SHOCK Swindon Robins signing Bradley Wilson-Dean says it is a “dream come true” to join the club following the unexpected announcement of his arrival yesterday.

New Zealander Wilson-Dean arrives to replace Mikkel Brondum Andersen, with the Robins forced to scrap plans to bring in the Danish youngster after an average change.

Andersen was unveiled as the final member of Robins boss Alun Rossiter’s 2017 septet last week, only for the Dane’s assessed average to come in higher than club officials expected, taking the team over the points limit imposed for next year’s SGB Premiership campaign.

Now, 22-year-old Wilson-Dean has been handed his chance at the Abbey Stadium, with the Kiwi only missing out on a Premiership place with top-flight newcomers Somerset Rebels because his average was too high.

Wilson-Dean helped the Rebels claim the second-tier Premier League title last term and admits his switch to Swindon will fulfil a long-standing ambition.

“I made it clear before the end of last season that I wanted to be a Swindon Robin,” said Wilson-Dean, who joins Swindon on an average of 5.02.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a young kid. My dad, Darren Wilson, rode for the junior team at Swindon quite a while ago, so I’ve wanted to do it for a long time.

“To get the call-up is pretty surreal. I can’t believe it and I am over the moon.

“I have said to Alun countless times, right the way through last year and this year, I want to be riding for Swindon and it’s a dream come true now.

“I did a meeting at Swindon this year towards the end of the season, against the Swindon team less Jason Doyle, and I scored 10 points throughout the heats and I was also in the final heat.

“I think I had a pretty good meeting, so I showed Rosco what I can do. That was the idea of doing it. I asked to do the meeting, he didn’t come to me.

“I went and did my best to show them what I can do and he saw that and thought: ‘Maybe he is going to be a good rider’.

“It’s a dream come true and I just can’t wait to get going.”

Team manager Rossiter conceded that the ruling that forced them into the change came as quite a surprise but believes Wilson-Dean will be more than an adequate replacement for Andersen.

“We were led to believe that Mikkel, who has an average of four, would be coming in on a five following the restructuring but all of a sudden, we are told that he has got a seven average,” said Rossiter.

“I find it hard to believe how that has happened. I would like to say more, but I think it might get me in trouble.

“I’m gutted for Mikkel. He was so excited about coming over but now no one is really going to take a punt when he’s got an average like he has.

“We were looking at Bradley before going in the direction of Mikkel. He is a rider that the Swindon fans seem to like and he is excited to be joining us.”