I'll never give up on football," said Neil Redfearn in his recently-published autobiography. "Football will have to give up on me."

And as he approaches a remarkable milestone this week, there is no sign of the boots being hung on the peg just yet.

On Saturday, the 41-year-old midfielder will make his 1,000th senior appearance when he steps out for Park Avenue against Solihull Borough in the FA Trophy second qualifying round.

But Redfearn's hunger for the game remains as great as the day he made his league debut for Bolton at Rotherham in February 1983.

"I'm enjoying every minute - I feel good and hopefully I can add a bit of quality here and there," he said.

"Obviously the standard at this level is lower than anything I experienced in the full-time game, and it's pretty physical, but that's never been a problem for me.

"My long-term aim is to go back into coaching and management eventually but, until an opportunity comes along, I'm totally committed to helping Avenue climb back after a couple of relegations."

As Redfearn hits four figures, he can look back on a career when he has pretty much seen everything.

He played 917 games and scored 181 goals for 13 Football League clubs, including City, before a controversial spell as player-coach in the Conference with Scarborough.

There have been the highs of promotion with Oldham, when Redfearn's goal clinched the old Second Division title, and Barnsley. He also played in the top flight with the Tykes, the Bantams and Charlton.

But Redfearn also experienced the darker moments - none worse than as a Lincoln player at Valley Parade on the fateful day of the fire - and he was relegated out of the league twice with Halifax and Scarborough.

"There have been highs and lows over the years but that's football," he said.

"It doesn't get much better than winning promotion with Barnsley and I suppose my most memorable game would be their first Premiership match against West Ham.

"My first game at Charlton was a bit special too. Throughout my career, I'd been regarded as a journeyman pro then all of a sudden Alan Curbishley signed me for £1.2million and I was one of the main men. That was a different kind of pressure."

Redfearn never lacked for confidence, not surprising given his willingness to take up every new challenge.

Signed by Paul Jewell for City's first year in the Premiership, he was off to Wigan seven months later. But Redfearn still felt he played a part in the Great Escape.

"I would go so far as to say that in several of my 17 league appearances, I was outstanding," he wrote modestly in his book.

"I started seven games at home and never finished on the losing side, a record I'm very proud of.

"I knew that I could look anyone in the eye and say I had done a good job in the short time I had been at Bradford City."

Born in Dewsbury, Redfearn was brought up in Liversedge and Birkenshaw and played local Sunday football for Hunsworth alongside Ian Ormondroyd.

After all his travels, it is fitting that he should be back in Bradford to clock up the milestone - and at the club which made his father's name.

Brian Redfearn spent five years with Avenue when they were a league side, playing 130 times, but he reluctantly quit and moved to Blackburn after claiming the club went back on a promise of a £500 bonus.

"Loyalty in football means nothing," he warned his son at the beginning of his own odyssey.

Two decades on, the football family Redfearn has come full circle. He is back home - via Bolton, Lincoln, Doncaster, Crystal Palace, Watford, Oldham, Barnsley, Charlton, City, Wigan, Halifax, Boston, Rochdale and Scarborough.

"Obviously me coming here is a great move for dad," said Redfearn, who signed for Avenue boss Phil Sharpe in the summer.

"There are a lot of people around the club who still remember him as a player and there are so many memories for him.

"I grew up in the city, so I suppose that if I could have picked a club at the end of my career then Bradford Park Avenue would have been the perfect choice - and here I am."

Avenue will make a special presentation to Redfearn, marking his achievement, before the kick-off on Saturday.

FACT FILE

Born: Dewsbury, June 20, 1965.

Height: 5ft 10in.

Weight: 12st 8lb.

Clubs: Nottingham Forest (no senior appearances), Bolton, Lincoln, Doncaster, Crystal Palace, Watford, Oldham, Barnsley, Charlton, City, Wigan, Halifax, Boston, Rochdale, Scarborough, Avenue.

League debut: Rotherham v Bolton, February 19, 1983.

Last league game: Rochdale v Southend, May 1, 2004.

League appearances: 917.

League goals: 181.