Swindon Town says its ageing stadium is holding the club back

Club chairman, Willie Carson, made the appeal as four councillors plan to oppose the club's use of the Shaw Park site at a council meeting on Thursday.

Mr Carson wants the motions deferred until the developers, St Mowden, have been "given the chance to respond to two public consultation events".

One of the councillors involved, Nick Martin (Cons), said on his website that he was "outraged" at the proposals".

He added: "If my constituents want me to lie down in front of a bulldozer to stop this, then I will."

A new stadium, with modern facilities, would provide the club with a ground capable of sustaining top-flight football Willie Carson

Speaking to BBC News, Mr Martin added: "The location is unacceptable: it is a community forest with 50,000 trees, created 10 years ago."

Some Swindon Town FC fans have demonstrated and leafleted against the plans from the beginning, objecting primarily to the loss of green space.

Mr Martin is supported in his opposition by councillor Peter Greenhalgh (Cons) and Labour councillors Barrie Thompson and Maurice Fanning.

Mr Carson said: "A new stadium, with modern facilities, would provide the club with a ground capable of sustaining top-flight football."

"By ruling out sites at this stage, particularly one suggested by the council itself, councillors are in danger of undermining our efforts to plan a brighter future for Swindon Town FC."

After the public consultation exercises, says Mr Carson, the developers are considering modifying their original plans to include: