AFTER countless false starts Heathens fans have been given new hope speedway will make an historic return to Dudley borough.

Heathens chairman Nigel Pearson confirmed a stadium site has been identified and the club is waiting for the green light from Dudley Council.

Club officials and council planning experts visited the site, which Mr Pearson refuses to divulge due to commercial sensitivity, together and first impressions were good.

Mr Pearson said: "We are just waiting to hear from the council about the potential stadium site in the Cradley/Dudley area, we were told we would get an answer in July but still are waiting.

"We are by far the biggest sporting club in terms of fans in the borough and we all know what an historic day it will be when speedway returns to the borough after 20 years.

"But, time is moving on, we have had so many sites fall through over the years it is not surprising some fans think it might never happen but we reformed the club in 2010 for this very goal - to have a new stadium in Cradley and Dudley area."

The club is currently racing in Wolverhampton after a year at Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium.

Mr Pearson said: "We are getting crowds of over 1,000 in Wolverhampton, just imagine how many fans would turn up if the stadium was where it belongs - in the Cradley/Dudley area."

The Heathens, which disbanded and moved from its previous Dudley Wood home in 1996, have previously seen hopes to build a stadium in Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Gornal and Cradley dashed.

And in May Dudley Council omitted any plans for any potential new stadium sites from its 10-year Dudley Borough Development Strategy.

Councillor Pete Lowe, leader of Dudley Council, said: "We have acknowledged the tremendous achievements of Dudley Heathens, and for many years have carried out extensive searches within the Dudley borough for a location for a speedway track, and have not been able to find anywhere suitable.

"We have given the group a commitment that we will work with them to evaluate any sites which they can come up with and which they feel they have a realistic chance of securing in order to establish whether we can address all of the relevant planning, access and environmental considerations, and this commitment remains.”