Cardiff City's Aron Gunnarsson has sent a touching message to Bluebirds fans ahead of his final game on home soil, insisting he will be a Bluebird forever.
Cardiff's clash against Crystal Palace today will be the Iceland international's final game on home soil, and fans are set to pay tribute to the talismanic midfielder when the 30-year-old walks the team out accompanied with his two sons.
Since joining in 2011, he's made more than 280 appearances, scored 25 goals, has been a League Cup finalist, seen two promotions, and scored Cardiff’s first ever Premier League goal back in 2013 against Manchester City.
The club stalwart has agreed a deal with Qatari side Al-Arabi, who he will join this summer.
Inside Cardiff City star Aron Gunnarsson's beer spa, where people literally bathe in beer
And in an interview published in Cardiff's match-day programme, Gunnarsson has spoken about his pride in what the club has achieved in his eight years in south Wales, and the bond he will treasure forever.
"It will probably hit me after the game, knowing that it will be my last game in front of the home fans who I've played in front of for eight years", he said.
"We've been through a lot, me and the fans.
"We've had ups and downs, good times, happy times, and tough times, as you get in football.
"We've had every bit of emotion together, and that will probably hit me a bit harder after the game.
"Game-mode for me is so focused that I don't let things like that affect me - not until the final whistle blows, anyway."
"My aim was to come here and have success, to get to the Premier League with Cardiff, and hopefully stay there. My aim is to leave the club in the Premier League, but if I don't manage to do that, I'll still look back and be proud of the achievements we've had together here at Cardiff."
You can follow the Cardiff City v Crystal Palace match live here now.
Moving to south Wales as a 22-year-old, Gunnarsson leaves for the next chapter in his career as a married father-of-two.
"I've been here for eight years and both of my sons were born here.
"I'll be a Bluebird forever, I know that for sure.
"I'll be looking out for the results for years to come, and the first will always be Cardiff. With the boys growing up here, they're going to know about it too.
"I've got a special bond with this club that I will treasure forever and, looking back on my time here, I wouldn't change it for the world."
