FOUL (Fighting for Oxford United's Life) has issued the following press release:

FOUL urges Councillors to unite for United

Following the announcement of a deal between Firoz Kassam, Les Wells and Oxford City Council, the Oxford United supporters organisation FOUL (Fighting for Oxford United's Life) urges all parties concerned to continue to strive for a resolution to this issue. We especially look to the elected City Councillors to ensure that this deal is passed at next weeks full Council meeting, as the consequences to both United and the Minchery Farm leisure development could be dire if they fail to give this agreement their backing.

Should this final chance for United be squandered then FOUL insists that those involved be held accountable. We would anyway like answers from the Council's chief legal officer David Taylor, who is responsible for the Minchery Farm project, to the following questions: why did it take two years to bring the caution action against Les Wells over his alleged right of way? Why was the Thames Water agreement left for two years without being brought to a conclusion? Why have all the officers dealing with this issue been allowed to take early retirement when the issue is still unresolved?

All is not yet lost, but if this final deal is opposed then there is a very great threat to United's future. FOUL urges the Council to make good their promises immediately and resolve the land ownership issues.

Steve Hanks, Chairman of FOUL, said "The City council now has one last chance to consign this whole sorry saga to the history books. If they make the right choice Oxford United can look forward to a secure future for the first time in years if not decades, and Oxford residents can look forward to leisure facilities they have been denied for so many years."

We urge all United supporters to ensure that their local Oxford City Councillor is made fully aware of their concerns.

ENDS