West Brom midfielder Gareth Barry insists he never expected to be a record breaker as he closes in on the Premier League appearance mark.
The 36-year-old will play in his 633rd top-flight game and break Ryan Giggs' record if he features at Arsenal on Monday.
He made his Premier League debut for Aston Villa as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday in May 1998.
Barry joined West Brom from Everton this summer and will get an extension to his initial one-year deal should he make a set number of appearances.