ONE of the region's biggest football clubs looks likely to win top status for its youth academy.

Sunderland was thwarted in its bid to win FA Academy status for its Academy of Light, after its controversial plans for an indoor football pitch at Whitburn Moor, South Tyneside, were turned down by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

Residents had objected to the scheme, which would have used a greenbelt site, and the club lost its planning appeal last year.

Yesterday, officials announced the club will instead build the indoor arena over a disused ice rink at the Crowtree Leisure Centre, in Sunderland.

Sunderland vice-chairman, John Fickling said: "This has provided us with a temporary solution that allows us to maintain our academy status, it has made use of a currently unused area within the leisure centre and it has reopened this area for use once again by the local community."

The club, which has been given a two-year lease by Sunderland City Council, will refurbish the ice rink, removing the existing rink boundaries and seating deck and will floor the whole space with indoor turf.

Work is expected to start almost immediately and is expected to take about two months.

It will be the only turfed indoor arena in Tyne and Wear available to the public.

The ice rink equipment currently in place will remain untouched underneath the turf.

"For us this is a short-term solution, which allows us to maintain our Academy status while we consider longer-term options," said Mr Fickling.

The move is crucial to Sunderland Football Club, because only clubs with academy status can play in the FA Premier Youth Leagues.