I, like quite a few of the more "mature" posters on here, can remember the days at the Manor when the place was packed every game. (ok some less than others but never quiet)
The atmosphere was the attraction along with, on a good day, some great results. Our present home will never, ever match the eccentricity of the Manor but, if it was brought up to standard I see no reason why crowds could not be maintained at above 9000. However, as it stands, we have a three sided wind tunnel with decaying facilities, a lack of anything other than football as entertainment, catering outlets struggling to make even, let alone take chances on their offerings, a pitch neglected by the stadium owner, and derisory access limitations for the club which provides the raison d'etre for the concrete mess in the first place. It's a horrible place to spend a wet, windy Saturday afternoon (even worse on a Tuesday evening)
The club needs to get out, get it's own home or, at the very least, buy out FK and finish the job. ( I don't hold with the latter myself but it's an option for someone with more money than sense)
A modern, comfortable stadium with proper facilities coupled with Championship football would bring in those crowds. My own introduction to OUFC was through a neighbour who, having just moved to Woodstock from outside of the county, wanted to introduce his young lad to football. He offered to take myself and my two brothers along and we loved it! ( Eventually graduated to the London Road)
Right now, the "package" is flawed. The ground is just not conducive to holding onto the families that are needed to fill the North and South stands, as folk move away from the East, there is no apprentice waiting to step into their shoes.