery online at: 63 Church Way, Tree Lane, Oxford, England, OX4 4EY. 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. In October 2015 a new railway station serving Oxford was opened. Good sized and quality stands but large gaps in corners, giving the weird sensation that you are both at and not at the game, particularly with the large pitch to stand gap. The three stands also sit completely unconnected to each other. Home fans were friendly but heavily outnumbered by Rovers fans. They will be escorted out of the ground after the game, usually shortly after the final whistle. There is no standing area. Staff were decent and friendly serving which makes a change as an away fan and the range of food and drink was good as well. 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. No noise from the home support! We decided to get off the coach and walk the last bit to the ground, in the pouring gale-force rain and wind. A disadvantage for the home fans is that if they leave early (as they did when losing 2-0), they are in clear view of the away fans as they cross the car park, meaning they have to endure a good ribbing from the visiting supporters! We enjoyed a pre-match meal at the White House pub near Oxford City Centre washed down with several Wadworth ales (I was a passenger!). I travelled up on Friday before without any issues and stayed two nights on the outskirts of Oxford. 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. 3), and nearby Cowley Road (1, 5, 10, 12) and to St. Clements (X13, 4A, Oxford Tube, X90) which are all within walking distance. The restrictions apply to the wide grass verges as well as the roads. To access the sports ground walk or cycle down Edgeway Road and continue down the gravel pathway until reaching the gate (on the right hand side) to Marston Road Sports Ground. The map below shows the three facilities managed by Oxford University Sport across the city of Oxford: -. The training centre houses 18 full-flight simulator bays as well Computer Based Training facilities, Airbus and Embraer FTD's and fully equipped classrooms for advanced . We were situated in the car park, well that's how it felt, to one end of the North Stand on the side of the pitch. In order to use the live chat functionality you need to opt into live chat cookies. OUFC v TUFC is becoming a regular event now as the wind-up potential is enormous (I'm outnumbered 5:1!). Its a nice spot by Sanford Lock to while away a couple of hours. Like last season and even in the poor weather conditions, I saw a few Sunderland fans watching over the hoardings. As I didn't get there until 7.30pm so no chance to go to the pub. Most of them looked like they'd come from an agency and would rather be somewhere else. That came after the end of World War Two. 4 January 2017. Oxford University Sports main complex is located off Iffley Road, South East of Oxford city centre at the following address: -, (OX4 1SR for driving to Jackdaw Lane entrance). The car park was a bit of a pain to get out of, and we were queuing for around 15 minutes but the journey home after that was fine. I loved my day out to Oxford loved everything about it apart from the result. I was expecting horrendous traffic jams, but congestion was thankfully limited and we arrived back in Leicester before 11.30 pm. The toilets are really clean and the catering staff selling refreshments are very efficient. I had never been to the Kassam Stadium and as Oxford United are our biggest rivals, I had to visit for this derby match. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: A great night out giving high flying League Two Oxford United a run for their money. Torquay's defence wobbled, creaked, got lucky but at the death held firm. From here Marston Road Sports Ground is a 15minute walk or you can take the U5 bus towards Marston and disembark at Ferry Road, walking 5 minutes down Edgeway Road andfollowing the walking and cycling instructions. Next time, I'll park 15 minutes walk away and get away 45 minutes faster. Also as Charlton had sold out their allocation of tickets. Struggling for a Xmas present. The Kassam Stadium looked quite nice from the outside. The food appeared good but rather expensive compared to other grounds in League Two. Had a hot dog recommended. Oxford Mail (East) Stand: Although it was completely full after the match. Trafford Training Centre (usually referred to by the synecdoche of Carrington) is the training ground and academy headquarters of English football club Manchester United F.C.