Scarborough's football club could return to the town as early as next season under ground-breaking plans to expand Sheffield United's youth set-up.

The former Football League outfit were consigned to history in June after being wound up amid crippling debts of ?2.5m.

Scarborough folded after the board and the local council failed to agree terms on lifting restrictions preventing the sale of the McCain Stadium to house-builders. The old club had wanted to sell the site to clear their considerable debts.

A new club, Scarborough Athletic, was set up within days by the Seadog Supporters Trust and entered the Northern Counties East League.

However, due to ownership of the McCain Stadium having passed to liquidators Begbies Traynor, the fledgling club were forced to move out of town and play their home games at Bridlington Town's Queensgate ground.

Under plans drawn up by Sheffield United, who took over the Seadogs' school of excellence when the old club folded, that nomadic existence could be over as early as next summer.

The Blades have been in talks with George Pindar Community Sports College about a partnership that would see the school of excellence extended and a new Conference-standard stadium built on land next to the College's Eastfield site.

Athletic would then be invited to play at the new stadium, which if everything goes to plan could be open as early as the 2009-10 season.

The McCain Stadium, which the council plans to buy from the liquidator, is understood to be a key part of the plans with Athletic possibly making a temporary return to their former home in time for next season.