Lewie wants the number 3 shirt to continue when he passes it on

"I want a 10ft statue outside!" Dean Lewington joked when asked about how he would like to be remembered by MK Dons when he eventually retires. In truth, he doesn't really care, as long as his shirt number can carry on.

The skipper has played in all but four matches this season, signed a new contract yesterday and is on the eve of making his 800th appearance for the club since it was established in 2004.

Talk of how to commemorate his career is often brought up around his latest landmark or contract extension, with Russell Martin suggesting a statue, naming a stand after him or retiring the number 3 shirt which only he has ever worn.

"He’s the only guy to ever wear number 3 for this club, that’s something easy to do," said the manager. "No one else ever wears it – that’s a really simple message – but not enough. It could be a stand, statue or retire his shirt number... and Dean doesn’t care less!

"He’s got a framed 600 shirt that is still lying about here, if we do the same Saturday it’ll join it."

But the 36-year-old was typically nonplussed by the fuss surrounding his latest appearances achievement, and of talk about how to mark his career when he eventually hangs up his boots.

"When you're playing, it's not something you think about," Lewington said. "I'd like the shirt to continue. The great thing about football is that you can compare numbers and people who played in those positions, it gets passed down, evolves and goes on. I wouldn't want the number to be stopped.

"For everything else, I leave that for everyone else to worry about!"