Scarborough FC go out of business

[TheArsenal]

Scarborough Football Club has gone out of business with debts of £2.5m.

The former Football League club was wound up at Leeds High Court at a hearing on Wednesday morning.

Boro hoped the local council would lift a covenant on their McCain Stadium so it could be sold for residential use to cover debts and finance a new ground.

But the judge hearing the case felt a rescue package was unlikely in the face of mounting debts which include a sum of £820,000 owed to the Inland Revenue.

A statement from Scarborough read: "While it is sad to see the demise of a club with a proud history of 128 years, the club's finances have for a number of years been in a very poor state and the company has been in and out of various insolvency proceedings.

"Recently the club has been trying to sell the McCain Stadium for development to fund a move to an out of town purpose built stadium. However, this move has been fraught with difficulties.

"Despite the support of Scarborough Borough Council and the company's creditors, the club simply ran out of time. The company's total debt amounts to £2.5m.

"Rob Sadler and Mike Saville of Begbies Traynor have been appointed joint liquidators of the company and will now be liaising with Council to agree the disposal of the stadium in order to achieve the best return to the creditors.

"Whilst it is disappointing to see any club go out of business, the making of the winding-up order at this time allows the newly constituted supporters' trust an opportunity to reform and apply for membership of the North East Counties League.

"Hopefully this will ensure football for Scarborough in the coming season."

The Seadogs, a League club until 1999, had been accepted into the UniBond League for the 2007/08 campaign after suffering a second successive relegation last season.

That will no longer happen but supporters may now look to form a new club, playing at a lower level and ground-sharing with another local team.

[Crybaby Bunting]

only £2.5?

I remember hearing that the Inland Revenue threatened to shut down leeds if they didn't pay their £7.5 debt, but that was quickly settled

Then again, if a team isn't making money and looks to have no clear future then I see no reason for it to continue, it's only prolonging the inevitable

[hugobomb]

In all fairness, for a club at Scarborough's level £2.5M may as well by £100M.

[ONO]

Yeah exactly, but to go down over £2.5m when you've been around for over 120 odd years is a bit..well..thats football.

[britneyspearsisgod]

It's a damn shame, but it's made worse considering Leeds and their situation.

Alas. May the fans form a new club and make themselves one to be proud of.

[ZJ Penn]

Was it Scarborough that Roman Abramovich gave something along the lines of £1Million to curb their debts? It was a few years ago when they played Chelsea in the FA/Carling Cup. I seem to remember Frank Lampard hitting the post from about forty yards too.

[TheArsenal]

And Chelsea won the match?

Sounds like bribary to me.....

[supergrass]

And Chelsea won the match?

Sounds like bribary to me.....

[Matt]

It's harsh, and I wish someone could've saved them like we've been saved countless times and like Chelski were saved, among others. Still, Scarborough Rovers will be around in a couple of years.