MORE than a century of football is to end at Scarborough FC's self-styled "Theatre of Chips" after councillors agreed to allow the Seadogs to relocate to a new stadium on the edge of the town.

They voted unanimously in favour of allowing the covenant on the McCain Stadium - which restricts its use to leisure purposes - to be transferred to a new stadium on the Eastfield Industrial Estate at a full meeting of the Borough Council on Monday.

It means the McCain Stadium will now be sold to housing developers, with the proceeds of the sale allowing Boro to build its new ground while also paying off its crippling debts.

Scarborough have played at the ground, in Seamer Road, since 1898. It became the McCain Stadium in a ground-breaking sponsorship deal in 1988.

Last month, the council's cabinet gave qualified approval to Boro's plans but were unhappy about certain details. Hundreds of fans signed a petition which was handed in to the authority asking the council to lift the covenant.

The Seasiders say they took this course of action as they saw it as the only way to save the Nationwide North club who were relegated last season. Now chiefs have to persuade a creditors' meeting to allow it the time needed to fulfil its plans.

Without the agreement, it was believed the club's creditors would have issued a winding-up order - sealing Scarborough's fate.

The new stadium will be built close to the Scarborough Building Society headquarters.

Club secretary Derek Megginson said the decision was the "first step" in securing the club's future. "The feeling is one of relief, but it is only really the first step," he said.

"We have a creditors' meeting in about ten days under the terms of our CVA (Company Voluntary Arrangement) and we have to persuade them to give us a little bit more time, but hopefully this decision is a step in the right direction.

"We see the ground move as the only way of saving the club and keeping it in existence so it was pleasing to have a unanimous decision from councillors.

"It shows they don't want to lose the football club. We are part of the town, and I don't think anyone wants us to go under."