# McCains Stadium - Scarborough - May 2011



## Horus (May 8, 2011)

*McCains Stadium*

*In Attendance:* 
_Horus_

Well i was planning to take a trip to Bradford today but did'nt end up going for other reasons, so i thought id take the time to go look at something around my region.







The McCain Stadium is a disused football stadium It was the home of Scarborough FC, a defunct football club who last played in the English Conference North before they were dissolved on 20 June 2007 with debts of £2.5m.






The ground was first opened in 1898, when Scarborough FC moved from playing at Scarborough Cricket Club. It was then called the Athletic Ground. In 1988, under a sponsorship deal, Scarborough FC sold the naming rights of the Athletic Ground to McCain Foods and until its closure in 2007 the stadium was known as the McCain Stadium.






covenant existed on the McCain Stadium that restricted its use only to sporting activities. Scarborough F.C. failed to convince the Scarborough Borough Council that its proposals to sell the McCain Stadium to a housing developer would raise enough money to both to pay off the debts and build a new ground.

On Tuesday 12 June, Scarborough F.C. were given an eight day 'stay of execution' following a 'change of heart' by their local Borough Council. But, on 20 June, they were wound up in the High Court, ending its 128-year run as a club with debts of £2.5m.

However, the winding up of Scarborough F.C. paved the way for the supporters' trust to form a new club as Scarborough Athletic F.C. and secure a place in the Northern Counties East League, Division One with effect from 2007-08.

On 26 September 2007, Scarborough Borough Council announced its intention to purchase the ground from the liquidators.[5] The liquidators, Begbies Traynor, applied to have the covenant lifted. This was contested by the Council. As a result the stadium remained empty and derelict, and has been subject to vandalism.

The stadium was damaged by a fire on 17 October 2008, that started in the changing rooms. A director of Scarborough Athletic criticised administrators Begbies Traynor for the lack of security. He said that the club would be interested in moving back to the stadium but that the vandalism was making that option more difficult and expensive. In December 2008 the Council finally purchased the ground from the liquidators.

On 15 December 2009, the Council announced that it had decided to invest money in a new facility rather than regenerate the stadium.

On 13 March 2010 Scarborough Council stated it was about to discuss demolition work at the stadium. Further discussions took place in April 2011 and on 13 April 2011 the Council voted to demolish the stadium. It was also revealed that Featherstone Rovers RLFC had agreed to purchase the East and West stands and undertake the demolition works that the council required for nil cost.

*Pictures*

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There is Noise in the pictures, i did'nt realise i was shooting in iso 1600 :banghead

Thanks for viewing​


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## King Al (May 8, 2011)

Great report Horus! Last pic's cool


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## dobbo79 (May 8, 2011)

great pics horus - should have given me a shout id have had a mooch with ya...

Many a happy time was spent in the "cow shed" shouting at Scarborough FC..makes me angry that this ground is left to deteriorate and open to arsonists, and Scarborough Athletic Football Club have to play their HOME matches at Bridlington.....good old Scarborough Council..

Love the last pic...think the pitch could do with a bit of cultivation


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## dobbo79 (May 8, 2011)

The "cowshed" is pic 4 byt the way lol


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## klempner69 (May 8, 2011)

I like this report very much Horus..well done.

Dobbo,get in the cow shed n start shooting


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## escortmad79 (May 8, 2011)

Poor old Scarborough never recovered from being stuffed in the Division 3 playoff Semi finals in the 1997/98 season.


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## TK421 (May 8, 2011)

Nice one Horus, great set of photos


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## Snips86x (May 8, 2011)

Great post, love the image of the football


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## dobbo79 (May 8, 2011)

klempner69 said:


> I like this report very much Horus..well done.
> 
> Dobbo,get in the cow shed n start shooting




oh thats it - get the girl to do the dirty work lol


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