Fans have reacted positively but cautiously to the news that Firoz Kassam may sell the stadium as a community-owned facility. 

On Friday the Oxford Mail revealed talks had begun between Mr Kassam and the club's supporters' trust OxVox. 

The trust said the talks had been 'highly constructive and positive' but Mr Kassam said there were 'a lot of hurdles to overcome'.

Fans took to social media welcoming the news but warned it may not be an easy or quick process.

U's fan Paul Hawtin said: "This all sounds very positive indeed, the ball is very much in Mr Kassam's court now.

"Let's hope he does the right thing."

James Carpenter, from Banbury, tweeted: "So Kassam wants to sell then, I have a feeling this will be a very slow, long, tedious process."

Former board member Simon Lenagan, son of former club chairman Ian also got involved on Twitter saying liaisons with Firoz Kassam would be key moving forward.

He said: "Engaging properly with Mr Kassam has always been an essential part of solving the stadium conundrum.

He later added: "[It will be] interesting to see what happens next."

But comedy writer and Oxford United fan Andrew Dawson, from Headington, was overwhelmingly positve about the future.

He said: "If this happens, the goodwill in Oxfordshire will surely be enough to propel Oxford United straight to the Premier League, bit like the end of Elf."

Yesterday Darryl Eales backed the discussions as 'hugely positive' news for the club and said it fit in with his vision of a community club. 

But the chairman also revealed he had tried to buy the stadium on three separate occasions - two being rejected and a third still on the table. 

Oxford United moved to the Kassam Stadium in 2001, ending a 76-year stay at the Manor Ground, in Headington.

Mr Kassam, who was chairman at the time of the move and held the position for seven years, stepped down after selling the club in 2006 when Nick Merry took charge.

However, Mr Kassam’s company, Firoka, retained ownership of the stadium in Grenoble Road and Oxford United have been paying rent – around £500,000 a year – ever since.

Many individuals, groups and consortiums have since expressed interest in trying to buy the ground, but nobody has been able – or prepared – to put together a package that would convince Mr Kassam to sell.

It has been reported he valued the asset in the region of £13m.

The stadium was listed as a community asset in 2013 – believed to the first to be designated under the Localism Act 2011.

It means that if Mr Kassam wants to sell the stadium, he will have to inform supporters and give them six months so they can mount their own bid.
However, that status is not connected with the talks about making the ground community-owned.