Wells on?

According to Les Wells he and Firoz Kassam had agreed terms for Wells' land at Minchery Farm in return for Wells dropping his two legal actions. The deal needed to be ratified by Oxford City Council for it to work as the legal cases are actually between Wells and the Council. Wells claimed on Radio Oxford that he was doing United a favour by allowing Kassam to have his land at considerably less than the market price, even though Kassam doesn't actually want or need the land anyway. It is quite possible that Wells' generosity stemmed more from the possibility that he might lose his legal actions with the result that he will then have to pay both his and the Council's legal costs. It is also possible that this was the same reason that the Council refused to ratify the deal, despite Wells' claims that the deal he had agreed with Kassam wouldn't cost the Council anything. Wells is now stating that he is taking the City Council to the European Court of Human Rights and that if he wins his judgement that he has a public right of way then he will have the right to amble across the pitch at Minchery Farm during a match without anyone able to prevent him legally.

The deal that Wells agreed with Kassam, according to Les Wells, was as follows:
1] Mr Firoz Kassam will make four payments to Wells to acquire his property, and until the last payment is made that property will act as security.
2] The City Council will abandon their action against Wells who will abandon his defence and counterclaims. Everyone would have to pay their own costs (presumably this was the Council's stumbling block). This would be the end of the Right of Way case.
3] Wells would abandon his action against both Firoka and the City Council in return for them abandoning any defence. Each Party to pay their own costs. That being an end of the Judicial Review case.4] Contracts to be exchanged by close of business within five days.5] If its not done within the five days then there will be little or no room for any more deals.

Luton off

United's match at Luton today was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. This means mathematical relegation might not now happen until the Wigan game on April 7th.

Other teams near the bottom had mixed fortunes. Bristol Rovers went down 3-0 to second placed Rotherham, United's opponents next Saturday; Swansea drew 1-1 at swindon and Cambridge United won 3-2 at Stoke, Paul Wanless scoring their second goal whilst their winner came in the 90th minute. Port Vale's game at Northampton was also postponed, giving the pools panel the opportunity to determine this as an away win, something that they surprisingly failed to do for United's match. This all leaves United now 24 points from safety and 13 points adrift, with a possible 36 left to play for. Simon Weatherstone scored Boston's first goal in their 4-2 defeat at Doncaster.

Meanwhile Tranmere boss John Aldridge has resigned following their 3-2 home defeat by Barnsley after they were 2-0 up at halftime. Aldridge joined the club in a £250,000 deal from Real Sociedad in 1991, and scored 172 goals for the Prenton Park club.