ALUN Rossiter has played his seventh and final off-season card this morning after confirming Adam Ellis as the last member of Swindon Robins’ team for next year’s SGB Premiership campaign.

Exactly a fortnight after Grand Prix star Jason Doyle was named as Rossiter’s first confirmed rider for Robins’ top tier battle, French-born Ellis today concludes the Blunsdon outfit’s squad – which also includes Troy Batchelor, Rasmus Jensen, Ellis Perks, Anders Rowe and Jordan Stewart.

Next year will mark Ellis’ fourth stint at the Abbey Stadium.

The 23-year-old has firmly installed himself as a fans’ favourite having twice lifted the Premiership crown – in 2017 and 2019 – as well as the Premiership Supporters’ Cup and Elite Shield.

Last season, the ex-Birmingham rider notched 162 points from 98 regular season Premiership rides and excelled on Swindon’s fresh home surface.

Returning to Wiltshire was always on the cards for Ellis should his average pave a return to Rossiter’s septet following the AGM.

He told the Adver: “I wasn’t planning on going anywhere else, I wanted to stay at Swindon from the word go.

“We had to wait until the AGM, but it was an easy call to return – there was no umming or ahing about the situation or second thoughts.

“I couldn’t see myself riding anywhere else to be honest. It’s great to be back.

“It made a big difference when the track came good, we knew it was going to take a while to settle down but the track staff worked hard and it made a huge difference to our season.

“It’s easy to say we did it all on track and that it’s down to us.

“But the whole set-up and team around the club helped make success too.”

Next season will mark the end of an era for Ellis, though, as he revealed his split with long-time mechanic Matt Read.

Read, a former rider whose career was cut short following a horrific crash at the World Long Track Championship in 2004, has been a key cog in Ellis’ wheel since he first arrived in the UK eight years ago.

The pair have lived together in Ringwood with Read committing himself to mechanical and driving duties.

And Ellis had some kind final words to say about his former mechanic’s work since they first worked together in 2012.

“Without Matt (Read), I’d probably still be in the National League,” said Ellis.

“I can’t fault anything he has done or his effort – I can’t thank him enough.

“We didn’t want to go our different ways, but things must keep moving forwards.”