Extra season at Brid for exiled Athletic

Following the council’s passing of the development, it was mooted that the new Scarborough Leisure Village at Weaponness would be ready to host fixtures in January of next year.

But the date for completion will now be in the summer of 2017, though that is a timescale that Boro’s Holland believes is more suitable.

He said: “We have learned a lot from our stay in Bridlington and we have to realise that we won’t be able to come back to Scarborough and everything will fit together perfectly.

“It will take us a while to adapt because there is a lot to get our head around as a club.

“A late-season move won’t allow us that time and we have to realise that there will be nobody to hold our hand like we have had at Bridlington over the years.

“We are all fans, so our hearts are saying that we want to move in tomorrow. In situations like this we have to follow our heads though. I’m counting the days like a kid at Christmas, but it is so important we get things 100% right.”

There are a host of factors that Holland feels he and the club’s board have to set straight.

He added: “There are a number of significant factors that suggest we shouldn’t rush into moving in.

“The first is the fact that you want your first game to be a headline game, rather than a fixture like a North Riding FA Cup tie.

“Players can adapt and we can man the turnstiles, but it is the financial things that matter.

“You have to look at season tickets, sponsorship, policing and so many other factors. If you get things like that wrong then it can really cost you.”