FANS used the big game occasion to voice their disquiet about the club’s current situation with stadium owner Firoz Kassam.

Chants criticising the controversial businessman reverberated around the ground in the early stages of the match.

Prior to kick off supporters told the Oxford Mail they would prefer the game had been played elsewhere after Mr Kassam’s comments in this paper earlier in the week.

He said relations had reached an ‘all time low’ due to a disagreement over unpaid bills which he claims are more than £600,000.

Oxford-born broadcaster Martin Keown joked on air that the lights in the stadium were so low he could ‘barely see his notes’ and speculated it was because of the row in which Mr Kassam said he has not been paid a service charge to cover gas, electricity and water.

United’s bosses have said they are looking at alternative venues to play, largely due to the fraught relationship.

Season ticket holder Howard Mellor, from Eynsham, said: “I would like to see us move to a new ground.

“It doesn’t take anything away from tonight but it is something that is hanging over the club at the moment.”

Russ Vernon added: “It sticks in the throat a bit that a game as big as this one has to be played under a bit of a cloud.”