Holloway rallies Swindon for play-off shootout

Ian Holloway has been in charge at Swindon since October 2024 [Shutterstock]

Swindon Town manager Ian Holloway rallied his players before their play-off shootout with Chesterfield, telling them: "It's still in our hands."

The Robins have slipped to eighth in League Two after winning just one of their last six games, allowing Chesterfield to leapfrog them into seventh, one point ahead.

The two meet at the County Ground at Saturday lunchtime and Holloway has told his players they can still decide their own fate.

Holloway told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "I've told them what a wonderful opportunity this is.

"When ever do you get a chance to face the team who've just gone above you and the only result you can control is your own, you've got them at home, so it's still in your hands?

"If Chesterfield were playing anyone else it wouldn't be in our hands, would it?

"What the boys have got to do is realise they've got to get back to what they were doing with authority and belief. You've got zero base because basically you've let automatic promotion slip out of your hands.

"So, talk about making it hard for yourself! But we still have another chance.

"There's no room for error. One win and we're in the playoffs or else our season is all over.

"I know what I want and I know what we deserve, but we have to redo that. We have to go again because no-one gives you anything, you've got to take it."

Holloway must watch from the stands as he serves a touchline ban for his sending off in last month's defeat at Colchester United.

"It might be a blessing in disguise, who knows?" he said.

"I'm not proud of myself. I've let the team down, I've let the club down and I've got to make sure I make up for that and see if we can get, not just in the play-offs, but to Wembley and beat whoever else is there.

"I believe in miracles. I always have and I always will."