It seems like only yesterday that the final whistle blew at Wembley and yet, as I write this, the start of the 2024/25 campaign is nearly here.
As does life, the world of football moves on very quickly, but it’s important to acknowledge the fact this will be the first time in 25 years that Oxford United have competed in the second tier of English football – a massive achievement. The incredible scenes in front of more than 30,000 Oxford United fans at the Play-Off Final on that Saturday afternoon in May will live long in the memory. Then, of course, you were back out again just days later to turn the city centre yellow during our bus parade to celebrate the achievement. That support will never be forgotten.
Long before the final whistle blew at Wembley, planning had started, irrespective of promotion, to ensure we enter this campaign in the strongest position possible. That work has continued into what has already been a very busy summer.
For me personally, the last few months started with the EFL’s annual conference, followed by an extremely productive week in Jakarta with the Owners, the Board and our Chairman, Grant Ferguson. The ownership group’s ambition and vision for this club is why we can all look forward to a very bright future for Oxford United. I also took some time away on a family holiday to recharge and reset for what is going to be yet another very demanding year.
The support at Wembley was a special sight to behold, and that feeling of unity has transferred into what has become a record-breaking summer for Season Ticket sales. More than 7,000 have now been sold, a figure which showcases the incredible commitment people have to this football club. It makes this season in the Championship even more exciting knowing you will be there to back the team at each and every home game.
The demand for Season Tickets has presented some logistical issues though, and last week we had to take the decision to go off sale a few days earlier than planned due to reaching our limit. It is extremely important that we have an allocation of home and away matchday tickets available, and we had to prioritise the renewal period for existing Season Ticket holders. We understand this may have caused some frustration and apologise for that.
As some of you might be aware, we have also been exploring the potential of a 4th stand at the Kassam Stadium. We have undertaken extensive feasibility work and modelling, and looked at various proposals to see if this could be viable for the upcoming campaign. Unfortunately, both operationally and financially, this simply isn’t something we can take forward at this current time, but it will remain under review.
In recent weeks it was confirmed that the Club received a suspended one-transfer window fee restriction and a £3,500 fine from the EFL. This was as a result of us accumulating 30 days or more of late payments over a 12-month period. I understand why this has led to concern but I would like to reassure you that this does not reflect the work that is done on a day-to-day basis behind the scenes. This was an isolated administrative error, and it was quickly recognised and resolved. The fact that the sanction was relatively light is testament to this but nevertheless we take these matters extremely seriously. The rules are in place for the protection of the game, and we support them unequivocally.
We have undertaken a thorough review of our operations, made changes to our internal processes and have controls in place to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
In addition, we have hired an extremely experienced Finance Director, with Anthony Massey joining the Club on 1 July. Anthony has spent more than 20 years working in finance for sporting and corporate organisations, including spells at some of England’s most successful clubs. Anthony is a fantastic addition to our football club, and we wish him well going forward.
Back to the football, the Men’s first team squad are currently on their warm-weather training camp in the south of Spain as the hard work continues for this hugely exciting campaign in the Sky Bet Championship.
Ed Waldron and his recruitment team have acted quickly and decisively, backed by the Owners, to bring in quality players that will improve our side for this season. We have already signed Idris El-Mizouni, Jack Currie, Jamie Cumming, Louie Sibley, Will Vaulks, Jacob Knightbridge, and Peter Kioso, as well as extending contracts for Josh McEachran, Joe Bennett, Josh Johnson and Marcus McGuane. There’s more to be done though and we will continue to remain active in the transfer market.
Doing business early in the window has allowed Des and his coaching staff to get to work to ensure we are as prepared as we can be for the new season. The benefit of training this week in the fantastic facilities over in Spain, along with competitive pre-season friendlies around the corner, means we have left no stone unturned to put us in the best position come August 10th and Norwich City at home.
There will be a lot more demands on us as a Club this year, particularly given the increase in games broadcast on TV. Promotion to the Championship means we have to meet very strict facilities criteria, which requires significant investment. At the Kassam, we have a major works programme taking place that will see the installation of goal-line technology, new floodlights, enhancements to the changing rooms, new dugouts being installed, an upgrade to the tunnel, plus numerous other improvements. None of this happens without the enormous commitment and hard work of all of the staff here and I would like to thank each and every one of them for all that they are doing to get us ready for the new season.
Of course, while we have been looking to make improvements to the Kassam, we have also been working hard on our new stadium project. We have reached some significant milestones recently, with the historic land lease option signed with Oxford County Council at the start of May, a deal which secured a 250-year lease of the ‘Triangle’, subject to obtaining planning permission. The work on planning, which was submitted in February, is progressing well with a committee date expected in February 2025.
Moving forward, we will continue to explore all options regarding our lease ending in 2026 at the Kassam, but we also have more to do behind the scenes on the new stadium. We are working with some great companies already to help us develop the project, with good progress made in securing a hotel partner. Our Dreaming Spires programme is also set to begin with a £10,000 grant to 10 local sports and community groups.
After a strong season last year, Sam Rose and the Women’s Team continue to go from strength to strength. It’s been an exciting few months for them with the signings of a number of new players, along with good additions to their backroom staff.
To take this Club forward in the way we want, it’s hugely important that our Academy produces players and people who are ready for first-team football. Last week I was delighted to see a number of the Men’s scholarship players commit to continuing their development at the Club, along with three of our graduates signing their first professional contracts – a truly special moment for the players and their families.
Ensuring we have the right structures in place is key to our continued progress, and the appointment of Kerri Coombs as Head of Girls Football is a real statement of intent. Kerri will be pivotal in overseeing the Development Team pathway to ensure there is a clear route for players into the Women’s first team.
Oxford United in the Community have continued to grow, and we look forward to a record number of children joining our holiday camps this summer. The camps will offer 600 free places, with a fundraising initiative also set to be announced in the coming weeks which all supporters can get behind. The Community’s work is as important as ever and we will do everything we can to reach as many people as possible.
I would like to take this moment to once again thank you, the fans, for your ongoing support. Season Ticket sales are just one mark of how you back the team, but more than that, you give so much time, dedication and passion to this Club. As always, your feedback is appreciated and I’m very excited to see you all again at the Kassam very soon.
The Championship offers so many fantastic opportunities for us as a Club. We will be welcoming some of English football’s most recognised teams to the Kassam, and you will get the opportunity to travel around the country to bigger venues and new stadiums. We will do everything we can to be successful at this level, and knowing the work Des, his coaching team, Ed Waldron, and many others in the football department and beyond are doing, we have every confidence that this will be an exciting and memorable year.
I, the Chairman, the Owners and the Board will continue to put this Club in a better place for you. We are aware of our responsibility and are proud to be part of your Oxford United.
We have got a lot to be excited about. Wembley was a real highlight, but we won’t dwell on the past because, as I always say, the best is yet to come for Oxford United Football Club.
Yours,
Tim