DAN THE FAN: A night we'll never forget

Being at certain games involving your club are worn like badges of honour.

In Town’s case, it’s the ‘Sir Don’ Final of 1969, Selhurst Park in 1987 and the Wembley wins in 90 and 93 etc.

Now this generation has a moment to speak of proudly and cherish for many years to come.

Fifty years from now someone will ask you, ‘did you go to that crazy 5-5 draw in 2015?’ The County Ground has never experienced anything like Monday night before or probably will ever again.

I don’t think many of those in the ground or the thousands of supporters watching around the world, would have gone through so many emotions as we did over 99 incredible minutes.

When Michael Smith turned and placed his shot into the bottom corner in front of the Town End to make it 3-0 - and 5-1 on aggregate - many, including myself, started planning a date at Wembley.

But if there’s one thing we’ve learnt over many years of watching Town, it’s that it was never going to be straightforward.

As soon as we thought the tie was safe, the Blades would hit back and score again, both like two boxers swinging left and rights without bothering to block any shots thrown their way.

It was an excellent way to sign off at the County Ground this season after a long, hard-fought campaign.

I don’t think I have ever seen a Swindon Town side come out the blocks and sweep aside their opponents with such ease before, especially a side as talented as Sheffield United.

Nathan Byrne was a man on a mission with the ball at his feet. As soon as he ran towards a Utd defender they would start looking for their white flag, as he again and again showed his talent with the ball at his feet.

Ben Gladwin showed why he is now one of the hottest commodities in League One, his first goal sure to become a new YouTube hit with Town fans over the years to come.

The cherry on the top was the return to form of the division’s best player in Massimo Luongo. It’s no secret that Mass has been nowhere near his best over the past couple of months.

But on Monday night he looked like the same player from the first half of the season, a fitting way to mark his all but certain last game at the County Ground, a great player who will go onto star in the Premier League next season.

Another incredible story that has developed over the play-offs has been Jermaine Hylton, when I saw his name included in the starting XI last Thursday I was sceptical.

Not because he wasn’t good enough, but because his impact from the bench in recent weeks had made him a perfect way to change a game and hurt our opponents.

But after a slow start at Bramall Lane, the young striker grew into the game, and on Monday he showed the talent he has to offer.

He’s looking like another shrewd bit of business by the club.

It’s an incredible story for the young striker, to go from the Southern Premier Division to a play-off final at Wembley in five months.

Now that we’ve all experienced that incredible semi final, we can start to imagine how the final will pan out at Wembley Stadium on May 24.

Hopefully as the full-time whistle sounds under the Arch, we can say we’ve lived through another ‘where you there’ Swindon Town moment.

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