Match: v Oxford United - Blue Square Premier

Date: Tuesday, March 4th, 2008

Result: Oxford 1 Cambridge United 2

The Journey

Departure Time: Given the potential for problems with any journey that involves the M25, a 3pm departure was decided upon.

Arrival at Ground: There's a certain 'Law' that states something to the effect that if you build in plenty of contingency time you won't need it, and that was the case for this journey. Traffic moved freely on the motorways and there wasn't even the hint of a delay until we reached a set of traffic by the Mini factory in Oxford. Despite its name, the factory turned out to be full sized - as were the people clocking in for the night shift as we drove past.

We arrived at the ground just before 5pm and parked in one of the massive car parks at either end of the stadium. This turned out to be rather less straightforward than it sounds. Oxford United had allocated me a parking space, but apparently they had written my name on the car park steward's list in invisible ink that he could only read after a lengthy check of said list, a visit to the club office and several radio conversations. It wouldn't have mattered, there was plenty of free parking available at the ground, but with plenty of time to spare I was interested to see how the subtle power struggle between Oxford's press department and the stewards was going to be resolved.

At The Ground

The Ground: Since our visit last season, an impressive bronze statue of an ox has been installed on the edge of the stadium complex - which is brave given the proximity to one of the City's more notorious housing estates and the current scrap value of metal! The art installation sets the tone for a stadium that is completely out of keeping with the club's non-league status.

The car park I used is between the ground on one side and a food and cinema complex on the other and is at the end of the stadium that is notable for, well, its lack of being a stadium actually! There is the omnipresent camera tower at this end of the ground, but instead of peering over a wall or getting in the way of a popular area of seating, it stands over a high, wooden fence - a fence that is virtually the sum of all construction at this end of the ground.

The remaining three sides come from an altogether different level of football. To the right of the barely Eastern Counties League standard end, behind a plush reception that would not look out of place in a high quality London hotel, a two-tiered stand contains numerous executive, conferencing and community suites. Here, behind the press area that sits at the back of top tier, a warm pressroom proved rather too tempting for those members of the travelling press that weren't commentating! I won't embarrass them by telling you who lightweights were that wimped out, but suffice it to say that you probably read rather than listen to their reports!

The remaining two sides of the ground are similar in height to the third stand, but contain a single rather than double tier of blue seats with away fans allocated a couple of blocks at the end of the one that runs along the side of the pitch. Each of these stands is in splendid isolation, which means that there is ample space between them for an icy wind to blow through.

There are no pillars at the ground, either to block a view or to hold a floodlight. Instead a row of lights is arrayed along the top of the two-tiered stand on one side, while opposite they are supported by what looks like oversized indoor television aerials. Irrespective of their mode of support, these lights are some of the more effective ones we've experienced in a while as they turn this particular corner of Oxford from night into day.

We may have been in Oxford, but there were no dreaming spires to be seen as I looked out from the press seats as the sun set over the city. Instead, illuminated tower blocks peeped above a couple of the stands in the middle distance, while a line of monumental electricity pylons marched across the countryside from a generating station in a field behind the main stand.

United Fans: Ranging from loud to very loud throughout the entire 90 minutes, if you had been simply listening to the match rather than watching it you could be forgiven for thinking that it was being played at the Abbey Stadium.

View from Away End: Although U's fans were at one end of a side stand, there were no pillars in the way and there were more than enough seats to find one with a decent view.

Home Fans: It was noticeable how Oxford's support has fallen away since last season, both in terms of numbers and volume. The home fans were only really vocal in backing of their team in the moments after their goal. Otherwise the sounds emanating from Oxford fans were those of disgruntlement with their side and a less than complimentary expression of how much they thought Courtney Pitt had improved since he plied his trade in their Manor. One in particular managed a surprisingly athletic hurdle of nine rows of seats as he made a rapid dash towards the pitch, remonstrating as he went, until his progress came to an abrupt end when he reached an impenetrable barrier of stewards and advertising hoardings.

Police/Stewards: Plenty of stewards around, both inside and outside the ground where they kept a reassuringly vigilant eye on the cars.

Programme: Despite its on-field fall from grace, Oxford has never let the standard of its programme drop, and this season's publication was in keeping with this fine tradition. Unusually priced at £2.70 for 68 pages, like three quarters of the stadium this programme would not look out of place at a much higher level. Well designed, loads of good quality photos, absolutely tonnes to read - including a feature on the site of the old Manor Ground and how the club's move has affected businesses around it - and surprisingly few adverts.

Afterwards

The Journey Home: Another happy trip home through light traffic that could have only been made better if the roads around North Herts and South Cambs had been gritted!

Mileage: 190.9 miles

Total Distance for Season: 4,766.4 miles

Mark Johnson, with additional reporting by David Gray and Gordon McMillan

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