Fans Forum - Kassam Stadium, 7 February 2006

Key points

(Report courtesy of Stan Taylor based on notes made at the meeting)

Comments made by Firoz Kassam

• He had failed. He took on a task and underestimated the problems. He worked not to pile up debts, but understands now he must take risks, which he has not done.
• 3 consortia have approached him wishing to buy.
• He will not sell the club without the stadium.
• He is willing to wait for up to 2 years before being repaid.
• Football is a different game than he had realised. He would not walk away despite the pressure.
• He has plenty of money available but is not prepared to put the club into debt.
• Q. What has he learned over the last 7 years? A. The need to have the right manager and the need for supporters to get behind the players.
• Q. Why did we let Mooney and Bradbury go? A. We could not afford them.
• Q. Will you merge stadium and club? A. No because you cannot borrow enough money on a football club.
• Q. Are we on the right lines with Brian Talbot as manager? A. Yes. Later he said he has never refused a manager's request.
• He regrets not having a chief executive before now. Later he said he needs a full-time chief executive with football experience.
• Q. How much money does the leisure centre put into the club? A. The total expenditure has been £55m of which £15m was spent on the stadium. He emphasised that he took the risk. Money from his other businesses has gone into the club.
• Q. When are you going to leave? A. If you don't want me to invest, say so now.
• Q. Do you genuinely love the football club? A. Yes, 110%.
• Q. (Graham Hilsdon) I have a question not for the top table but for the fans gathered here tonight. I ask for a show of hands to indicate if you agree with the following: If Mr Kassam receives a reasonable offer for the club & stadium, should he accept it and walk away? A. About 75% of those present raised their hands.
• The club is in a desperate situation. Please get behiond the club for 90 minutes.
• He will hold another forum within the next few weeks.
• We need a permanent training ground. land which was close buy would have cost £3.5m - that is too much.
• Q. How can supporters help? A. Let's work together - he is prepared to have five supporters 'on board'. When asked would they be directors, he said No.
• Every season ticket holder can bring a friend free to the next 2 games.
• Money is being made available for transfers.
• Q. The morale of the club, despite problems, was great before Kassam took over. Did he think it would be the same now? A. Kassam did not answer.
• Q. (Tim Rosser). Why has OxVox been treated with contempt? A. Kassam did not reply.
• Q. (Ray Whittaker). OxVox has been trying to meet John Angus and Brian Talbot. Can we have a meeting? A. Let's get together.
• Q. Why can't the ancillary income (advertising, boxes etc.) be used for the club? A. The rent for the season has been fixed taking this into account, and teh Football League will not allow you to change your budget at this stage, but it can be considered next year. The club will lose £500k this year.
• In answer to boos and shouts of "Go", Kassam said "I have my priorities".
• A speaker commented to the whole table that he was disappointed with the performance of all those at the table. More chants of "Out".
• Kassam added he had taken comments on board and will address all the points. More shouts of "Out" and boos.

Comments made by Brian Talbot

• Q. Why are we buying rubbish and selling young talent? A. I agree we need quality players, but we were going to lose Hackett and Davies at the end of the season anyway. In five years' time look back and then take a decision whether we were right to sell Davies. Hackett thought he was worth a bigger club. We tried to keep Hackett but his agent was not in favour. Because of EU ruling, Hackett could have gone to Europe on a free transfer.
• Q. Why are players not fit when they go onto the pitch? A. We have 17 players. They are not good enough. We have no pace down the flanks.
• He does not believe any professional player goes onto the pitch and doesn't try.
• Q. Is there friction between David Oldfield and the players? A. No. David does his best but is still learning his trade.
• Talbot did not think the scouting system was good when he came in. He now has three scouts plus himself. The manager must take the blame when the results are not good, but we really need better training facilities.
• Talbot confirmed he did not put money into the scouting system, because he thought the budget was good enough.
• Talbot said if he had not taken United into the top seven next season he would walk. The money the chairman allows him should be enough to get into the top seven.
• Q. Why is everybody back when defending a corner. A. The important thing is to stop a goal.
• He is prepared to bring in more loan players in his season. He commented that he had 20 signed on, but only 16 could be regarded as first team players.
• Talbot did not realise at the end of last season how poor the squad was. But, he said, it takes a long time to fix it.
• There is a limit on what you can afford to spend on players: we cannot afford more than £100k per year for one player.
• We need another left side player in addition to Robinson.

Comments made by Steve Hanks

• Asked to list his achievements, he replied he had not achieved much.
• It is a big job, and there were a number of issues concerning the culture of the business.
• The whole structure of the club needs to work towards success.
• Perhaps his one achievement was the new kit deal.