Reasons to be cheerful

As the crucial City Council vote draws closer Rage Online would like to draw your attention to the website of FOUL which has its latest Press Release and some background information on the issues as they relate to Oxford United. In brief the reasons why the Councillors should vote in favour of the deal are as follows:
1. The land deal is completed bringing £1m to city coffers
2. There will be an end to the saga of legal actions surrounding the complex, and an end to future legal costs
3. The city gains a quality sports stadium for football and rugby in place of an eyesore
4. The city also gains a leisure and hotel development which will revitalise Blackbird Leys and bring local jobs
5. Professional football in Oxford is saved, and community and education work along with it
6. The existing Manor site in Headington is freed for a more appropriate use
7. The Study Support Centre initiative, which opens in September and will provide a literacy and numeracy IT centre for all ages, based at the stadium, will no longer be placed at risk

It should also be made clear just what the proposal is: no money is being given to Les Wells, it's just the Council voting to pay part of its own legal fees for an action which it brought itself. From conversations with Councillors this is a crucial point. They do not want to feel that they are paying off Les Wells. There is a cautious optimism that the vote will be in the club's favour, despite the feeling of emotional blackmail that is being exerted, but no-one is counting any chickens and there is still a lot of work to be done before the voting takes place either at full Council on Wednesday or at a special session on Thursday afternoon. This session will be held in public.

Meanwhile swindon, whose future has also been under threat recently, has won a reprieve for the next few days as the club's backers have agreed to continue funding it until their local Council reaches a crucial decision whether or not it will support the club's endeavours to locate a new stadium in the town's Front Garden area (the bit between the built-up area and the M4). If the Town Council's decision goes against the club then the backers have said that they will pull out and the club could face closure. We will be watching events down there with interest and hoping that they are able to resolve their problems.