OXFORD United have concluded safety talks over plans for a temporary fourth stand at the Kassam Stadium.

It is expected that the club will submit an application to Oxford City Council shortly for a 735-seater stand, to remain for a minimum of three seasons, after appointing supplier Arena Seating.

Oxford United chairman Darryl Eales said earlier he would be disappointed if the season kicked off on August 6 without a fourth stand in place, but it now seems unlikely this deadline will be met.

U's managing director Greig Box Turnbull said he hoped the new stand would be in place for the club's game against Swindon Town on September 10.

He added: "We have had extensive talks with the Oxford Safety Advisory Group, consulting on transport and planning – it is helping us with the application.

"It doesn’t have to go before the full council, but I think it’s likely.

“All the indications we have been given in our conversations with the council is they don’t have a problem with it."

Regarding the target of getting the stand in place for the clash against Swindon Town, Mr Turnbull added: "There are a couple of hurdles left to overcome, but that’s the logical game to launch it."

Meetings between the city council and club officials have taken place throughout the summer to discuss the details.

Labour city councillor Alex Hollingsworth, board member for transport and planning, said the proposal should be "relatively simple to pursue" as it did not involve taking up any parking spaces.

He added: "I can't see any obvious complications so the sooner the planning application is submitted the better."

Mr Hollingsworth said the maximum time for the application to be processed once plans were submitted would be eight weeks, and that would include a period of consultation.

More than 9,500 fans watched the U's play Leicester City at the stadium on Tuesday, when they lost 2-1.