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Scarborough Athletic launch bid for home return - COMMENT ON THIS STORY
Scarborough Athletic have launched their campaign to return to the town.
The Back2Boro scheme aims to highlight the club's lack of a permanent home, and raise funds to help finance their return to Scarborough.
With the McCain Stadium remaining unused and largely condemned, Athletic have been playing at Bridlington Town's Queensgate Stadium since their formation in 2007, when the old Scarborough FC was liquidated.
The 35-mile round-trip along the coast has not put supporters off, with an average of about 500 fans attending the club's Northern Counties East League games. The supporters' Society, which owns and runs the club, now boasts a membership of more than 550.
Club communications director and Back2Boro co-ordinator James Hunter said: "The club is 100% behind Scarborough Council and their vision of a new sports village complex within the town, possibly at Weaponness Valley. We will do all we can to help the council achieve their goal of providing a community facility for Scarborough.
"However, we understand the current financial climate gives an uncertain timescale for a large development, and having been away from town for the best part of three years it is prudent that we plan ahead.
"We have also had offers from George Pindar Sports College, and other possibilities emerge from time to time. We have to make sure we do what is best for the football club.
"The Back2Boro fund has been set-up to not only raise further awareness both locally and nationally of our ambition, but also to raise funds which will ultimately help with the club's return home.
"Those funds will be kept separate from Scarborough Athletic FC itself, and a voluntary committee put in place to set-up events and put ideas in place to raise funds.
"The funds may be invested in facilities or equipment at a council-built stadium or may finance the planning and building of a brand new stadium for the club.
"When the time comes to make that decision, it will mean Boro have a chance to return home and the fund will be there to help. I for one cannot wait for that to occur."
The club has set up a new website at www.back2boro.co.uk, through which supporters and others who would like to see the club return to Scarborough can make donations to the scheme, send ideas for fund-raising, and get the latest news of the success of the scheme.
An open forum has also been organised for November 27 at Scarborough Bowls Centre to discuss the best ways of ensuring success for the scheme, without distracting from the success of the club itself.
The forum will follow the club's annual AGM which begins at 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come along and have their say.
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
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