Archive

  • Sports club boosts jobs

    A JOBS boost is taking shape with the launch of a new £6m health and fitness club. More than 70 staff are being recruited to work at the new Esporta Health and Fitness Club, which will open in the grounds of St Edward's School, off Woodstock Road, Oxford

  • Shotton quits as United boss

    OXFORD United manager Malcolm Shotton and his assistant Mark Harrison resigned last night, hours before the club's annual meeting. The move came after one of the worst losing runs in Oxford United's history and followed a lengthy meeting yesterday afternoon

  • The rise and fall of hero turned villain

    KEY dates in the life and career of Malcolm Shotton include: February 16, 1957: Born in Newcastle- upon-Tyne. February 1975: Joins Leicester City as apprentice then full-time pro. No first-team matches, although did make the subs' bench on one occasion

  • Odd-job man Lewis is caretaker boss.

    FOLLOWING the departure of Malcolm Shotton and his assistant Mark Harrison, youth team coach Mickey Lewis has been appointed caretaker manager. It seems likely he will be assisted by chief scout Maurice Evans. Nicknamed 'Mad Dog' because of his wholehearted

  • Leader hated by the troops

    MALCOLM Shotton was the sergeant major the privates couldn't stand. In nearly 20 years of reporting on football, I can't ever remember a manager more hated by some of his players. Not all of them, but one or two couldn't stand his guts. "We just want

  • Houghton heads Shotton's likely successors

    OXFORD United could turn from one Milk Cup hero to another in the wake of Malcolm Shotton's departure. Ray Houghton, recently player-coach at Reading, is among those tipped as a possible successor. Former Liverpool and England defender Mark Wright, who

  • Farmer falls foul of health officers

    Environmental health officers have taken action to prevent foul smells wafting over the historic town of Burford. Residents and visitors were left holding their noses for several days earlier this month after human waste was spread by a farmer on nearby

  • Have a say on Westgate plans

    The people of Oxford have their first chance today to tell developers what they think about the £220m planned development for the city's Westgate shopping centre. Described as the city's biggest scheme for 15 years, its backers are confident that it will

  • Nuclear clean-up set to go ahead

    Councillors have given the go-ahead for radioactive waste to be dug up - but have insisted on finding out how it will be disposed of first. The move was insisted upon by members of the county's environmental planning committee following the revelation

  • Community rallies round to open shop

    Residents have re-opened a shop after its former postmistress was jailed for stealing from the till. Oxford Lord Mayor Val Smith was joined by novelist Graham Greene's widow, Vivien, yesterday to mark the opening of the new community shop at Church Way

  • Hospitals act as attacks increase

    Dozens of nurses are being attacked by patients - many high on drink or drugs - who they are treating in hospital wards. Well over 100 incidents a month are reported at four Oxfordshire hospitals. They include violent, threatening or abusive behaviour

  • Why our TV isn't trashy

    The film critic Sebastian Faulks observed recently that the current hit horror film, The Blair Witch Project, had a title which made it sound like a Panorama special on Baroness Thatcher, writes George Frew. Feasible enough? Maybe - but only because Panorama

  • India jail girl Alexia set free

    The family of Alexia Stewart, jailed for ten years for possessing drugs in India, were planning a Champagne celebration today after she was freed on appeal. Miss Stewart, 29, and her boyfriend Gary Carter, 30, had always denied the charges and accused

  • Stadium decision imminent

    OXFORD United could find out today whether or not they have negotiated the latest hurdle in their attempt to restart work on their new stadium. Speaking at last night's annual general meeting, club owner Firoz Kassam said he expected to be told "at any

  • Fans welcome change at the top

    SHAREHOLDERS at last night's annual meeting welcomed the departure of Malcolm Shotton - and then stressed the importance of finding the right replacement. "It's definitely needed," said Neil Carter, from Abingdon. "Most of the problems were of his making

  • Jane leads way in epilepsy probe

    Law tutor Jane Hanna, whose boyfriend died of epilepsy eight years ago, today spearheads a Government-backed national investigation into the condition. Jane, 36, a part-time tutor at Oxford's Keble College, formed Epilepsy Bereaved as the first organisation

  • £140m luxury coaches left in sidings for year

    Luxury train carriages designed to speed passengers through the Channel Tunnel are languishing in sidings near Bicester. About 70 Nightstar carriages have been parked at the Ministry of Defence base at Arncott for more than 12 months. The sleeper carriages