2011-12 Pre-Season Friendlies Start For Scarborough Athletic FC

The preparations for Scarborough Athletic FC's 2011-12 Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division campaign commenced yesterday when the Seadogs took on local side Eastfield St James in the first of many pre-season friendlies.

The game was played on the slightly smaller than full size pitch of Yorkshire Coast College and resulted in a comfortable 0-4 victory for the Seadogs.

New faces got the goals, Chris Hewitt with the opener, a brace by Ant Lynam (including a scorcher of a free kick that fair flew in) and the last goal from Luke Foster. The woodwork was examined on at least four other occasions.

It was a roasting hot day and a very healthy crowd of 310 turned out to get their first glimpse of a team that we all hope will enjoy great success in the forthcoming season.

Full match report HERE

Possible New Home For Scarborough Athletic FC - Cause For Both Hope & Concern

The proposed development of a new sports village (to include a new football stadium for Scarborough Athletic FC) in the Weaponess district of Scarborough is, of course, something that all Seadogs will warmly welcome, our club have been in exile now since 2007 and we all yearn for a return back to our home town.


Whilst the prospect of Scarborough Athletic FC coming back home does put a spring in the step, there are some aspects of our hoped-for new home that give cause for serious concern.

The main worry is the mooted size and grading of the possible new stadium.

It has been given as a Grade C ground with a capacity of just 2,000 with the ability to increase to 3,000. A Grade C ground is adequate for leagues up to and including Step 3 (which would be the Evo-Stick Premier in our geographical case) but no higher - and therein lies my angst; It will put a cap on the dream.

Rational fans of all clubs have dreams about their club rising up the footballing pyramid to play at the highest level they possibly can. You should never demand success but you should always be able to dream of it.

Take that dream away and something intangible (but vital) disappears.

How less thrilling the victory when you know it will not open new doors, new experiences, new heights - but just keep you towards the top of where you already are (and , if the ground limitation dictates it, always will be)

We are the sons and daughters of Scarborough FC. We now have a new club - Owned and run by our fans. Our new club means so much to us, we are extremely proud.  For a town the size of Scarborough and the football traditions we brought with us from the old club, a Grade C ground will only be okay for starters. It is CRITICAL, crucial, important, imperative, key, fundamental, essential, necessary, indispensable and urgent that the design specifications for the new ground give the ability for upgrading to Grades B and ultimately Grade A.

I implore all concerned with ground planning to incorporate this ability. I cannot emphasise enough just how important it is to keep that dream of progression alive, no matter how far off that dream may be just now.

I beg for this, on bended knee.

There are other concerns, the 3G pitch mentioned is just the job for a community based stadium but the FA will not allow home FA Cup ties to be played on it nor will the Conference have it in their Step 1 or 2 leagues. I guess it could be replaced
by natural turf if it came to it.

The 3G pitch is a secondary worry just now. The ability to upgrade the stadium itself is the big one. The important one.

If the ground can grow with the club then we are in clover, but if the ground is a stumbling block to future progression up the footballing pyramid it will then become both home and curse......... and the end of the dream.

Seadog Blog Goes Android

Please indulge me as I try out the Blogger app on my new phone. I am trying to see what it can and can't do. It seems very limited compared to the laptop/desktop/iPad versions - but what the heck am I expecting!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.9

Scarborough FC OB XI 5-3 Hull City FC OB XI (Brian France Benefit Game)

A splendid day at sunny (but blustery) Queensgate saw a Scarborough FC Old Boys team beat a Hull City FC Old Boys team by 5 goals to 3. The match was a benefit for Scarborough Athletic FC's first ever manager, Brian France, who sustained a very serious injury early on in the season.

Mike Coulson, Dean Windass (O.G.) Ryan Blott, Ged Dalton & Chris Senior were on the Seadog scoresheet, Two of the Tigers goals were notched up by Dean Windass (scoring at the right end on those two occasions!) Not sure who got their third goal but it was a clever lob over makeshift sub keeper Steve French. 

The game was enjoyed by an enthusiastic crowd of 414 which was on  a level with the average gate for NCEL League games last season. A good turn out indeed and Seadog Blog hopes a princely sum was raised for Brian.

Below are the front cover of the souvenir programme and the team-sheet for the day.

Scarborough Athletic FC Put Price Freeze On 2011/12 Entry & Season Tickets

Scarborough Athletic FC have put a price freeze on entry and season tickets for the NCEL promotion charge season 2011/12

You can continue to watch Rudy's funky Seadog Army for just £6 (adult over 16) and £3 for under-16s, OAPs and students holding a valid student ID card. See HERE

Better still, Season tickets are now ready to buy for just £99 (£49 for concessions) - get yours online HERE.

Seadog Blog has already sent off for his.

Of course, serving and ex-serving members of HM Forces get FREE ADMISSION.

Scarborough OB XI v Hull City OB XI (Brian France Testimonial) Sunday 22 May

Just to let you know, There will be a testimonial game next Sunday (22nd May) between a Scarborough Old Boys XI and Hull City Old Boys XI.

The game is a benefit for Scarborough Athletic FC's injured ex-manager Brian France and will take place at Queensgate, home of Bridlington Town FC k/o 3pm.

Player details will be announced during the coming week.

Full details are here Brian France Benefit

End Of The 2010/2011 Season For Scarborough Athletic FC

Scarborough Athletic FC's fraught 2010/11 season campaign finally came to an end yesterday with a 0-0 draw away at Winterton Rangers.

This result means that the club will finish in either 10th or 11th spot in the NCEL Premier - the Seadogs will have to wait until Monday to see how Long Eaton Utd fare against Pickering Town to know the finish position for sure.

Obviously a mid-table spot was not what Boro fans were hoping for at seasons start & now we all look to new gaffer Rudy Funk to strengthen the squad in preparation for a new season and hopefully a sustained, consistent promotion charge is on the horizon.

We shall not know the makeup of the NCEL Premier next season until the AGM's but it could well be that a reformed Ilkeston Town could be involved - This season a reformed Farsley team kept many of their former Conference North squad and ran away with the title.

Ah well, let us see what the close season brings, the season still has one final reserve game to be played and there will also be the Brian France testimonial match coming up.


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End Of The Home Games For Scarborough Athletic FC 2010/11

Scarborough Athletic FC's 2010/11 NCEL home campaign finished yesterday with a 1-2 reverse to Maltby Main FC.

As has been the case recently Boro fielded a team of regulars and youngsters but even so they created enough to have won the game comfortably. Maltby's goals came via the penalty spot & a daft OG. Boro got one back late on courtesy of young Mike Barker.

The attendance was 406 making the crowd average for the season 415. This is very commendable given that the season had petered out into a mid-table affair quite early on & the high amount of midweek fixtures played.

There are still two away fixtures to complete, on Thursday 28th it is off to Hall Road Rangers and the season is wrapped up next Saturday over the Humber Bridge at Winterton Rangers.

There is also a benefit game for former manager Brian France coming up in May (more details on this later).

The reserves still have two more games to complete in their Humber Premier League Division One campaign and they are also set for a mid-table finish.

The U19's are also still in action, playing a few friendlies before entering a competitive league next season.

Finally, I will leave you with the latest "Back2Boro" poster which is popping up in shops & public places around Scarborough & district.




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Busy Week For Scarborough Athletic FC

Phew what a week. the games have come thick & fast for Scarborough Athletic.

Since my last update Boro have played thrice, drawing 2 and losing once (aet).

In chronological order, last Saturday Boro drew 0-0 at home to Long Eaton although they created enough chances to win by four clear goals. Cruellest of all was the game on Tuesday which was the NCEL League Cup Semi-Final at Winterton Rangers. The Seadogs led 2-1 with just 4 minutes of normal time left, Winterton equalised to take it to Extra Time in which they knocked in the decisive third goal to knock Boro out of a cup at the semi- final stage for the 2nd time this season (Farsley having done that to Boro in the NCEL Presidents Cup). The quick-fire trio of games was completed last night when high-flyers Parkgate were held 1-1 by the spirited Seadogs.

In other news it was announced that the Council had finally voted to demolish the derelict McCain (as was) Stadium. Two stands (east & west) have been purchased by Rugby League team Featherstone Rovers (who will also undertake the demolition of the ground as part of the bargain).

This is another step on the road "Back2Boro" and Seadog Blog looks forward to further Council announcements on the new Weaponess sports village (including football stadium) soon.

Speaking of Back2Boro, they have produced rather a nice enamel badge (shown below)




There is no let-up in the fixtures and Scarborough Athletic are on the road yet again tomorrow when they take on Maltby Main FC (who we have not yet played yet this season- they will also be the opponents for the last home game of the season on Saturday 23rd April.


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Some More Scarborough Athletic FC "Away Day" Matchday Programme Covers

Here with the front covers from four recent Scarborough Athletic FC away fixtures.

(ABOVE) Brighouse Town (NCEL Premier) 19th March, Scarborough Athletic won this one 2-1

(ABOVE) Farsley AFC (NCEL Presidents Cup Semi-Final 22nd March, Scarborough Athletic lost this one 5-0.

 (ABOVE) Tadcaster Albion (NCEL Premier).Tuesday 29th March.  Another victory for the Seadogs 3-2 this time.

 
 (ABOVE) And finally, Pickering Town (NCEL Premier). Played Saturday 2nd April. Boro came a cropper 5-0.

Scarborough Athletic FC's Funky Army Move Into NCEL League Cup Semi-finals

Scarborough Athletic became the first team to book a NCEL League Cup Semi-Final berth in a tense game last night.

After normal time ended 0-0, The Seadogs overcame Hall Road Rangers 1-0 courtesy of a James Webb winner which was notched at the beginning of the 2nd period of the extra-time and sent both crowd & management ballistic.

This is by far and away Boro's best run in this competition & it also gave new manager Rudy Funk his first win in the hot-seat. He looked suitably pleased at the final whistle.

The season remains very much alive!

The draw for the Semi-Finals will take place tomorrow morning. Of the other Quarter-Finalists, four do battle tonight (Handsworth v Staveley and Winterton v Pickering) and next Tuesday Liversedge will take on Farsley.


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Big Defeat For Scarborough Athletic....But They Are Still Funkadelic

New Scarborough Athletic FC boss Rudy Funk saw his new charges for the first time yesterday & will be under no illusions about the rebuilding task that awaits him.

The Seadogs crashed 5-0 away at local rivals Pickering Town in the Northern Counties East Premier.

It was a strange looking Boro line-up, mainly due to suspensions and last-minute transfers out but, whilst few would argue Pikes didn't deserve their win, the ad-hoc Boro team played with a great spirit and were desperately unlucky not to have notched at least two goals. The ref was a "homer" and a half & The Pikes were the beneficiaries of more than one dodgy decision which led to goals.

The Scarborough Athletic fans turned out in numbers and "four-folded" Pickering's normal Saturday attendance and they gave great support throughout the game. Many of them sported Rudy Funk moustaches! Seadog Blog is proud of 'em - they are one of the reasons Scarborough Athletic will continue to grow and prosper in the coming years.

The unofficial Scarborough Athletic fans forum Surfing Seadog can often be a volatile site to visit after a Boro defeat as disappointed fans are prone to venting their spleens in no uncertain manner, but last night (apart from a couple of poisonous little trolls) it was an oasis of calm reasoning by the majority as they look to a bright & funky future.

Actually the trolls provided (although they didn't mean to) a little bit of light relief to the proceedings. I don't think you have to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce their background & Seadog Blog actually thinks he knows who at least two of these trolls could be but will keep his thoughts on that to himself.

Whatever these little worms post it will not change a thing, they are utterly impotent in their small mindedness and Seadog Blog knows the Funky Army will continue to march on and on, Back2Boro and up the footballing pyramid.

I will never, EVER lend my support to the trolls club. Never. Under no circumstances.

With that off his chest, Seadog Blog looks forward to Tuesday night when Scarborough Athletic host the lads from Dunswell - Hall Road Rangers FC - in the 4th round of the NCEL League Cup. This competition is now the Seadogs last remaining chance of silver & hopefully we can rise to the occasion and progress through to the semi-final stages.






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