Steve Hanks, general manager, Oxford United Oxford United could be forced to play home games away from the Kassam Stadium as a legal dispute with the city council hots up.

Oxford City Council is threatening court action to enforce a clause given with planning permission for the stadium in 1996.

The permission states that before every season, the club will give details of dedicated coach and bus services running on match days between the Blackbird Leys ground and places such as Oxford railway station.

Earlier this year, Oxford Bus Company stopped its service to the stadium because of a lack of customers. It now offers supporters a £2.50 ticket to catch a bus into the city and then Blackbird Leys -- but this does not qualify as a 'dedicated' service.

Now, eight games into the season, the club has yet to arrange transport for its supporters.

The council and the club have been in talks since the bus company stopped but have reached stalemate and the council has now formally written to the club.

Technically, a court could force the Kassam Stadium to close until agreement is reached but the council is hoping to avoid it. Council chief planner Michael Crofton-Briggs said: "They entered into an agreement for a dedicated service when they received planning permission and we have reminded them of this.

"The ultimate sanction is to take legal action to ask a court to enforce the clause. Closing the ground could happen -- but I don't expect it to go that far.

"If Oxford United's place in the league could get better and more supporters wanted to see matches, I am sure the bus companies would see it viable to run.

"Let's hope we get a response in the next two weeks because it can't rumble on for months."

Oxford United Football Club general manager Steve Hanks said: "We understand there is a disagreement in terms of the interpretation of the agreement and we are talking with the Oxford Bus Company to understand why the service stopped.

"We do realise this is an inconvenience for some fans -- the problem is that we are not a bus operator. We believe we are complying, but I can't say how close a resolution is."

Attendance at the Kassam Stadium has been dropping. The first game there in 2001 attracted 7,842 supporters but this season, attendances have averaged 4,925.

Season ticket holder Derek Quarterman said: "It's a sorry state of affairs when an agreement can't be reached over something so trivial. It's up to Kassam but he's not frightened easily."

A spokesman for the Football League added: "It is the club's responsibility to play their fixtures. Oxford United would have to inform us if they could not play at their own stadium."