Birley has accepted the role as president for Scarborough Town FC who will play in the Teesside League next season, with home games at their McCain Sports base.

Birley said: "It is excellent news that there will be a side playing within the town and representing the town.

"We were all devastated when the old club folded and we have been looking at ways to get football back in Scarborough.

"Scarborough Athletic have been terrific and done very well but we still wanted to have a side playing locally and this is the best option to do that.

"There has already been quite a bit of interest and with hard working people like Mitch Cook and Derek Megginson involved then we will not go too far wrong."

Town will be an extension of the Academy set-up which was part of the old Scarborough club which folded after 128 years.

Birley, who was president of the old Boro for 20 years, added: "There are some people who may not want to go out of town to watch their local team and this gives them the option to do that.

"We don't want to be in competition with Scarborough Athletic at all but just want to have a side playing here.

"In an ideal world both sides would have a lovely stadium in the town to play in and hopefully that may still happen one day in the future.

"Nobody seems to know what is going on with the McCain Stadium site and it is such a shame to see it in the state it is in now."