‘It doesn’t get more serious’ – Championship club could cease to exist as CEO makes heartfelt plea to authorities
OXFORD UNITED could cease to exist if it is not granted planning permission for a new stadium.
The Championship outfit submitted plans for a 16,000-seater multi-purpose ground with a decision expected in July.
Ahead of the decision from the local authorities, Oxford CEO Tim Williams has issued a stark warning over the future of the club.
The U’s currently play their football at the Kassam Stadium, but their lease is set to expire in 2026.
He told Sky Sports: “When our lease at the Kassam Stadium runs out, we won’t have a home and a stadium to play in.
“If we don’t have a stadium, there is a risk we won’t have a football club.”
Oxford’s potential new development would feature an 18-bedroom hotel, an events centre as well as wellbeing and community spaces.
It would also be the first all-electric stadium in the UK.
Williams has claimed that Oxford are more in need of the ground than the likes of Manchester United and Everton.
The two Premier League giants are due in new homes with the Toffees moving into their new ground this summer.
The Red Devils are aiming to construct a new 100,000-seater stadium by the 2030/31 season.
Williams added: “It doesn’t get more serious than that for a football club.
“We have seen headlines recently about a new Manchester United stadium, which with all due respect is a want and not a need.
“If Manchester United don’t move out, they still have Old Trafford.
“If Everton hadn’t moved into Bramley Moor-Dock, they’ve still got Goodison.
“If we don’t move into a new stadium, we are homeless and we don’t exist and it’s an absolute travesty in my view.
“It’s that important.”
A decision on the new stadium is in less than five weeks and Williams believes that it would benefit the local community.
He said: “We now have a Football Regulator, and we have a report by Tracey Crouch which talks about football assets.
“We are a poster child for what good football governance and football clubs should be about.
“It’s going to be a 16,000-seater stadium, on the outskirts of Oxford, and a real community asset, fully sustainable, in a brilliant location in the country.
“We need support, but we also need to say, the point about the club potentially not existing is a real one. This needs to be moved up every headline.
“We are entering a crucial period in the club’s history. The future of the club hinges on the new stadium, and I’d urge every supporter, every stakeholder, and every voice to get behind this project.”