Medals belonging to one of Swindon Town's greatest ever footballers are back at the County Ground.

It looked as though the Harold Fleming memorabilia would be lost for good when it went up for auction in April.

The footballing medals of the Town legend were expected to reach £5,000 a figure far beyond the reach of the average fan.

But one man proved he was anything but an average fan when he managed to raise enough money to rescue many of the items.

Chris Scott, 72, of Haydon View, Pinehurst, united town supporters to collect more than £8,000 after seeing an Advertiser article revealing the medals were to go on sale.

Mr Scott said: "When I saw the piece in the paper I thought, 'that's a bit of Swindon's history and I don't want it to disappear.'

"It could have gone anywhere even overseas."

With the help of the Advertiser, life-long fan Mr Scott began a campaign to raise the money needed.

"We had lots of donations from some very generous people," he said.

"From those who put 50p in a bucket on match day to those who gave several hundred pounds, everyone helped."

Despite being tipped to reach £5,000 at Bonhams, in Chester, in the end the medals went for more than double that, pulling in £13,000.

The club bought six of the 14 with the others going to a private collector in Wales.

But, after the Advertiser tracked down the bidder, he promised to lend them to the club to go on display.

Mr Scott said: "We're really grateful to him and it's great that we can show them all off together."

And for Mr Scott the collection is just the beginning of his vision for a sporting memorabilia museum at the County Ground.

He said: "Who knows in the future what we might be able to do.

"What I would say to people is that if they have anything in the attic when it comes to having a clear-out, please don't through it away, let us have it.

"And if people have things they can't stand to give away they could loan them to us."

Fleming, who played for the club just before the First World War, was so feted by town fans that his name now adorns Fleming Way in the middle of Swindon.

Among the medals back at the County Ground are: Two Inter League Representative medals, a Swindon Town League Winners medal, Charity Shield Medals (1911 and 1913), the Swindon Schools Football League Medal 1889 and a 1909 Budapest International Medal.