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At a packed meeting in Oxford Town Hall on Wednesday evening over 700 Oxford United supporters raised almost £3,500 in a spontaneous fund raising gesture. The meeting, organised by supporters’ crisis group FOUL (Fighting for Oxford United’s Life), provided a resounding endorsement of the group’s campaign to find both short and long term solutions to United’s problems. The size of the turnout surprised many attending and one supporter said to resounding applause "I’ve been coming to meetings here for the last fifteen years and I’ve never seen it full like it is tonight. This shows that Oxford United is the most important thing to Oxford."
A range of speakers addressed the packed hall, including local councillors, former players and current employees of the football club. John Shuker, who played for the club in the 1960's and 70's and still holds the record for the number of professional appearances for Oxford, was very well received, as was an impassioned speech from Peter Rhoades-Brown, who runs the Football in the Community programme for the club. Rhoades-Brown explained how the work of the club extends into all areas of the community, including schools and colleges, and how devastating the affect would be to the whole community, not just the Oxford United supporters, should the club fold. In addition messages of support were read out from celebrity supporter Jim Rosenthal, former United skipper Mike Ford and from supporters of football clubs from throughout England and Scotland, reflecting the wider concern at Oxford’s plight.
The meeting gave FOUL a mandate to attempt to save the club by fundraising to solve United’s immediate cashflow crisis, and the group was also mandated to obtain more information from the club about the short term cash requirements. In order to achieve this FOUL will seek an urgent meeting with club’s board members regarding its cashflow needs. FOUL has determined that until the limited company's ownership situation is resolved all monies donated will be lent and not simply given to the club so that, if the unthinkable happens, the fans will have a voice in the club’s future.
FOUL also pledged that they will continue working towards the longer term aim of striving to set up a Bournemouth style "community club" should the current negotiations between the Oxford board and Grenoble Investments fail to reach a successful conclusion.
