An away game at a seaside resort. Perhaps not so in February so avoid the beach and go and watch Stafford Rangers take on Scarborough.

It has been a long time since we played Scarborough away, but this is a new Scarborough and they no longer play at Seamer Road. The current Scarborough were formed on 25th June 2007 following the liquidation of Scarborough FC, so our only competitive game was the 3-1 defeat at Marston Road last October. 

The old name brings back many memories, with an FA Trophy Final, and both clubs representing the Northern Premier League in the Anglo Italian Cup. Our frequent league fixtures disappeared when Neil Warnock, and his team became champions of the Conference in 1987 becoming the first club to be automatically promoted into the Football League, and we helped them do it by defeating Barnet away in the final midweek fixtures. Incidentally their first game in the football league was at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Scarborough lost their league place on the last day of season 1998/99, when the famous last gasp goal from keeper Jimmy Glass ensured Carlisle’s survival and relegate Scarborough back to the Conference, twelve years after they had left it, and this being the first relegation in the history of Scarborough FC. By the end of season 2006/07 Scarborough were wound up.

Saturday’s game will be a stern test for our current league run of games. They lie 5th with 50 points from their 29 games but have tasted defeat 5 times at home in the league to sides in the top promotion chasing group, namely, Nantwich, Gainsborough, Hyde, South Shields and Farsley. Despite getting gates in excess of 1000, they are currently experiencing a dip in form having lost 7 of their last 11 league games. Perhaps a repeat of our Gainsborough game could be repeated.

For independent travellers, Scarborough now play at the Flamingo Land Stadium, Scarborough Sports Village, Ashburn Road, Scarborough, YO11 2JW. Admission is £10 adults, £5 concessions and kids under 11, free with an adult. For those looking at train travel, the 10:03 changing at Manchester and Huddersfield will get you to Scarborough at 13:35, returning 17:50, with the same changes getting home 21:24. Could be an expensive trip as adult return fares are around £90.

Games played this century on 9th February

2002       Merthyr               H             1-0          Southern League

2008       Weymouth         H             2-1          Conference

2013       Frickley                 H             3-3          Northern Premier League