United's reserves drew 2-2 at Northampton last night, with goals from Adam Hamp and Chris Hackett, a couple of youth teamers. Also in the side were Chrissy Allen, Australian triallist Paul Roberts (who was later released as “he wouldn't make us any better), and a couple of French triallists, Cedric Chabert from Valenciennes and Johan Gouttefangeas from Angers. Oxford were twice ahead, with Northampton's equalisers coming from Dean Peer and Simon Sturridge, in front of a crowd of 511. Also in the Northampton team was Carlo Corrazin, formerly a target of Denis Smith's whilst at Oxford.
At the City Council Strategy & Resources (S&R) Committee meeting this morning the land deal between the Council and Kassam, whereby the OCC gets 20% of the stadium company and £1 million, was passed unanimously. This is a major step forward towards the recommencement of work up on Minchery Farm, with the proviso that Thames Water accepts the independent valuation of the land as they receive one third of OCC's share (7% of the new stadium company plus £350,000, if they agree). This deal has to be ratified at the full Council meeting on October 4th, but that should just be a rubber-stamping exercise. Interesting aspects of this include the Council dropping its insistence that Kassam must complete the fourth side of the ground as part of the deal, but it maintained its position that work cannot commence on the leisure development until the Council is satisfied that the stadium is on course for completion (this clause does not apply to the hotel site). Also interesting is that it is now a part of the planning consent that the multiplex cinema cannot operate simultaneously with a football match, which should effectively stimie much of the opposition to the scheme.