More Oxford blues

Oxford United v Darlington

Coca-Cola League Two

Saturday January 21st 2006, 3pm

Another poor season in the basement division for Oxford.

Brian Talbot is the latest in a succession of managers looking to find that elusive consistency. Their 3-0 home defeat to Shrewsbury was a shock, even to long-suffering home fans - their fifth reverse of the season. Steve Basham is still the U's main striking threat.

Man to watch Matt Robinson Dependable former Reading left back.

The Kassam Stadium (pictured above) was opened in the Summer of 2001, with stands on only three sides. Frankly it would be hard to find a more soulless place with such little atmosphere, miles from town, with poor transport links - unless you brought a car and could find a space.

The North Stand on-day is £18 (will be £16 in advance from Darlington FC, concessions £10, students £12.50, under 7s free if bought in advance) on-day concessions for OAPs £11 and for U16 for this match and £14 students. For those buying on the day, tickets have to be bought from the away ticket office next to the North Stand beforehand - no cash at the turnstiles.

One word of warning from Ian White: "Don't walk to the ground from the city centre in your Darlo shirt. Oxford may be posh, but the whole south side is covered by a very rough estate called Blackbird Leys. Stay well clear."

Oxford United FC: Kassam Stadium, Grenoble Rd, Oxford OX4 4XP Tel: (01865) 337500; Ticket office: (01865) 337533 History: Formed in 1893 as Headington Utd, elected to Southern League, 1949; changed name to Oxford Utd, 1960, elected to Football League 1962 in place of Accrington Stanley. Beat QPR at Wembley to win the League (Milk) Cup in 1986. Moved from the Manor Ground to new stadium in 2001. Record Attendance: 22,750 v Preston NE, FA Cup, 29 Feb 1964 Honours: Div 2 champions 1984/85, Div 3 champions 1983/84, 1967/68, League Cup winners 1986. Capacity: 12,400 Last season: 15th Record victory: 9-1 v Dorchester, FA Cup, 11 Nov 1995 Defeat: 0-7 v Sunderland, Div 1, 19 Sept 1998 Nickname: The U's. Colours: Yellow and blue. Manager/Director: Jim Smith Chairman: Nick Merry Players in: Chris Willmott (Northampton), Stuart Gray (Rushden), Billy Turley (Rushden), Lee Mansell (Luton), Chris Hargreaves (Brentford) Players out: Tommy Mooney (Wycombe), Paul Wanless, Danny Brown, Emiliano Diaz, Mateo Corbo, Amine Karam, Lucas Cominelli, Simon Cox and Alan Judge (all released) Famous fans/players/connections: Timmy Mallett (fan), Jim Rosenthal (fan), Sir Richard Branson (fan). Ron Atkinson, John Aldridge, Ray Houghton (players), Robert Maxwell (chairman!), Jim Smith and Mark Lawrenson (managers). Click for streetmap of ground

Click for Location map of ground

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The ground is south of the city off the A34/A40 ring-road and is clearly sign-posted near the Oxford Science Park, off the A4070. The closest motorway junction is 6 of the M40, south on the A40, left after Sainsbury. Parking: There is now room for 2,000 cars at the stadium, including at the rear of the O-Zone leisure complex.. There is hardly any street parking. You're warned to be very careful when parking anywhere else, especially on verges, as the wardens are very busy around here. As one Oxford fan warns: "Do not rely on what other cars have done, stick to marked parking bays on roads and do not think that because your car is completely off the road on a verge causing no obstruction to anyone that that means any double yellow restrictions do not apply - they do, and you will get done! Also, if parking on the local estates, watch out for warning signs on lampposts and when entering areas. Not all prohibited areas have lines on the road - bizarre I know, but somehow special dispensation has been given for this. So be warned, please still come, but just remember that ticket wardens function on the same basis as a very bad Third Division referee - follow the rules to the letter rather than use common sense!"

Trains: The stadium is three miles from Oxford station. A number of buses run from the town centre, including the 601 football specials, which leave the station at 13.00 and 14.00 (stop R1) on matchdays, picking up at St Aldates in the city centre (10 mins later, stop H1) and a park and ride on the outskirts and taking 20 minutes. They return 10 minutes after the final whistle - there are usually four or five double and single deckers. Fare: £2 each way (£1 children, 30p OAP).

001 Taxis Tel: 01865 240000 Ace Cars Tel: 01865 420000 City Taxis Tel: 01865 794000 Oxi Cars (01865) 875900, inc minibus and services from villages. Taxis - including minibuses - can be booked for return trips, with pick-ups at the stadium after the game. The minibus worked out at about £2 each; the cost of an ordinary cab is around £6 to the ground.   Darlington FC Supporters' Club Coach Time 9.30am, price £19. Contact: 01325 243911. See Darlington Supporters' Club for more details.

Suggested trains: Not a cheap option from Darlington 09.10-direct arr Oxford 13.13; rtn direct 17.34 arr 22.04. Duration: 4hrs 30 mins, Fares: Saver Return from £82.10. A warning on this particular Saturday that replacement buses are running between Oxford and Didcot. Trains from London Paddington at 10.30 via Didcot Parkway (arr 11.11), replacement bus 11.20 arr 12.00 and every half hour; rtn 17.30 direct arr 18.27. Cheap day return £17 and Saver return £20. Hourly services from Birmingham New Street 10.03 direct arr Oxford 11.13. Rtn 17.34 (arr 18.45) Saver return: £24.90. Cardiff Central 08.25 via Didcot Parkway (10.17) replacement bus 10.40 arr Oxford 11.20. Rtn replacement bus 17.45 via Didcot arr 18.25 (18.42) arr Cardiff 21.01. Saver Return £39. National Express run a regular coach service every 15-20 minutes from London Victoria to Oxford, costing £14 day return and taking 1hr 40 mins. Also Birmingham Digbeth, 11am direct arr 12.35, 1800 rtn requires hour wait at Milton Keynes, arr 22.20. £11.90 day return.

The Oxford Information Centre, The Old School, Gloucester Green, Oxford, 0930-1700, 01865 726871

There's a decent accommodation list with links on the Oxford City site, or try Smoothhound in the links column. Bear in mind that it's pretty expensive in the centre of the city (London tariffs), but there are some more reasonable rates in the suburbs. We stayed in Iffley Road, two miles south (No 3 and No 4 bus, £5-6 taxi) at Bronte Guest House, 282 Iffley Rd, with others nearby (£25-40). Ian White suggests trying the Holiday Inn Express attached to the Kassam Stadium. "It costs £63-75 for a room, but you can get a triple room for this, and the car parking is free to guests. Ask for a second or third floor room, with an odd number between 231 & 245 or 331 & 345, and you can see the whole pitch. I was there on the night before the game last year with two friends, and we watched them watering the pitch, putting up the goals, warming up etc. You get a continental breakfast, but can stock up on enough muesli, croissants andyoghurt to last until Pukka Pie time.The bar is also open to guests until 2am."

Oxford, as you'd expect, has plenty of choice in terms of haute cuisine and fine wines. But they're in the city centre, while the stadium is "out of town." There are also villages south of the ground as an alternative. There are various online pub guides, this lunchtime pub guide seemed the most exhaustive.

Recommended city centre: The Turf Tavern, 4 Bath Place, city centre, between Holywell St and Queen's Lane. A 600-year-old pub five minutes walk from Balliol College, usually boasting a choice of up to 11 beers. The pub usually include Archers Golden, Brakspear Special. If the weather is fine, the courtyard beer garden setting is pleasant. Open from 11pm Saturday and 12 noon on Sunday. Food served. Click for street map The Lamb & Flag 12 St Giles. Historic free house run by St John's College. Featured on Morse and literary figures such as Tolkein and CS Lewis drank here, but expect students. Skinners beers often feature as guests. DAFTS recommended. .

Recommended near ground: The Priory, Open end at the Kassem Stadium, Grenoble Rd Designated now a pub for away fans, a short walk from the away end (behind the bowling allery), owned by the Oxford chairman Firoz Kassem, and sounding like a place you go when you're trying to give up drinking. It's a fairly basic pub set in a pleasant old fashioned-looking inn. Will suit those not fussed about their beer or wanting something convenient. Tetley's Bitter/Fosters and quaintly Double Diamond were the draught beers on, and no food to speak of. A large room inside and if the weather is nice, a beer garden.

The Bear Inn 6 Alfred Street (behind Town Hall). A 13th century pub, said to be the city's smallest. Bateman and Hook Norton beers and lunchtime food. Another with a Morse connection, the pub's renowned for its collection of ties, one of which helped Morse solve a murder. Antiquity Hall Hythe Bridge Street Not a bad boozer close to the station on a river bridge, London Pride and Tetley's and decent food. Popular student haunt, naturally. Click for street map The Hobgoblin, St Aldgate (pictured above) Opposite the bus-stop where the football special stops to pick up on the way to the Kassam so quite a handy pub to finish a lunchtime session.

Beyond the ground: The set up is a bit like at Rushden, with drinking near the ground best in adjoining villages. Both Sandford-on-Thames and Littlemore are both within 15 minutes walk. The King's Arms, Church Rd, Sandford-on-Thames Sizeable waterside pub on Sandford Lock, with restaurant, extensive beer garden and carpark. Courage Best. Turn left at the Catherine Wheel pub and up a cul-de-sac. Trout Inn Godstow Road, Wolvercote The Fox, Henley Rd, Sandford-on-Thames Small Thames-side village pub with roaring fire, perhaps not in April. Recommended by CAMRA as a long-standing Morrell's haunt, also does B&B. Catering at the ground was pricey the last time we were there - £2.50 for a Pukka pie, £3 for a Balti pie, 75p for crisps, £2.50 for a bottle of lager (no I didn't have all of that, but you get the picture!), which was more than I think I've paid at any Premiership ground, let alone Division Three. There were no queues at least, unsurprisingly. All the usual fast food outlets from Macdonalds, KFC and Burger King can be found in the city centre, as well as some decent restaurants, you might expect in a blue-chip student city. There are plenty of decent restaurants in the centre - if staying over - Restaurant Al-Andulus, 10 Little Clarendon St (01865 516688) is a good, if a little pricey Tapas, for students with gold cards. Open from 0800 for breakfasts until late for dinner. In a side street off St Giles, five minutes walk from the Lamb & Flag.

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Surfing there...

Oxford United websites include the Yellows Online - a Rivals site. There's also the Official site, which is fine and updated regularly.

Next away matches:
Boston Utd, Saturday February 4

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© DAFTS 2006