The Independent Oxford United Supporters Group, OxVox, are urging the club to open the North Stand to home fans for the remainder of the season.

They believe the improved atmosphere when there are home supporters in three sides of the ground, rather than just two, can help the team in their push towards promotion from Division 3.

Their plea comes on the day that United dropped out of the top three for the first time since .....

United have already announced that the North Stand will be open to home fans for the matches against Kidderminster this Saturday and Bury on February 21.

A press release from OxVox chairman Chris Davis and secretary Trevor Lambert declared: "OxVox congratulates the club on this sensible decision.

"We hope the North Stand will remain open for all future home games. It widens spectator choice and will improve the atmosphere in the ground.

"Starting with Saturday's match, we ask the public of Oxford to respond by backing their promotion-chasing team in ever-increasing numbers.

"This is a critical stage of the season. Vocal support will be important in helping the team to achieve.

"We welcome those Oxford supporters who have stayed away in recent years and urge them to come back to enjoy what promises to be an exciting, if nail-biting, last three months of the season. Let's make it easy for the club to decide to keep the North Stand open."

United made the decision not to open the North Stand for some home matches on economic grounds because of the cost of employing extra stewards and catering staff.

It is likely to be opened for several of the matches in United's final run-in. But Davis wants a decision made for the rest of the season.

Davis said: "More than the numbers involved, it's about sending out a positive signal to the fans.

"I do believe that some of the attendances in the autumn, when the team

U's fans in stand plea were doing well, were adversely affected by not having the North Stand open for some home games.

"What did concern us, when there was talk about this happening last July, was that we're not talking about the cheap, halfpenny seats.

"With the great view you get from there across to the two-tier South Stand, especially if the Oxford Mail Stand is packed as well, these are the best seats in the house.

"We understand that it's not practical to have it open for some games, but the team have been practically unbeatable at home this season and I'm sure some of the 5,000 gates we had for some matches would have been quite a bit bigger had the North Stand not been closed."

United are hoping that attendances pick up at the Kassam Stadium for the second half of the season, and especially with increased car parking capacity as a result of the opening of the multiplex cinema.

A major concern for this Saturday's clash with Kidderminster is whether the game goes ahead, with severe winter weather forecast.

Covers were put on the pitch immediately after the practice friendly against Hereford United on Monday. But although snow was forecast for today, temperatures are not predicted to drop too low.