Wetherall relishing his final bow

Wetherall will concentrate on coaching next season (Getty)

For most players, making 300 league starts for a club would be a milestone in itself.

But for Bradford City captain David Wetherall, Saturday's match at home to Milton Keynes Dons will prove to be more emotional than most.

After leading the team out in Bradford's final home game of the season, the 37-year-old will call time on his near 20-year playing career before joining the coaching staff at Valley Parade next season.

It has been a rollercoaster ride for Wetherall since joining City in 1999.

There was the high of the Bantams' two seasons in the Premier League, but then there have been the lows of two periods of administration and three relegations.

I'm sure it's going to be a good day and I want to look back and smile about if for years to come David Wetherall

Wetherall will forever be remembered by City fans for scoring the goal against Liverpool on the final day of the 1999/2000 season that ensured their survival in the Premiership.

"That first year - I don't think anyone at the club really knew what to expect," said Wetherall.

"Looking back, we got by on spirit. The pundits were probably right, looking through the team we had, that we should have gone down. We were underdogs in just about every game that we played and rightly so."

The next few years proved less enjoyable for Bradford as they suffered relegations and financial problems and Wetherall found himself captaining a side in League Two.

"It was a horrible time to be involved," he said. "You'd gone from that high of achieving what we had, and to go from that to find yourself unable to pay wages and on the verge of going out of business - it really was a time that anyone who cares about the football club will never forget. It was just a scary time."

Wetherall scored the goal to keep Bradford up in 2000 (Getty)

Things are looking brighter at Bradford now, as the crowds are back and the club are on a sound financial footing.

And before Wetherall takes up his new role in the dug-out, there just remains the small matter of his final appearance at Valley Parade.

"I imagine Saturday will be as emotional an occasion as I've felt in football because that may be the day it dawns on me that I'm not going to do this again," he added.

"I'm sure it's going to be a good day and I want to look back and smile about if for years to come."