Opposition boss takes touchline ban on the chin and praises Chesterfield
The manager of Chesterfield’s final-day rivals for a play-off spot insists his touchline ban needn’t be a hindrance for his team tomorrow.
Swindon Town chief Ian Holloway will serve the first of a two-match disqualification for misconduct following his red card in their match away to Colchester United.
It means he will be in the stand at the County Ground match when a sold-out crowd of more than 13,000 will watch the two teams battle it out for a finishing spot in the top seven.
Holloway said: “I'll be higher up. I'll be able to see it. I can communicate to my bench. It might be a blessing in disguise. Who knows?
"I'm not belittling it. I'm not proud of what I did but I'm a very passionate man. I have an idea what I think is fair and what is not fair, and it wasn't a refereeing decision that did it. It was the constant battering and abuse in a situation where I'm the only one who's going to get in trouble.”
Swindon have won just one of their last six and need three points to overhaul the Spireites and get back in the play-off frame they’ve occupied for the vast majority of the season. Chesterfield need only a point and arrive unbeaten in seven.
Holloway rates Paul Cook’s side. The experienced Robins boss has also stuck their lame defeat to Grimsby Town last week in the “out” tray.
He added: "All we need to do, the lads, is to concentrate and try to get a win against a very good team.
“Chesterfield do pass it. They do move it. Their stats are better than ours on where I want to be eventually, but I believe we've got some fantastic forwards who can get us a win at home.
“I think our fans will be screaming for it, helping us over the line, and that's what it's all about. I can assure you the lads understand exactly how I feel about it and what I want them to do.”
The crowd will be Swindon Town’s biggest for four years.
Added Holloway: "It’s a sell-out. We've got things going around here tomorrow that are going to make it really special. We're lucky that that's the case, totally lucky to have one game left. It's all in your hands.
"Deep down, I still believe in my boys.”