Oxford United

Little to add to our previous recent lengthy reviews of the Kassam Stadium as away fans. Our recent unfortunate experiences aside, Oxford is definitely a stadium we would recommend for those wanting to try an away game but nervous. Excellent parking, excellent provision in the away end for disabled fans and wonderful staff. Warm welcome to the stadium, from staff who tell you immediately where everything is and the Stand Manager, Herbs, is just the best, remembering our previous visits as soon as we appeared and delighted that we finally got to see a whole game at last! Oxford happy for a fan who had recently had surgery to sit with us to avoid steps and be kept safe with a little extra room to stretch out on more comfortable chairs. Stewards helped with opening the toilet door (at some places they have stood and watched me struggle). When I went to the loo before KO, I discovered the hand soap had run out and pointed this out, on my second visit, I was delighted to find it had been replaced, so often I point things out and nothing is done. My husband again had excellent service when he purchased a coffee, the staff member told him where to put his card and told him where his coffee was and where the opening on the lid was. At the end of the match the coach was waiting for us right outside the away end and helpfully there had been announcements made about a local road closure due to an accident. Well done Oxford, it is the seemingly little things that make so much difference.

Given our last review as away fans was only 4 months ago, this should be read as a PS to that review as I am only covering matters in this review specific to this visit, dealing with the least complex ones first.

Catering
I sent my severely visually impaired husband off to the concession to purchase a coffee prior to the game (£2.20). He returned delighted with the young male who had served him. He had been told (without asking) exactly where his coffee had been placed on the counter, that it had a lid on it and the drinking hole was facing him, he was given equally specific directions as to where the card reader was and what he needed to do to use it. He could not recall being served by anyone so helpful anywhere and wishes this person to be recognised by their Club. Reading my last review, I noted 4 months ago the steward at the gate gave us (without asking) specific details of where everything was. I am wondering are all staff at Oxford being given excellent Disability Awareness Training? If so, we would say it is working and it is very noticeable. Well done Oxford.

Seating Area
Unlike on our previous visit there were less of us in this area, so space was not an issue. It was nice to be recognised by the steward guarding the gate to this area, who did an excellent job in ensuring only people who should be in this area were. On this visit, the sun was hot and we discovered we were sat directly in it, which somewhat took us by surprise after a cold morning. We needed sun hats and sun cream, go prepared.

Safety of Disabled Away Fans
What I omitted from my last review was that during the game, when the match ball went into the away fans behind the away disabled fans and was thrown back, it was thrown short and hit my head from behind with such force that it spun the headrest on my powerchair. You can imagine this was a frightening experience and although thankfully I was unhurt, I did spend some time in the medical room as I was very shaken. All the medical staff were exceptionally kind and helpful. I didn’t include it in my review at the time as I thought it was a freak event that was not likely to be repeated. 4 months on, sitting at the same location and my husband’s safety was compromised by one of the away fans throwing a flare which landed just a few feet in front of him. The smoke from it severely affected his eyes, caused him to have 5 absences (seizures) and left him wheezing and coughing. After being very publicly removed in a wheelchair from the stand with all the away fans watching and then doing the long distance route to the medical room, that is where we spent the second half of the game and have now written to thank all the Club staff, medics, police and fan representatives who helped us. What we are all united on is, how easily, this incident could have been so much more serious. It was only due to pure luck that the flare did not land on someone sat on the disabled fans seating platform with unthinkable consequences. For the safety of all, more needs to be done to stop flares going to footy, particularly given the clearly disproportional harm they can do to disabled fans and those with long term health conditions. We are now wanting this matter addressed nationally, as more than simply a legal issue.

This we think is the third time in recent years we have attended a match at the Kassam as away fans travelling in our Club’s official away transport. I am a powerchair user and my husband is severely visually impaired.

Arrival and Entry to the Ground
Our arrival to the stadium has always been through a modern business park, turning left onto the sight of a leisure park with a bowling abbey, cinema, various eateries etc. Disabled parking is against a wooden fence in the far left hand corner of the car park. The away entrance is just round the corner from this parking and the official coaches were parked immediately outside the away entrance (all on the flat). Access for wheelchair users was through the large gate at the right hand side of the away turn styles, despite the signs indicating it was at the other side. Through the gate you enter the bottom of the stand, with the accessible toilet on the far wall just to your left and the entrance to the seating area just beyond that. With a sell out crowd this area got very full and congested.

Seating Provisions
As mentioned in previous reviews there is a raised platform area for wheelchair users with chairs for PAs that can be positioned as you wish. The platform is sufficiently wide to let people pass without everyone having to move, it is well under the roof of the stand and due to gates both side of this area you are not troubled by any fans not seated in that area passing through it. This area is just along from the corner flag on the long side opposite the tunnel. It is in front of the away fans but as they are much higher up you can only really see those sat in the front row when they look over. Even these fans are so far away that if powerchair users wish to elevate their seats/PAs stand, they are not obscuring the views of those in the main stand. There are about 3 rows of seating in front of this platform but as they seem to be permanently covered, views from the platform are only restricted by stewards who towards the end of the game stood at the foot of the steps in the next block and the people sat next to us when as tightly packed as we where on the platform to accommodate everyone who needed to be sat here. With 6 wheelchair users, PAs and a good number of mobility impaired fans all using this platform (this is the only step free seating area for away fans) it simply was not big enough unless we formed more than one row which simply does not work for wheelchair users. I do know that at least one person with a ticket for that platform did not attend, had they had, we really would have struggled for sufficient space. As it was we only fitted in by two of the PAs standing to take up less space than the seats provided. Whilst I am reluctant to be critical of such an excellent space, it seems there is a need for more step free seating.

Accessible Toilet
A single accessible toilet at the away end, radar key controlled. The person using it when I went prior to KO had clearly failed to lock it and we equally could not seem to get the lock to work. Clean. I could not get any hot water but there was hand soap and paper towels with the biggest open bin you could imagine. Just big enough for my 6-wheel powerchair. My main concern is how wet the floor was even prior to KO, something which I would think would only get worse during the match.

Headset Commentary for VI Fans
As we could find no reference to this on either the Club’s website or LPF’s and we could not remember if my husband had had one previously at Oxford we emailed Andrew Taylor EDI Manager using the email on the LPF website (albeit on the match day) but got no reply.

Catering
This was provided in the area under the stand to the left of where we accessed our seating. We did not purchase anything but from what we saw it seemed standard fayre. Outside the stadium were various mobile catering units which seemed popular including a fish and chip one.

Stewards
Helpful. The one who scanned our tickets at the gate told us without us needing to ask where everything was and they were very quick to respond when I got hit by the ball.

End of Game/Leaving
With a capacity crowd, the area under the stand you needed to pass through was very crowded. The departure of the official coaches from the ground was well organised.

We would happily go to the Kassam again.

The Kassam could hardly be better for the ambulant disabled or, I would guess, wheelchair users. Parking as close to the turnstiles as it could be if you get there in good time, slightly sloping access into the seating area, seats at entry level with the pitch slightly below. It’s the standard other clubs should aspire to.

We previously bought our tickets from York & didn’t ring Oxford for a parking space as we knew they had a large car park.

We went for lunch at the“Bullnose Morris” pub. Fayre & Square.

Reaching the ground we were directed to a accessible parking space next to the away turnstiles. We bought a cup of tea from a vendor in the carpark. they also sold chips, burgers etc

I couldn’t see the shop anywhere. We were let through a large door next to the away turnstiles & the two others with us came in the same door. The toilets, bar & program stall were just inside.

We were then shown to a raised wheelchair bay, with our own supporters and the carers were brought comfortable armchairs to sit in. Brilliant view – the best in League 2. There were three rows of seats in front of us but they were kept covered up. The stewards were very friendly & helpful and didn’t constantly block our view.

A good day out. thank you Oxford

As a regular disabled season ticket holder for Oxford, I am normally at the bottom of the South stand, right next to the pitch. While the view is good, we were placed right next to an older gentleman who uses a rather large mobility scooter to move around, which can sometimes shield both my own view, and my carer’s view of the left goal. So for something different, seeing as it was an FA Cup game we decided to try out seats in the upper tier of the South stand.

The experience was largely very good. The view was fantastic, and it was quite a novelty finally getting to see the whole pitch for a change! The stewards were very friendly, and offered us tea and biscuits for a small charge at half-time if we wanted them. On an even more colder night I’m sure we’d have said yes! The only thing that let the experience down was trying to exit the stadium once the match was over. We were happy to let the less mobile wheelchair users make use of the lift before us, but the stewards decided that we would be fine using the lift on our own. Unfortunately, this meant the lift was often extremely full with able-bodied people who didn’t have the decency to let me in, or even get out for me. This same situation happened at least five times before there was finally some room for my wheelchair (which is not a large one by any means) to get into it, albeit still packed with people. We were stuck up there on our own for at least 15 minutes, and the lift was extremely temperamental, often returning to the same level it had just come from for no apparent reason. If the steward had stayed with us just a minute or two longer, I’m sure these problems wouldn’t have happened.

As for access leaving the bottom of the South stand from our usual seats, it is pretty good. Just a short push required to the disabled parking. The parking is good, but I would advise arriving at least 1 hour 30 mins before kick off, as the spaces fill up surprisingly quickly. However, the few occasions we’ve not been able to take an initial disabled parking space, the stewards have always been very helpful in finding a different space for us, sometimes ending up with a better space than the disabled ones!

All in all, the Kassam Stadium is an extremely pleasant place to come and watch Football, with a friendly but passionate crowd, good access at all levels, and good parking. Though if you decided to take a seat in the upper tier, expect a fairly lengthy waiting time when exiting the stadium, though the view was most definitely worth it.

We found the facilities very good and the sterwards were all very friendly. We were with our own supporters which was great.

Parking They have disabled parking, and I would advise any disabled people to phone the club before you go and let them know you are coming. it is a large carpark with one way in and one way out, it took us about 30 mins to get out of the carpark.