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Post by ChrisB on Apr 29, 2023 17:27:06 GMT
I'm sure rijs or someone will post a report soon, but, in the meantime, many congratulations to the Hoops on grabbing a home SF fixture in the play-offs.
...and very many thanks to The Peacocks for getting a win at Chelmsford!
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Post by Rijs on Apr 29, 2023 20:41:43 GMT
Not at the match today, but glued to Radio Oxford, OCFC Twitter and the Football Web pages during that nail-biting second half. Injury time seemed to go on extra long in Chelmsford! Whatever the result today or next weekend, this has been our best-ever season, and we continue to punch well above our weight. Sounds as if the familiar narrative of dominating possession but missing chances spoilt the party today, but we move on to the biggest match of our season so far and have to remain focused and confident.
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Post by clive on Apr 29, 2023 22:22:41 GMT
Chris/Rijs Due to an unfortunate circumstance of events ( my wife is currently in Bath Hospital ! ) I was able to attend today's game. On another day it would have been a landslide, but City missed loads of chances, a crazy 5 minute spell gifted two goals to Bath, who then defended with energy and determination they hadn't shown in the first half. Like many occasions, the side going down to 10 men raises their game Fortunately in the end it didn't matter as Chelmsford lost at home, and no doubt they will be kicking themselves for that. Anycase, roll on next Sunday ! fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2023/04/bath-city-2-1-oxford-city-att-1704.html |
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Post by ChrisB on Apr 30, 2023 8:25:07 GMT
Thanks for the great report, Clive, I hope your wife is soon out of hospital.
That's a big crowd yesterday: from what I remember of Twerton Park (many years ago!!) it has a tremendous atmosphere. And I'm sure there'll be a good crowd and plenty of support at Marsh Lane next Sunday: COYHs!!
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Post by Braintreefan on Apr 30, 2023 10:11:53 GMT
Hope its us coming down next Sunday, do you think it will be segregated? I can see us taking 300-400
However if its Worthing I can see them taking alot more, they were some of the loudest fans and travelled to our place in numbers.
Fingers crossed its not them!
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Post by Rijs on Apr 30, 2023 10:53:52 GMT
Amazing detail in your report, Clive, and I echo Chris in the hope your wife recovers soon and is unaffected by any strikes.
I wonder what the penalty was for. Remember their third goal to get the draw at CPF early in the season? The ref blew for a penalty for handball by Canice. It was a bit harsh to call it handball anyway (a case of ball to hand) but the injustice was that he was a metre or two outside the area, as the video clearly shows.
To Braintreefan, segregation is very rare at our place but has been used for some big cup games e.g. when Tranmere came. May the best team win your eliminator!
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Post by casablanca on May 1, 2023 8:28:51 GMT
Are we having to wait until Wednesday’s result to see details of the ticketing arrangements? We should get over 1,000 for Sunday, perhaps more! Will there be additional car parking over the road?
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Post by ChrisB on May 4, 2023 8:06:06 GMT
It's Worthing on Sunday...
Huge crowd at Worthing last night to see them beat Braintree 2-1.
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Post by James on May 4, 2023 9:24:43 GMT
Hi Guys,
Worthing fan here in peace, any idea why your segregating this game, seems crazy with your crowds not being large surely the club want to make the ground as busy as possible for revenue.
I heard there’s only 450 tickets for us.
If so is it maybe done to stop us out outnumbering you?
No digs intended just wondered if you guys knew why?
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Post by ChrisB on May 4, 2023 10:08:21 GMT
Hi Guys, Worthing fan here in peace, any idea why your segregating this game, seems crazy with your crowds not being large surely the club want to make the ground as busy as possible for revenue. I heard there’s only 450 tickets for us. If so is it maybe done to stop us out outnumbering you? No digs intended just wondered if you guys knew why? Only just spotted that segregation is occurring. No idea why: maybe they were told to by the League/F.A.? |
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Post by James on May 4, 2023 20:40:52 GMT
As expected we have sold out our away allocation.
Let’s be honest you won’t see out the home end, so why not sell us more. It’s split gate money plus our fans will be buying beers burgers etc in the ground. Loss of revenue just because you don’t want to be outnumbered…pathetic
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Post by casablanca on May 7, 2023 8:55:01 GMT
Come on you Hoops!
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Post by clive on May 7, 2023 10:08:40 GMT
Hi Guys, Worthing fan here in peace, any idea why your segregating this game, seems crazy with your crowds not being large surely the club want to make the ground as busy as possible for revenue. I heard there’s only 450 tickets for us. If so is it maybe done to stop us out outnumbering you? No digs intended just wondered if you guys knew why? Only just spotted that segregation is occurring. No idea why: maybe they were told to by the League/F.A.? League requirements are that a mimimum 15% of ground capacity needs to be allocated to the visiting side. This was the initial number given to Worthing, with a subsequent additional 100 tickets made available. I don't know how many City expect today but it would think it would easily surpass the 1,349 record for play-off tie against Eastbourne last season, and maybe pass the 2,276 for the pre-season friendly against Oxford United a few years ago. I would expect there to be a 3,000 sell-out and would have thought the Worthing fans could have given the stand behind the goal ? |
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Post by ChrisB on May 7, 2023 14:18:20 GMT
As St Albans have just won their semi-final at Dartford, whoever wins, City or Worthing, will be at home for the final (I think!!!!).......
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Post by waynetilling on May 7, 2023 16:28:12 GMT
Both finals will be shown live on BT Sport 3 on Sunday 14th May - a Brackley Town and Oxford City double-header.
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Post by clive on May 7, 2023 20:10:41 GMT
The usual review of todays' game, which was a fully deserved victory. It might have been different though had Worthing scored in the first minute but Haigh made a good block. Zac was in a league of his own today, and I was a tad nervous when he was taken off with 17 minutes left. But City saw out the rest of the game pretty comfortably. Onwards to next Sunday ! fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2023/05/oxford-city-vs-worthing-fc-att-2017.html |
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Post by Rijs on May 7, 2023 21:11:41 GMT
Thank you for another great report, Clive. The opening minutes gave us the feeling this could be a high-scoring game but in the end, defences were mostly on top and there were few clearcut chances for the rest of the game. City should be pleased with their clean sheet against a prolific attack - in fact, the Rebels scored only once against us in 270 minutes this season - and as Reece Fleet said in his Radio Oxford interview afterwards, the whole team played well and managed the match quite comfortably in the end. I thought Worthing had nothing left in the tank in the final ten minutes. Maybe that midweek match, the heat this afternoon and their high press early on had taken too much out of them.
The vast majority of visiting fans behaved well, but a few hotheads threw things at City fans after the second goal. The decision to segregate was clearly justified. Great to see over 2,000 at the stadium for the first time in a competitive match, and maybe we'll have more next week, but I can't see how we could safely let 3,000 in. To me, 2,400 would be a capacity crowd; any more than that and a lot of people won't be able to see. The Dorking capacity was 3000 and their ground is bigger, with many more seats than ours.
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Post by clive on May 7, 2023 21:28:48 GMT
I agree with Rijs, I can't see where another 900 spectators would fit in, unless they watched it on the TV in the bar ! 2,500 tops I'd say
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Post by clive on May 7, 2023 21:30:05 GMT
St Albans apparently took 800 to Chelmsford in mid-week, and would be hoping to bring a huge number next Sunday
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Post by Fleety on May 7, 2023 21:59:17 GMT
I glad there’s only one player on the pitch ‘well done to all the city players done use proud 👍
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Post by Fleety on May 7, 2023 22:01:57 GMT
I here this week in week out it’s a team game 👍
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Suburban Borough of Jericho
Guest
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Post by Suburban Borough of Jericho on May 7, 2023 22:16:11 GMT
Oxford United fan in peace.
I thought city had plans in place to make their capacity bigger as they will need it if they make the step up.
However,and this is unfortunate but everything to do with sport in our city seems to me a little backward in progressive thinking. Best get them directors overalls on and start building if city as a club are taking things seriously for next week.
Anyway, great result for you today and I do hope you make it through to the National league and give the Oxford non sporting population a big big headache on match days next season.
COYY'S
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Post by Rijs on May 7, 2023 22:33:15 GMT
I'm sure the whole stadium could be filled just with St Alban's fans (average home gate over 1400 this season) but their numbers will clearly be restricted as Worthing's were today.
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Post by Tomox on May 8, 2023 3:51:25 GMT
Thank you for another great report, Clive. The opening minutes gave us the feeling this could be a high-scoring game but in the end, defences were mostly on top and there were few clearcut chances for the rest of the game. City should be pleased with their clean sheet against a prolific attack - in fact, the Rebels scored only once against us in 270 minutes this season - and as Reece Fleet said in his Radio Oxford interview afterwards, the whole team played well and managed the match quite comfortably in the end. I thought Worthing had nothing left in the tank in the final ten minutes. Maybe that midweek match, the heat this afternoon and their high press early on had taken too much out of them. The vast majority of visiting fans behaved well, but a few drongos threw things at City fans after the second goal. The decision to segregate was clearly justified. Great to see over 2,000 at the stadium for the first time in a competitive match, and maybe we'll have more next week, but I can't see how we could safely let 3,000 in. To me, 2,400 would be a capacity crowd; any more than that and a lot of people won't be able to see. The Dorking capacity was 3000 and their ground is bigger, with many more seats than ours. You muppet! The whole reason trouble was caused was due to the way the game was segregated. It don’t take a rocket scientist to work out putting 2 sets of fans behind a goal with 2 barriers and ONE steward is not going to cause trouble. To add the Worthing fans were not getting involved it was our 12 year calling them all sorts during the game. Also for anyone behind the goal you will see it was one of ours who looked about 10 threw a bottle towards the worthing fans, I was with my Son next to him and the steward just had a chat with lad yet we saw they through worthing fans out for the same thing. Great win yesterday and can’t wait for the final this was only my 10th game being new to the area, but if don’t wise up to correctly segregating as someone who’s moved to the area for work (Wigan fan) other teams will come here if we go up and a fear for the safety of these kids of ours. I for one will not take my son anywhere near these idiots of ours at the final |
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Post by clive on May 8, 2023 7:41:34 GMT
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Post by abingdonox on May 8, 2023 9:02:27 GMT
Thank you for another great report, Clive. The opening minutes gave us the feeling this could be a high-scoring game but in the end, defences were mostly on top and there were few clearcut chances for the rest of the game. City should be pleased with their clean sheet against a prolific attack - in fact, the Rebels scored only once against us in 270 minutes this season - and as Reece Fleet said in his Radio Oxford interview afterwards, the whole team played well and managed the match quite comfortably in the end. I thought Worthing had nothing left in the tank in the final ten minutes. Maybe that midweek match, the heat this afternoon and their high press early on had taken too much out of them. The vast majority of visiting fans behaved well, but a few drongos threw things at City fans after the second goal. The decision to segregate was clearly justified. Great to see over 2,000 at the stadium for the first time in a competitive match, and maybe we'll have more next week, but I can't see how we could safely let 3,000 in. To me, 2,400 would be a capacity crowd; any more than that and a lot of people won't be able to see. The Dorking capacity was 3000 and their ground is bigger, with many more seats than ours. You muppet! The whole reason trouble was caused was due to the way the game was segregated. It don’t take a rocket scientist to work out putting 2 sets of fans behind a goal with 2 barriers and ONE steward is not going to cause trouble. To add the Worthing fans were not getting involved it was our 12 year calling them all sorts during the game. Also for anyone behind the goal you will see it was one of ours who looked about 10 threw a bottle towards the worthing fans, I was with my Son next to him and the steward just had a chat with lad yet we saw they through worthing fans out for the same thing. Great win yesterday and can’t wait for the final this was only my 10th game being new to the area, but if don’t wise up to correctly segregating as someone who’s moved to the area for work (Wigan fan) other teams will come here if we go up and a fear for the safety of these kids of ours. I for one will not take my son anywhere near these idiots of ours at the final City definitely need to build that new stand and properly segregate that away end from the home end for next season whatever league we're in. Thankfully it was only a few idiots from both fanbases trying to cause trouble and the majority behaved themselves. |
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Post by Rijs on May 8, 2023 10:17:59 GMT
I was not as close to the action as Tomox so his description is fuller and no doubt more accurate. As I said, the vast majority of Worthing fans behaved very well; they were a credit to their club for the support they gave throughout the match. I also agree that the nature of the segregation didn't help, but then this stadium was never designed for it, and it certainly isn't an NL Premier sort of ground. Trouble is, we already face a bill of £250K for the pitch renewal whatever happens next week. If we go up, we shall then have to increase the salaries of players and coaches. Yes, we shall have more income, but there is a limit, caused not just by the size of the ground but also by the fact that we are the minnow neighbours in a small city with a League One side already, and that isn't likely to change. We can't be compared to a St. Alban's or even a Worthing. Better to put us alongside teams like Peterborough Sports, Plymouth Parkway and Swindon Supermarine, and then be amazed at what we have achieved!
The danger is if we go up, borrow large sums to improve the ground, and then get immediately relegated, we are left with a stadium which is even more empty each week than Court Place Farm has been for thirty years, and saddled with a huge debt. But if we don't spend and improve, we can't progress up the pyramid, and we shall have problems accommodating visiting fans.
As for the behaviour thing, it was clearly the Worthing hotheads who started provoking and abusing the City fans, even before the match. Subsequently, some youngsters of our own - though I haven't seen them at home matches before - responded in kind, which is not what we want. Their fans' forum comments support our club's action in ejecting one fan, who was one of theirs who behaved badly. Segregation does create an 'us and them' atmosphere which can increase potential ill feeling when emotions run high; but emotions can do that without segregation, and then what happens if fights kick off? At least there were no fisticuffs yesterday.
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Post by abingdonox on May 8, 2023 10:40:50 GMT
I was not as close to the action as Tomox so his description is fuller and no doubt more accurate. As I said, the vast majority of Worthing fans behaved very well; they were a credit to their club for the support they gave throughout the match. I also agree that the nature of the segregation didn't help, but then this stadium was never designed for it, and it certainly isn't an NL Premier sort of ground. Trouble is, we already face a bill of £250K for the pitch renewal whatever happens next week. If we go up, we shall then have to increase the salaries of players and coaches. Yes, we shall have more income, but there is a limit, caused not just by the size of the ground but also by the fact that we are the minnow neighbours in a small city with a League One side already, and that isn't likely to change. We can't be compared to a St. Alban's or even a Worthing. Better to put us alongside teams like Peterborough Sports, Plymouth Parkway and Swindon Supermarine, and then be amazed at what we have achieved! The danger is if we go up, borrow large sums to improve the ground, and then get immediately relegated, we are left with a stadium which is even more empty each week than Court Place Farm has been for thirty years, and saddled with a huge debt. But if we don't spend and improve, we can't progress up the pyramid, and we shall have problems accommodating visiting fans. As for the behaviour thing, it was clearly the Worthing hotheads who started provoking and abusing the City fans, even before the match. Subsequently, some youngsters of our own - though I haven't seen them at home matches before - responded in kind, which is not what we want. Their fans' forum comments support our club's action in ejecting one fan, who was one of theirs who behaved badly. Segregation does create an 'us and them' atmosphere which can increase potential ill feeling when emotions run high; but emotions can do that without segregation, and then what happens if fights kick off? At least there were no fisticuffs yesterday. If we go up we need to give it a really good go at staying up, that's not just players it's the facilities as well. Several clubs in the national League will bring what Worthing did if not more. The home support will grow with success like Banbury's have. Borehamwood and Gateshead only just averaged over a 1000 last season and I don't see why we couldn't do the same. |
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Post by Rijs on May 8, 2023 11:02:41 GMT
Borehamwood have been amazing, no question. They are the current Oxford City of Step 1. But they don't have United on their doorstep, and even their home attendance average is three times ours. Can we really do that next season, or will it take longer to build?
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Post by ChrisB on May 8, 2023 12:46:23 GMT
A great result - and thanks for the detailed report, Clive. While the thought of promotion is obviously exciting (and jaw-dropping), it would definitely bring with it an awful lot of problems both monetary and logistical. I never felt that Oxford, or Oxfordshire, was particularly 'sporty', and there just aren't enough football fans to cater for United and City...and I can't see any/many United fans swapping their allegiance. As others have remarked, the ground is large enough for the crowds that the club have had over the past 25+ years, but I can't see how it'll cope with some of the crowds it might possibly get in the NL on a more regular basis. And, again as others have said, it would be a great shame if a lot was spent on the ground and City could not maintain a position at Step 1.
Anyway, the thought of promotion is tantalising and first of all and most importantly the focus needs to be on next weekend, and as far as problems in the future go, I think the phrase is 'sufficient unto the day...'.
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