With Swindon going into administration and Oxford struggling financially, a merger or ground-sharing arrangement might have suited both clubs.

But Kassam (left) said: "There is absolutely no way I would even consider it.

"There's no question about it really. I'm sure they wouldn't consider it and I certainly won't.

"After all, nobody helped me out when we were in trouble!" he joked.

Story date: Friday 04 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.