CASH-STRAPPED Scarborough Football Club could be changing owner for the second time this year.

General manager Keith Agar confirmed that he is in talks with a Yorkshire-based consortium about a possible takeover of the troubled club, which is currently anchored to the bottom of the Nationwide Conference.

He refused to name any of the people involved but did say "one of the group is a financial man with contacts with the world banks and one of the others is someone who played in the Premiership and is well know both nationally and internationally."

Agar added: "It is very early days yet, but I have had three meetings with a member of the group and they have been given certain financial details, but any talk of a deal at this stage is premature.

"The club does have financial problems and a new owner would seem to offer a solution, but I am concerned that any deal has got to be the right one for the club."

The club is presently owned by Halifax-based businessman Darrell Littlewood, who took over from Brooks Mileson in April this year.

Agar said: "I am acting on behalf of Mr Littlewood, who is very supportive of these moves, as he has found that running a football club in the Conference with our level of turnover is not an easy business."

It is thought that the group will meet Littlewood and Agar again next week when one of the group returns from a business trip to Moscow.

Scarborough are in desperate financial trouble and in August and September some of their players and the then manager, Neil Thompson, were not being paid.

Last month Thompson, the former York City manager, left the club by mutual consent and youth coach Ian Kerr was promoted to the McCain Stadium hotseat.

On Saturday they have a crucial FA Cup fourth qualifying tie at coastal rivals Whitby Town with the winners pocketing £20,000 and the prospect of more to follow.

Scarborough's former player, Gary Bennett, has quit as manager of Darlington, York City's third division rivals.

The 39-year-old former Sunderland defender will stay at the Feethams club as chief coach with former Leyton Orient boss Tommy Taylor favourite to take over the hot seat.

Taylor may be installed in time for the Quakers home game with Hull City on Saturday.

Updated: 09:25 Thursday, October 25, 2001