EXILED ATHLETIC COME HOME
V INCE T AYLOR REPORTS ON THE RETURN OF FOOTBALL TO S CARBOROUGH
The Flamingo Land Stadium showing a view of the
stand and swimming pool end from the covered end
Photo: Vince Taylor
Formed out of the ashes of Scarborough FC, who folded in 2007, Scarborough Athletic's
wait to play a home match in Scarborough has dragged on for ten years. Finally, after a
decade of forty mile roundtrips to their temporary base at Bridlington Town's Queensgate
ground, Scarborough Athletic's homecoming was celebrated on 15 July 2017 when Shef-
field United had the honour of opening their new, splendidly named Flamingo Land Sta-
dium. A capacity crowd of 2,038, plus several more watching from the adjacent hillside,
were present for Scarborough Athletic’s big day, as a Sheffield United XI defeated their
hosts 4-1.
Though separated by a railway line, as the crow flies the new stadium is only a few hun-
dred yards away from the Seamer Road ground of predecessors Scarborough FC. Seamer
Road played host to Scarborough from 1898 to 2007, and though lacking the seaside at-
mosphere of the Scarborough Cricket Ground at North Marine Road (another former home
of Scarborough), it was a substantial non-league venue that underwent considerable im-
provement during Scarborough's spell as a Football League club from 1987/88 to 1998/99.
Seamer Road in 1975
Photos: Bob Lilliman
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