Captain has last laugh after pitch comes to the rescue

The Lions skipper grabbed the only goal of Saturday's tense League One play-off final to deservedly see off a Swindon side who failed to live up to their true potential at the rain-sodden national stadium.

Robinson, who admitted he would be sleeping with the trophy Saturday night, said: "I just managed to react quickly and put it in the net.

"To captain a team, to score the winning goal and to lift up a trophy at Wembley – as a kid kicking around in the back garden that's all I ever dreamed of. It's a special day.

"We've got a squad of heroes, a squad that will go down in history. We're the first Millwall team to achieve that (play-off success) and we knew it was possible."

He added: "I told the lads it was our day and we had to make sure we did whatever it took to win. Thankfully it was our day, what a feeling and what a proud man I am."

The triumph also represents a remarkable personal turnaround in fortunes for Robinson, who has remained with the Lions ever since his days as a trainee, having previously seen injuries hamper his chances of playing starring roles in two major cup finals.

But the 28-year-old was almost guilty of handing Swindon a route back into the encounter in the 72nd minute when Charlie Austin latched onto his mis-placed header to race clean through.

However the 20-goal Robins striker, who has enjoyed a fairytale season having been playing non-league and working as a bricklayer just eight months ago, saw the ball bounce up off the much-maligned Wembley turf, hit his shin and fly horribly wide.

Robinson said: "Sometimes that's the bit of luck that decides these matches, the bit of luck you need. It didn't go our way last year but this year it has. We'll take it. I think we've earned our promotion over two years of hard work, credit to the lads – they've been excellent and they deserve every minute of it."

The defeat left Swindon's players and staff understandably deflated in the aftermath of the final whistle.

Captain Jonathan Douglas: "We have to take heart from Millwall last year. They were in the same position as us and hopefully we can go one better next year."