Mayor Offers Support to Scarborough Athletic Over Pitch Challenges

The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire says he has met with Scarborough Athletic to talk about the problems they are facing with their home ground pitch.

Scarborough Athletic Football Club is likely to be without its home ground for much of next season after "serious structural issues" were discovered with the 3G pitch at Scarborough Sports Village which could take 44 weeks and £3m to repair.

In an interview with This is the Coast, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire - David Skaith, said he has met with representatives from the club and is keen to work with all the stakeholders to find a solution.

"We had a meeting with the football club last week.

It only came across my desk at the end of last week, but we did have a meeting with them last week. We are really keen to work closely with them to make sure that whatever comes out of the requirements from the ground, So if it does need a longer term investment to actually get the ground fit for purpose to making sure that we're working with Scarborough football club and with the council to make sure that whatever provision is put in place is there for the club.

The club has been doing incredibly well. It's obviously owned by the community, which is wonderful to see, and they've done a great job over the last few years,  to make that club a on a really financial, stable footing. And however we can support them going forward we, we will continue to have those open conversations with them.

An update issued by the Scarborough Athletic FC Board of Directors on Friday stated that "intensive work continues to be proactively undertaken" to explore options to minimise the impact on the club. The club says representatives have met with numerous relevant parties who have "expressed support and a desire to assist". These parties include the National League, the Football Foundation, various elected representatives, including the local MP, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, Councillors and Officers of North Yorkshire Council, and potential groundshare venues.

According to the Board, their key priorities during these discussions have been to:

• Minimise and potentially delay the period SAFC will be unable to play at the Scarborough Sports Village.
• Arrange a compliant groundshare approved by the National League and Ground Grading Regulations, seeking locations with the least impact on supporters.
• Assess the financial impact of outcomes and plan accordingly.

The Board acknowledged that stakeholders are seeking certainty and are working hard to provide it. They say that further important meetings and site visits are planned for this week, which are expected to inform their decision-making process. They noted that they are currently trying to keep as many options open as possible to determine the best course of action. The Board expressed gratitude for the "overwhelmingly supportive reaction" from the broader community, which they believe reflects positively on the club's stakeholders and supporters.

While work continues off the pitch, Scarborough Athletic's season continues on Thursday evening in the CLS North Riding Senior Cup Final. The Seadogs will face Middlesbrough Under-21s at the Riverside, with a 7.30 pm kick-off. This match offers Scarborough Athletic a chance for silverware to round off their 2024/25 season.

Scarborough Athletic reached the final by defeating Redcar Athletic 2-0 away. Middlesbrough U21s secured their spot with a 6-1 victory over Redcar Town at Bishop Auckland. The club is encouraging fans to support the team for this final match.

Scarborough Athletic will be aiming to win the cup for the fourth time, having previously lifted the trophy in the 2018-19, 2021-22, and 2022-23 seasons. Their last visit to the Riverside saw them beat Marske United on penalties in 2019. The two sides previously met in this competition in October 2023 on Teeside, where Scarborough Athletic won 8-7 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with Matt Bancroft making two saves in the shootout.

Seating for Scarborough Athletic FC fans will be in the West Lower South.

Tickets will be on sale from North Stand Ticket Office from 6pm on the Evening, entry via Turnstiles 18 – 21. Turnstiles open at 6.30pm.

If you can't get to the game then there will be commentary on This is the Coast Extra.