▁few ▁weeks ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 2 – 8 3 ▁campaign , ▁and ▁Th ames ▁Valley ▁Roy als ▁would ▁begin ▁play ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 – 8 4 ▁League ▁season . ▁Max well ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁support ▁in ▁principle ▁for ▁this ▁from ▁the ▁Football ▁League . ▁He ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁am alg am ated ▁team ▁would ▁ultimately ▁be ▁based ▁at ▁a ▁new ▁stad ium ▁to ▁be ▁built ▁somewhere ▁between ▁ ▁Oxford ▁and ▁Reading , ▁and ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁meant ime ▁home ▁games ▁would ▁alternate ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁old ▁grounds , ▁El m ▁Park ▁in ▁Reading ▁and ▁the ▁Man or ▁Gr ound ▁in ▁Oxford , ▁both ▁of ▁which ▁would ▁eventually ▁be ▁sold . ▁The ▁general ▁public ▁learned ▁of ▁the ▁proposed ▁mer ger ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁afternoon ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁ ▁by ▁David ▁Cole man ▁on ▁the ▁television ▁show ▁Grand stand ▁following ▁the ▁report ▁of ▁the ▁day ' s ▁football ▁results . ▁ ▁Re actions ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁both ▁teams ' ▁supp or ters ▁react ed ▁neg atively ▁to ▁the ▁mer ger ▁proposal . ▁While ▁many ▁Oxford ▁supp or ters ▁acknowled ged ▁that ▁Max well ▁had ▁been ▁instrument al ▁in ▁saving ▁the ▁club ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁most ▁perce ived ▁mer ging ▁with ▁another ▁club ▁as ▁tant amount ▁to ▁killing ▁both ▁Oxford ▁United ▁and ▁professional ▁football ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁A ▁sp okes man ▁for ▁the ▁Oxford ▁United ▁Supp or ters ▁Club ▁called ▁the ▁idea ▁" cra zy ▁and