McGregor has been missing since the last week of July when he suffered an ankle injury in a challenge with Filozofe Mabete in training, leaving him out for around eight weeks.

But as he was drawing closer to a return to action, he fell down the stairs at home, which left Swindon scared that he might have to have surgery on the injury.

However, after going to see a specialist, it was revealed that he would not need the surgery that had been feared, and he was back out on the grass taking a minor role in training at the start of October.

Having slowly ramped himself up to full fitness, McGregor will be part of a matchday squad for the first time this season as Swindon go after back-to-back wins in the local derby with Bristol Rovers.

Ian Holloway said: “Joel McGregor is a winner, in my opinion. Dan Butler's a winner, in my opinion. And when you see them, and they're sat there, if they aren't playing or if they're on the bench, that really does help you.

“So let's see if we can get the mindset correct. It's the mindset. That's why Claire's helping us with another meeting today.

“That is important for the younger ones, who are trying to deal with the fact that it didn’t matter if they won before, but now they will be moaned at.

“They've got to learn how to deal with that. So when you have the players that you've just said, they'll naturally deal with that because they're used to it.

“Someone like Joel is exactly the same as Louis [Millard], no matter what they do, our fans love it, because they're completely up for it, completely after it.”

There has also been some positive news for Ollie Palmer, who will return to Beversbrook next week from his rehabilitation centre in London and begin being on the grass and take some part in the training session.

Ollie Clarke and Anthony Munda will be missing this weekend against Bristol Rovers, as both have injuries.

Clarke will be out for five or six weeks with a hamstring tear, and Munda has hyper-extended his knee, and will need to be fully evaluated.

Dan Butler will return to the squad alongside McGregor, whilst Jack Thomson is also fit to play after a brief worry after Barnet.