OXFORD East MP Anneliese Dodds has reiterated her backing for Oxford United’s proposed stadium plans during a debate in Parliament.
Her support came during a debate in the House of Lords on the Football Governance Bill earlier this week.
The Bill aims to establish an independent football regular in the men’s professional game in England, with Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, who is the Labour MP for Wigan, at the forefront of it.
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Speaking during the debate, Ms Dodds said: “I’m very grateful to my right honourable friend for giving way. She’s absolutely passionate about the beautiful game. She has been for many years, and I’m delighted that she is making sure that this Bill will finally, I hope, be passed with a different it will make to fans.
“One of the huge problems that has existed for fans has been when their club has got trapped with an unsuitable, unsustainable, extremely expensive stadium because of goings-on at the club.
“We’ve got that with Oxford United. Now does she agree this Bill will help to stop that kind of situation, and Oxford United have to be allowed to move to The Triangle as soon as possible?”
Ms Nandy replied: “I’m sure she [Ms Dodds] will continue to fight for Oxford United and for all of their fans. I would say to her that we’ve explicitly included provisions in the Bill to ensure that there are protections for fans around club relocation and the sale of stadiums.
“I know from my own experience at Wigan Athletic that it is one of the only reasons that we still have a club is because the council had a covenant on the land which prevented the stadium from being sold when we were in administration.”
READ AGAIN: MP becomes first to give public backing to stadium plans
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United see their licence agreement at the Kassam Stadium run out on June 30, 2026, and the club is therefore looking to build a new home at The Triangle, south of Kidlington Roundabout.
The U’s submitted a planning application to Cherwell District Council for a 16,000-capacity stadium at The Triangle at the end of February 2024.
In September 2023, Ms Dodds became the first MP to give their public backing to United’s stadium proposals.
She hosted a reception on behalf of the U’s at the Houses of Parliament, and when asked whether she supported the proposed move to The Triangle, Ms Dodds responded: “Yes I do. I think everyone locally would love if they could stay playing their matches at the Kassam, but sadly that has just not proved possible given the current situation.
“We need to secure the future of Oxford United, so I do support the plans.”
Ms Dodds also supported the stadium plans last month during a Parliament discussion centred on ‘English Football: Financial Sustainability and Governance’.
