A new fight is being launched to keep Swindon's speedway team at its spiritual home.

Swindon have not competed in the sport since 2019 due to a mixture of the Covid-19 pandemic and the redevelopment of the Abbey Stadium.

Five years on, the team finds itself without a promoter after Terry Russell had his licence removed by the British Speedway Board - and also without a venue. Abbey Stadium owner Gaming International and Swindon Speedway Ltd previously announced that new firm Swindon Motorsports Ltd was looking for a new venue for the team. 

But a group of fans now say despite everything that has happened and despite talk of an unspecified location being considered for a motorsports stadium to be built, the Abbey Stadium might be the best and only way to secure the future of speedway in the town.

Andy Freegard is leading the charge. He is urging Gaming International owner Clarke Osborne to finish building the stadium so that it can be used, and Swindon Borough Council to include provisions for speedway in its local plan. 

He said: "We're putting together plans and sharing ideas for how we can fight to save speedway in our town.

"If we do nothing it will definitely get turned into houses but if we try to do something then it will only probably get turned into houses, so we have to try."

Former team manager Alun Rossiter and co-promoter Lee Kilby together with an unnamed financial backer have shared their intention to revive speedway in Swindon and take on the promotion licence. But finding a location to run events remains the final sticking point, and a recent meeting with the council reiterated this. 

"Abbey Stadium remains the only venue suitable but it's up to its owners to finish the work they have started so that speedway can take place there," Andy added. 

"There's now an army of gutted Swindon speedway fans calling for Swindon council to include in its local plan a goal to resurrect speedway in the town.

"Gaming International must be made to complete the remaining planning conditions on the Abbey to make it a basic level of fit for purpose.

He added: "Swindon is a speedway town with a rich history of 70 years racing at the Abbey Stadium. The sport brought people to Swindon from far and wide. It put Swindon on the map."

Gaming International's partner Taylor Wimpey started building houses before it appeared that the new stadium building had been finished - but a council investigation recently confirmed that no planning breaches had taken place. 

The council said: "Gaming International has met the minimums required through the granted planning permission to date, but nothing more"

Council leader Jim Robbins said it was up to Gaming International to "recognise the importance of speedway" and finish the job. 

Clark Osborne's Gaming International revealed plans to stop using the stadium at all when it filed a planning application asking to cease the running of both Swindon speedway and greyhound racing at the site over a year ago.

It was recently revealed that Gaming International received a loan from Legal and General Affordable Homes with the stadium as security against that loan, sparking fears of potential development on the land, despite the fact that it is designated for leisure use and the council has committed to keeping it that way.