United fans staying away (From Witney Gazette)

United fans staying away

8:31am Friday 11th January 2008 in Headlines By Thom Airs

OXFORD United have lost almost a quarter of their fans at games this season as the club suffers its second season of Conference blues.

The average attendance at the Kassam Stadium has fallen from 6,357 last season to 4,846 so far this term - a drop of 23.8 per cent. It has dipped under 4,000 for the past two games.

The drop has cost the club thousands in vital match day revenue as it struggles to regain League status.

Manager Darren Patterson's men currently lie 13th in the table - as the club issued a plea for fans to stick by the team.

By this time last year, the Us had played in front of 11,065 fans at home on Boxing Day and had not dropped below a crowd of 5,364 at home.

This season's best is 5,900 and just 3,950 watched the home game against Altrincham last Saturday.

Last night chairman Nick Merry said the drop was worrying, partly because the wage cap the club is bound by is set against its finances.

At a fans forum in August co-owner Ian Lenagan said the club was projecting a loss of £430,000 and Mr Merry said the match day fall would hit finances.

He said: "Of course it is a worry. I have said all along fans need to stick by the club through thick and thin. We need them now more than ever. We need to increase the gates."

Trevor Lambert, of supporters' group Ox Vox, said: "It's very worrying in terms of the financial implications for the club and the atmosphere at the ground."

However, the club still attracts an average of at least 1,000 more fans a game than any other team in the Blue Square Premier.

General manager Mick Brown said the club was working on promotions to win the fans back.

Manager Patterson said: "It is disappointing but the only way we are going to get them back is through results and good performances."

Fan Michael Nevay, of Wytham Street, Oxford, bought tickets at the stadium yesterday.

He said: "It is frustrating to watch Oxford at the moment so I can see why people stay away, but I could never watch another club or stop going altogether."