John Tanner (JT) : Hi

JS : Now, earlier on a caller asking about the land deal…which is…they are, two words that sum up a very complicated issue aren't they but what can you tell us about the transfer of ownership of this land from you to Oxford United in connection to the new stadium?

JT : Well, it seems to be going very smoothly. I've seen more of lawyers and documents that I ever want to see again, but the lawyers on both sides have been cosseted for the last couple of weeks and it looks as though we shall be signing the final agreement, I mean, we've already signed the heads of terms with Firoz Kassam, the final land deal sometime this coming week. I hope the early part of this week rather than the later part.

JS : Can you give us any indication as to what the delay might have been between the signing of the heads of terms and the signing of the land deal proper?

JT : I really think that there have not been huge delays by the City Council it's just that lawyers have to dot every I and cross every T and that's very frustrating for all of us cos really this project should have been started months and months ago and I think it's all very disappointing. But there is no doubt in my mind that Firoz Kassam wants to push ahead with this scheme. I think, you know, there is always going to be on a large project like this some problems, and we've still got a problem with Thames Water, Mr Kassam had problems with the builders, which he has now sorted out, and I'm very hopeful that we might see some people actually with buckets and spades and bulldozers and the rest on site um, middle of February? I said middle of October, I said middle of November, but I really think we might make it this time.

JS : So, what about this Thames Water glitch then? What can you tell us about that if the land deal is signed, and I understand that United have appointed Barr construction haven't they to finish the work?

JT : That's right, so I understand, and they are supposed to be good builders and I understand there is a deal with Mr. Kassam to get on with the work. As far as we are concerned the sooner Mr. Kassam gets on the site the better and I think his attitude is the same as ours, that we can reach an agreement with Thames Water, that its everybody's interest that there is a deal. They have a claim, or they say they have a claim on part of the land because originally they sold it to Oxford City Council for leisure development so that, you know, kicking a ball around rather than building a stadium and a multiplex, and they say, well if there is a stadium and a multiplex on offer we want a share of the profits, and that's really what we are arguing about, but it's relatively small sums and I think that's going to be sorted. It's a bit of a side issue, so lets get on with beginning to put the stadium right.

JS : John, is it a side issue though that could make this drag on for, you know, middle of March, middle of April type problem?

JT : I really don't think that's on is it? I mean, we're already late, very late for getting this stadium open for the new season, I mean, that looks increasingly unlikely and so 'no', I don't think that's going to happen. We've got the building deal now, we've dealt with the CVA, we've got the agreement with Firoz Kassam, I think we need to stand shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Kassam and say come on, we're on your side but lets see the money, or lets see even more of your money, and let's see the building going up at Minchery Farm.

JS : He gives you the money when you sign the paperwork, surely that's the crux of all this?

JT : No, that's not how it happens. What happens is that once we sign the paperwork he gets on site, starts to rebuild the stadium, he can also start work on the hotel incidentally, but only when he's completed the stadium does the land pass over to him and he also gets the land on which he wants to put the multiplex and leisure development and it's at that stage that money passes to the City Council. So really the commitment Mr. Kassam has got financially at the moment, apart from his commitment to the club, is the commitment to the builders from Glasgow to get on with the job.

JS : So in your opinion building work could start whether or not the land deal was signed?

JT : As far as the City Council is concerned we've been very happy for some months that the building work starts but Mr. Kassam is a cautious businessman and he wants to play it carefully at each stage, and I think that's understandable. I'm sure that's why he's rich and I'm not. We try to give him every possible comfort that we can, but we just don't have the money to throw around on this one, and I am really hopeful that at the beginning of February we will get something up and moving. If we don't I'm going to look even more stupid aren't I?