WORK on creating a permanent sporting tribute to the late soccer legend Wilf Mannion has gone into extra time.

Flooding has washed out hopes of opening a £1m sports complex at South Bank, where the Boro's top scorer lived and first learned to kick a ball, before Christmas. The Golden Boy Green development includes an all-weather multi-sport pitch, a skate park, an open air amphitheatre, a crazy golf course and a main building with a cyber cafe, hall, changing facilities and community space.

Flooding at the site - the former South Bank Football Club - has put back landscaping and tree planting, upsetting the timetable for the scheme, though work started in July.

The scheme's partners, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Tees Valley Leisure Limited and the South Bank Single Regeneration Budget now aim for an official opening date of February 23.

Partnership chairman Phil Pallent said: "Of course, we're disappointed that there will be a delay, but it'll be worth waiting for. We've achieved an awful lot already and a lot of people are making inquiries about using the facilities.''

Graham Brownlee, chairman of South Bank and Grangetown SRB, said: "The SRB continues to be enthusiastic about the potential and support for Golden Boy Green. We're looking forward to great things in 2001.''

Paddy Corcoran, managing director of Tees Valley Leisure, which will manage the complex, said the project will be a terrific facility'.

Peter Jones, the council's project officer, said: "We want it to be an outstanding community facility - and it will be.''