FINALLY, the day has arrived.

Ten months on from kicking off our season against Scunthorpe at the County Ground, it now comes down to three key games to decide who will be playing in the Championship next season.

Swindon Town and the play-offs have endured a turbulent relationship since their creation in 1986/87, with some of the club’s greatest moments coming in the play-offs, but also some awful memories stirred up at this time of the year.

Town enter their eighth play-off campaign in their history, having won the ultimate prize of promotion on three occasions.

This season Mark Cooper’s side have worked hard to put Town into another play-off campaign, and another chance to finally end our wait to play in the second tier.

After weeks of going through the motions in League One, Town fans can now finally look forward to some competitive action this evening at Bramall Lane.

Mark Cooper again rested the majority of the first-team squad last weekend to keep his key players ready for tonight’s first leg encounter.

Next Monday’s second leg is not only the last for Swindon at the County Ground this season, but currently, the last for many loan players who have played for the club over the campaign.

John Swift, Harry Toffolo, Sam Ricketts, Jordan Turnbull and Jack Stephens have all played a massive role in everything the club has managed to achieve this season, especially the last two names on that list.

Regardless of what division we are playing in next season, I could see Swift, Toffolo and Ricketts returning to the club in the future, possibly on a permanent basis, but I doubt we will see either Turnbull or Stephens again - even if we achieve promotion.

I can see their futures on a bigger stage, and I wish them both luck in their careers.

Myself and other fans have been incredibly nervous all week leading up to tonight’s game, playing over the many scenarios in my head again and again.

I’ll be an emotional wreck over the entire 180 minutes. But, I hear you say is it really worth it? Absolutely.

It’s games like tonight and next Monday that create moments that you will never forget and make you fall in love with the beautiful game.