MICHAEL Smith’s superb solo run and finish last Saturday was enough to continue Town’s 14-year unbeaten run against local rivals Bristol City in a fiery encounter at the County Ground.

Mark Cooper’s side put on a superb second-half display that their visitors could not handle and eventually Town got their rewards against a 10-man City side.

Unfortunately the issue of the early red card has dominated and pushed aside Swindon’s deserved victory.

The biggest disappointment has been Bristol City’s inability to be graceful in defeat and accept the better team won on the day.

One of the best aspects of football is the passion people have for their club – without it the game would cease to exist.

As I mentioned last week, having players involved who are Swindon Town fans would be a huge benefit, and so it proved.

Both Nathan and Louis Thompson grew up as Town fans, understanding what it means to beat Bristol City with the added bonus of ending their unbeaten run.

So as the full-time whistle went last weekend, Town captain Nathan leaped in the air with his fists clenched celebrating the result in front of the travelling City fans – a moment of pure passion.

So when I read that Wiltshire Police are to “work with Swindon Town to avoid future “unhelpful” players’ celebrations” I had to double-check what I was reading.

I don’t know if an official complaint was made to the police, but the fact anything had to be said is ridiculous.

Over the years I’ve watched Town play from my seat in the Town End and I’ve seen opposition players taunt fans. It’s part of the game.

If fans shout, scream and sing abuse at an opposition player, and then they score, you have to expect that player to milk the moment.

They don’t plan before the game to celebrate that way; it’s the heat of the moment.

It’s those unscripted moments in sport that are the most memorable – remember Stuart Pearce when he scored his penalty in England’s quarter-final shootout win over Spain in Euro 96.

I’ve never seen so much emotion from a player. To this day, you would struggle to find another moment quite like it.