SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter has urged his Robins to write their names firmly into the history books as they prepare to begin their play-off campaign at Birmingham this evening.

The Blunsdon side travel to Perry Barr for the first-leg of their semi-final after finishing second in the regular-season table, as they bid to bring an end to the club’s long wait for a national crown which stretches back as far as 1967.

Rossiter went close as he guided the Robins to the final in 2009 before they eventually lost to Wolverhampton, but the Swindon boss believes his current crop have the ability to go one better in 2012.

“It is very important for the club, but I think I have more belief in this team than I had in 2009, so it really could be massive,” he said.

“On our day if every rider stands up for themselves then I know we can win, and I keep reminding them that they will go down in history if we win it.

“We have riders from 1967 who won the league and are legends, and if we can do the same then we will go down in history, simple as that.

“In a few years time everyone will look back and wonder who the last team to win the league was, and it could be the likes of Troy Batchelor and Hans Andersen, so these guys could go down in history in Swindon. But to do that we have to first beat Birmingham which will be a very hard match at their place, and they ride at our track very well too.”

Captain Hans Andersen returns tonight after missing Wednesday’s league clash with the Brummies due to an injury suffered in Poland last Sunday, which he then aggravated riding in the Swedish play-offs on Tuesday night.

Rossiter also had to make the tough call to bring Jason Doyle back into the side after Seb Alden performed well as he stood in at Perry Barr, but the Robins boss is happy with the side that will take to the track tonight.

“Hans being back is a big plus for us after he took a hit in Poland and then again in Sweden, because he has been great for us all season.

“It was a tough decision to bring Jason back in for Seb, but for me Jason has been our rider of the season and I think it would have been unjust not to put him back in.”