Oxford continue bad run

[One F In Fitton]

That Thames Valley Royals saga was an entertaining chapter, amongst their many entertaining chapters (for us). I remember some of their home games were interrupted due to fans climbing the fences & having a sit-down on the pitch with their banners.

It was always a non-starter and was another example of what a mad (& thieving) bastard Maxwell was. It wouldn't have mattered how far he'd have got with his plans because you ain't got a business if you ain't got any punters.

[ReadingRed]

Its true that we don't have a reserve team, though lots of clubs have followed that trend, and there are sufficient games / friendlies around to maintain squad fitness.

Thankfully we have a great chairman in Kelvin Thomas. He's been the catalyst for a massive increase in income for the club.

Though the one rumour I have heard is that he may not be around next season. I'm hoping he is.

You're probably right, and it was 5 or 6 months ago that we talked about it so things are probably on a better financial footing now.
I still think that no team would seriously consider axing its reserve team out of choice though - hell, even the likes of Melksham Town and Oxford City have got reserve teams!

[Reg Smeeton]

That Thames Valley Royals saga was an entertaining chapter, amongst their many entertaining chapters (for us). I remember some of their home games were interrupted due to fans climbing the fences & having a sit-down on the pitch with their banners.

It was always a non-starter and was another example of what a mad (& thieving) bastard Maxwell was. It wouldn't have mattered how far he'd have got with his plans because you ain't got a business if you ain't got any punters.

I'm not so sure it would have been a non starter...I know it's hypothetical, but Winkelman has shown you can build a club from nothing...their average crowd is higher than ours FFS....

Had Maxwell got a top flight club, in a for then state of the art all seater, with the Prem just around the corner, I think he might have found an audience.

After all Reading added on 15K plastics, quite rapidly.....games for the TVR against Spurs Chelsea ManUre Arsenal etc, would have also attracted armchairs for their one game of the season and there's plenty of them about.

[Ardiles]

The flaw in Maxwell's plan was the location.  Didcot is at the arse end of nowhere, despite being the meeting point of two important railway lines.  I travel by train to most of the games I go to, but I appreciate that most other people don't.  Would your average Cowley or Tilehurst loyal be bothered with the trek to Didcot?  I doubt it.

There's no precedent for 'parkway' style football clubs.  This idea would have died on its arse.  And fittingly...with a kind of poetic symmetry, so did Fat Bob.

[Reg Smeeton]

The flaw in Maxwell's plan was the location.  Didcot is at the arse end of nowhere, despite being the meeting point of two important railway lines.  I travel by train to most of the games I go to, but I appreciate that most other people don't.  Would your average Cowley or Tilehurst loyal be bothered with the trek to Didcot?  I doubt it.

There's no precedent for 'parkway' style football clubs.  This idea would have died on its arse.  And fittingly...with a kind of poetic symmetry, so did Fat Bob.

I think the appeal of Didcot, was available land at relatively cheap price, probably wedged near the railway and power station....Didcot isn't too far off the A34.

Something I've never understood is how O*frod never got any penalties from the football authorities, for what was dodgy dealing, whereas STFC did.

[One F In Fitton]

I'm not so sure it would have been a non starter...I know it's hypothetical, but Winkelman has shown you can build a club from nothing...their average crowd is higher than ours FFS....
Had Maxwell got a top flight club, in a for then state of the art all seater, with the Prem just around the corner, I think he might have found an audience.
After all Reading added on 15K plastics, quite rapidly.....games for the TVR against Spurs Chelsea ManUre Arsenal etc, would have also attracted armchairs for their one game of the season and there's plenty of them about.

Your examples are completely different situations. Winkelman 'moved a club' with no fans to an area with a new population & massive catchment area, & Reading's new fans all got attracted to an existing club = not mergers.

The day that 2 established professional clubs merge is the day that I'll give the pope a blow-job. There was simply too much opposition to it for it to have sprouted any legs. This was just another example of the sheer pride & passion that fans have for their clubs.

Start a new club, yeh fine, but you're never going to finish off 2 rival clubs by merging them together. The people will never allow it to happen. Most fans won't even entertain the thought of a ground-share FFS.

[Bob's Orange]

Your examples are completely different situations. Winkelman 'moved a club' with no fans to an area with a new population & massive catchment area, & Reading's new fans all got attracted to an existing club = not mergers.

The day that 2 established professional clubs merge is the day that I'll give the pope a blow-job. There was simply too much opposition to it for it to have sprouted any legs. This was just another example of the sheer pride & passion that fans have for their clubs.

Start a new club, yeh fine, but you're never going to finish off 2 rival clubs by merging them together. The people will never allow it to happen. Most fans won't even entertain the thought of a ground-share FFS.

Wallace Mercer tried to do it with Hearts and Hibs. Was always a non starter.

[oxford_fan]

we've followed up our first back-to-back losses of the season with 2 wins in a row, looking better for the playoffs as the confidence is coming back with each game. if we can finish off the rest of the season with this form the playoffs should be interesting, a week ago we had no chance.

[(.)Boobies(.)]

You wont get past Luton! 

[oxford_fan]

we could - our players are just as good, and on our day we are better than them. hence we've beaten them once, and they've beaten us once this season (though ours was a proper victory and theirs was due to jammy extra time goals). they drew 1-1 with tamworth on saturday, and anything can happen in the playoffs.

[mexico red]

will you be watching us on sky tonight? we have exeter didnt you play them once in the play offs?

[Reg Smeeton]

will you be watching us on sky tonight? we have exeter didnt you play them once in the play offs?

I'm not sure the non league competition qualifies as the play offs.  It's a bit like counting our 1894/95 PO against New Brompton.

Headington couldn't even compete when the Southern League was a proper competition with 2 divs of mostly proper clubs...

     Bedminster
     Brighton
     Bristol City
     Bristol Rovers
     Chatham Town
     Cowes
     Millwall Athletic
     New Brompton (Gillingham)
     Gravesend United
     Portsmouth
     Queen's Park Rangers
     Reading
     Sheppey United
     Southampton
     Swindon Town
     Thames Ironworks (West Ham)
     Tottenham Hotspur


 Second Division teams

   Brentford
   Chesham Town
   Dartford
   Fulham
   Grays United
   Maidenhead
   Shepherd's Bush
   Southall
   Watford
   Wolverton L & NWR
   Wycombe Wanderers

   It's a shame Cowes never made it...an away trip to the IOW could have been fun...

[nevillew]

   It's a shame Cowes never made it...an away trip to the IOW could have been fun...

Ferry would have been useful to us then.

[Ardiles]

What a shame that Wolverton L & NWR didn't thrive.  Had it done so, we would never have witnessed the bastard creation that is the MK 'Dons'.