The Auckland City Council has voted for a partial back-down on plans to shift the New Zealand Warriors from its Mt Smart home, agreeing to delay a decision by 12 months.

Regional Facilities Auckland will use the period to speak with various sporting codes and stakeholders affected by the strategy.

The news comes after Warriors playmaker Shaun Johnson says he'd be "filthy" if the club was forced to move out of Mt Smart Stadium, echoing comments from the Mad Butcher who likened it to being "kicked out of home".

"It would be pretty weird to think of us not being here," Johnson said. "It's the ground I've grown up as a fan, always coming to watch the Warriors play at.

"That's the only way I see it. So if they move it, I will be filthy."

The Mad Butcher told TVNZ's Breakfast today he is prepared to fight to keep the Warriors at Mount Smart, calling Auckland Council "idiots" for wanting a stadium reshuffle.

"We're not going to move from Mt Smart," Leitch, who is known as the Warriors' number one fan, said.

"The fans don't want to move and the council are idiots wanting to put a speedway there. You wouldn't want to get kicked out of your home would you?"

As part of its long-term plan council is looking at a major overhaul of its sports stadiums, which could see speedway move from Western Springs to Mt Smart Stadium, with Western Springs redeveloped into a cricket ground.

The Warriors would then be forced to play home matches at a revamped QBE Stadium in Albany and at Eden Park, which will remain the home of cricket and rugby.

The NRL franchise, which has spent two decades in Penrose, are against the move and have threatened to leave New Zealand's biggest city if it's forced on them.

Their current lease expires in 2018.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says the council is still in the discussion phase, but questioned where the money would come from to give Mt Smart a much-needed revamp.

Speedway Promotions Ltd has offered to contribute $5 million to redevelop Mt Smart.

 

tvnz.co.nz

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