OXFORD United's players and management were delighted that off-the-field, there at last appears to be light at the end of the tunnel with the club's new stadium.

The decision by Oxford City Council planners yesterday to approve the adjoining leisure complex at Minchery Farm means work on the stadium should restart "within days", says chairman Firoz Kassam.

Reflecting at Adams Park last night on a mixed day for the club, United boss Denis Smith said: "The decision gives us a chance to build the stadium.

"When you see at Wycombe all the executive boxes bringing in revenue, that is what you need.

"Who would have said eight or nine years ago that Wycombe was a bigger club than Oxford? But it possibly is at the moment.

"We've got to change that and, with our new stadium, start catching up with the Wycombes and Readings and Swindons of this world and try to compete with everyone else.

"It is the only way forward."

Kassam has hinted that money may be available for strengthening the team now that the stadium work can be restarted, but Smith remained cautious.

"It would be nice, but I think that's for the future, hopefully.

"We've got to look at things carefully. We're letting too many goals in and we're not scoring enough. But we're at least looking a bit more of a team and I've now got to decide whether we change to 4-4-2."