ASHLEY Birks has revealed Swindon Robins have gone back on a deal which would have seen him ride at Blunsdon in 2014.

The young Brit is battling to regain full fitness after his season was ended by a broken back suffered in a track crash at Plymouth, but had been offered a team place for next season by Robins team boss Alun Rossiter.

Swindon have now decided to go in a different direction, with a seventh rider set to be announced in the coming weeks, and Rossiter called Birks yesterday to inform he was no longer required.

Birks tweeted this morning: “Bad Christmas. Had a deal sorted with Swindon but let down yesterday. Hope speedway can sort something out on the 14th of jan.

“Feel like all the hard work is a waste of time. #britishspeedway why bother.”

Rossiter insisted dropping Birks was one of the hardest decisions he has had to make in speedway, but believes he had to do so in the best interests of the club.

“It’s a numbers game, that’s the reality,” he said.

“We were thinking about it all as a club, the fact we had more points to play with as well as concerns about his fitness.

“It was really hard to do because he’s a great guy but we were left with a bit more to play with.

“It’s the hardest decision I’ve had to make but we have to do what’s right for the club. We’re not proud of it but we have to look after the club.

“Speedway can be a cut-throat game and while it wasn’t all on it, there were some concerns about his injury.

“I would love for him to be involved with the club in the future and I hope he goes away and proves me wrong.”

SEE TOMORROW'S ADVERTISER FOR A FULL INTERVIEW WITH BIRKS