Swindon fans are on the warpath after The Argus' lighthearted look at their town yesterday.

Reporter Barbara Davidson spent a day taking in the sights and sounds of Wiltshire's premier railway stop-off.

But she was not impressed by the shopping centres and roundabouts on offer and suggested teenage singer Billie Piper found her "get-up-and-go" by wanting to get up and leave her home town.

Swindon Town supporters failed to see the funny side, however.

On Sunday, the club plays the Albion in the first leg of the Division Two play-off - a game which could make or break the season for either team.

Seagulls fans will be donning John Prescott masks provided by The Argus to persuade the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) to give the go-ahead to the club's plans to build a community stadium at Falmer.

The Albion has received widespread support from other clubs over the past months, culminating in deliveries of flowers from every League side to Mr Prescott's Whitehall offices on Valentine's Day.

But it seems the spirit of solid-arity has not extended to this weekend.

When The Argus posted a request on a club message board asking for help with the mask stunt on Sunday, we were given short shrift by disgruntled Robins followers.

One respondent, calling himself Sausage Sandwich, said: "After reading Barbara Davidson's article slagging off the town, you've got a nerve coming on here, mate. Now do one."

Another added: "I don't think any of us ever claimed Swindon was the nicest town in the world but the way she goes on you'd think Brighton was bleedin' El Dorado."

Others were more welcoming and one supporter said he would wear a mask if we bought him a Jaguar.

On the Albion forum, North Stand Chat, there was almost unanimous support for the idea.

One correspondent said: "If I were the DPM and, while watching the football highlights, I saw 2,000 fans holding up masks of my face, I'd find it hilarious. He is human after all."

Another noted: "I don't see how, if all works well, Sky commentators can fail to avoid mentioning the purpose behind the masks."

A third said: "Well done, The Argus. Credit where credit's due.

"I personally think this is above and beyond the call of duty. I just hope it works better than last season's Albion prayer mat."

Back on the Swindon message board, people were still venting their spleen.

But perhaps we should not have been too surprised citizens were touchy about the town's image.

Swindon Borough Council's ten-year culture and leisure strategy even highlighted the issue.

In the document, a council spokesman said: "Swindon people resent the jokes that are made about the town being a 'cultural desert', boring or 'in the sticks'.

"There is a strong sense of place in Swindon - landmarks such as the David Murray John Tower or the Magic Roundabout symbolise a local identity which may, as with the numerous roundabouts, be a gentle source of ridicule but which do also place it firmly in the national consciousness."

It continues: "Swindon is also proud of the people who were born and brought up here who have gone on to make a name for themselves in sport, entertainment and other areas."

As well as actress Diana Dors and singer Billie Piper, it lists zoologist Desmond Morris, comics Mark Lamarr and Julian Clary and musicians Justin Hayward (of the Moody Blues), Rick Davies (of Supertramp), punk band XTC and Gilbert O'Sullivan.

Perhaps most surprisingly, and omitted from the run-down, Seventies Blaxploitation star Pam Grier, who later appeared as Jackie Brown in the Quentin Tarantino movie, lived briefly in Swindon, where her father was stationed with the US air force.

Julian Clary now owns a flat in Brighton but he has previously expressed his affection for Swindon, where his parents have lived since he was 18.

Julian once said: "Swindon has a nice energy. I love getting out of London - I love escaping to Swindon.

"The air is cleaner and the pace is slower but there is still that excitement about it."

He was unavailable for comment yesterday.

The Argus also tried to contact celebrity Swindon Town fans such as model Melinda Messenger and former jockeys Willie Carson and John Francombe but none returned our calls.

Gilbert O'Sullivan's sister Marie said: "Sorry but my brother is out of the country at present and will not be back before the game.

"I do, however, know that he and my brother Kevin are hoping Swindon Town will be back in the First Division next season."

Excitement is high among other fans too, with the Swindon Evening Advertiser pointing out its concerns over the return leg at Withdean.

Reporter Kevin Shoesmith said: "We have got 1,000 tickets and I think it's going to be a bit squashed. We could have filled that six or seven times over."

Swindon derives its name from Swine Down, or "pig hill" - a reference to its booming livestock trade in Saxon times.

The town now has a population of 155,000, which is similar to Brighton, although Hove and Portslade bring the city's total to 250,000.

The football clubs themselves have similar records.

Brighton were founded in 1900, six years after Swindon turned professional.

Both flirted briefly with top-flight football, Brighton in the early Eighties and Swindon in the 1993/4 season.

Finally, of course, both clubs' nicknames are birds - the Seagulls and the Robins.

But which will be flying higher after the two-legged play-off remains completely in the air.