By Mark Mitchener

Fletcher has worn Bournemouth's colours for 13 seasons

Steve Fletcher is looking forward to breaking Bournemouth's all-time league appearance record - but insists their play-off push is much more important.

Fletcher, 32, is currently level with boss Sean O'Driscoll on 423 appearances going into Saturday's game at Bradford.

"It's a nice milestone, but getting in the play-offs is a thousand times more important," the striker told BBC Sport.

"This is a personal triumph, but a triumph for the team would be to finish in the top six and get promotion."

With just two games of the season remaining, the Cherries are locked in a four-way battle with Hartlepool, Sheffield Wednesday and Brentford for the final three play-off places - although any slip-ups could see Bristol City also re-enter the equation.

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"If we win the last two games, we'll be in the play-offs, but we're desperate to win at Bradford on Saturday," Fletcher explained.

"It won't be easy as they're a very difficult team, but we need to give ourselves a chance on the last day of the season."

A frustrating sequence of results - five consecutive home defeats coupled with a club record six straight away wins - has left Fletcher and his team-mates somewhat bemused.

"The more we keep losing at home, the more we keep having to win away," he admitted.

"Dean Court used to be a bit of a fortress for us but at the moment, although we're playing quite well, we're getting sucker punched and not taking the opportunities when they come along.

"In 13 years I've been here, I can't remember us losing five at home - or winning six away - so it's been strange. At least we keep our supporters interested until the end!"

FLETCHER'S 2004-05 SEASON First career hat-trick (against Brentford, 1 January) 100th career goal (against Torquay, 22 February) 500th senior appearance for Bournemouth (against Luton, 9 April) Voted as Cherries' all-time cult hero on BBC's Football Focus

Beating O'Driscoll's appearance record should cap a season of landmarks for the popular target man, who was told by a specialist three years ago that he would never play again - while another only gave him a 50% chance of recovering from a serious knee injury.

But Fletcher has been quick to credit his manager for helping him to defy the odds as the years have gone by

"I think I've become more professional, and that's down to Sean. When he took over, he upped my game a lot," he said.

"I've especially enjoyed these last few seasons, and the responsibility of being club captain has made me a better player - although I'm getting older, so there are things I can and can't do. For instance, I don't train every day because of my injuries.

"Getting promoted two seasons ago was the pinnacle of my career but to play in the First Division, or the Championship as it is now, with Bournemouth has always been my ambition.

"I hope I can achieve it as I'm not getting any younger and you've got to grab the opportunity when you can."

Most clubs' appearance records are held by legendary names from the past such as Billy Bonds, Steve Perryman, Jimmy Armfield or the Charlton brothers.

Fletcher is now set to join Grimsby full-back John McDermott (590 league games since his Mariners debut in 1987) as the only current players heading their teams' appearance lists - but he feels this could change.

"The way things have turned round over the last couple of years, there's not a lot of money around in the lower divisions," he explained.

"Players used to make a living being journeymen, travelling around, but at our club there's a lot of lads who've been here six or seven years.

FLETCHER'S CAREER RECORD 1990-92: Hartlepool 32 League games (4 goals) 1992-2005: Bournemouth 423 League games (83 goals)

"Maybe there's a bit more loyalty now, because it doesn't benefit players moving from club to club - as 90% of the clubs haven't got the money anyway."

After Saturday's game at Valley Parade, the regular season climaxes with the visit of Fletcher's home-town team, Hartlepool - an encounter given extra spice by both sides' play-off ambitions.

"It's always a big game for me personally - and it's probably become a bit of a big fixture for our supporters and our players through me," he said.

"When the fixtures came out, I thought it would be nice if we were both still in with a shout of getting promoted - so I'd like to see us both in the play-offs.

"It's something I've been thinking about for a few months now, but we could meet them again in the play-offs, or even in the final. It would be great to play them at the Millennium Stadium - but only if we win!

"However, there's so many things that can change - it's an old cliche, but all we can really do is take one game at a time."