All week the Swindon Advertiser will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Swindon Town's promotion to the Premier League following their 4-3 play-off final victory over Leicester City at Wembley on May 31, 1993.

THE nerves of their supporters may have been jangling, but Micky Hazard says there was a sense of calm about the Swindon Town players for final few minutes of their agonising play-off final.

Midfielder Hazard came off the bench and into the fray against Leicester City with just two minutes left on the clock at Wembley.

Just three minutes earlier, Paul Bodin had fired home what would turn out to be the decisive penalty to put Swindon back in front at 4-3.

Despite the chaotic nature of the contest at the national stadium, former Tottenham Hotspur player Hazard felt there were still plenty of cool heads remaining in red shirts.

“To be 3-0 up and have them come back to 3-3 was a massive blow, so to then come back get the win made it much more satisfying and much more rewarding,” said 58-year-old Hazard.

“It seemed like the momentum had gone against us, so to get the winner was wonderful.

“When I came on, it seemed as though we were pretty calm as we had gone just 4-3 up.

“All you want to do is keep calm and stop the opposition from getting the ball because when you’ve got the ball, it means they can’t attack.

“I was pretty comfortable that we would hold on.”

Between October 1990 and February 1993, Hazard was an influential figure for Swindon, starting 120 games in that time.

However, injury prior to that unforgettable day at Wembley denied him a place in the XI from kick-off – although Hazard admits that may actually have been for the best.

“I’d had a cartilage operation earlier season and was out for a few months just after the turn of the year. Although I had come back and was playing games before the play-offs, my knee kept swelling up,” said Hazard.

“Believe it or not, I came on and did my knee again – I was only on for about five minutes.

“It was probably thankful that I didn’t start because if I had started, I would maybe have done it in the first five minutes and left the team in a bit of trouble.”

Although Hazard spent the majority of his career playing at the highest level with Spurs, winning the FA Cup and UEFA Cup in that time, helping guide Swindon into the top flight is still a something he looks back on with pride.

“It was a wonderful day and an incredible achievement. For a little country club like Swindon Town to win promotion to the Premier League was incredible,” said Hazard.

“We had a very, very good side. We had players like Glenn Hoddle, like John Moncur and like myself, who had played at the very top.

“Because of the quality of the players we had, we were actually slightly more than a little country club, but it was still a remarkable achievement.”

DON'T MISS THE SWINDON ADVERTISER'S 16-PAGE SPECIAL CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF TOWN'S PROMOTION TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE. OUT WITH YOUR SWINDON ADVERTISER ON THURSDAY