Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says he has been dreading the moment he must wave goodbye to his adoring Anfield fans this weekend when he plays his final home game for the club.
After 17 years with his boyhood team, during which time Gerrard has made more than 700 appearances, Saturday's clash with Crystal Palace will mark the end of an era.
"I don't know what it will be like at the end of the game when I say goodbye for real," said the 34-year-old midfield general who will join the Los Angeles Galaxy when the season finishes.
"I've been dreading this moment in a strange way because I'm going to miss it so much, playing in front of the fans at Anfield and with my team mates," Gerrard told a packed news conference at Liverpool's Melwood training ground.
"It will be emotional but the plan is to keep it together and avoid the tears."
Few players have worn their club shirt with more pride than Gerrard and he said he has enjoyed some "unbelievable highs" as well as some "cruel lows" over the years.
"Istanbul still makes the hairs on my neck stand up," he added of the night in 2005 when Gerrard inspired a Liverpool fightback from 3-0 down at halftime to beat AC Milan on penalties in the Champions League final.
Gerrard also urged Raheem Sterling not to follow him out of the Anfield exit.
The future of 20-year-old England forward Sterling remains uncertain and he is set to consider his options in the summer after rejecting a £100,000-a-week deal earlier this season.
Gerrard believes the decision should be a simple one.
"For me, I am always going to be biased towards this club," he said.
"My advice to Raheem is he needs a manager who is going to play him, to coach him, to believe in him. I think there is no one better for him than Brendan Rodgers.
"I think he should sign a new deal. Brendan is a fantastic man manager, he puts a lot of time and effort into every player in the squad.
"The danger for younger players is they want it all too soon and go to another club and just become a number."
Gerrard also expressed his hope that the club's owners Fenway Sports Group would back Rodgers in the summer transfer market.
"Every season, this club tries to add good quality players to challenge for the next season," he said.
"This season we have fallen a bit short but there is a fantastic core with huge potential.
"I am hoping the owners will back Brendan again and bring in that quality which will help us go that one step further next year.
"We have got close in two cup competitions and close to the top four and that is after losing arguably the best player in the world last year in Luis Suarez and also not having our star striker available all season in Daniel Sturridge.
"To come so close without those two I think we've done okay, but next season we can go one better."
