The long-serving Whitby man is on the verge of a significant personal milestone, having been a consistent presence for the club over a number of seasons, and admits it’s an achievement he is proud of.

"Yeah, it’s a real privilege and honour to have played as many games as I have," he said. "350, yeah, they sneak up on you.

"I’ve had a great time playing for Whitby Town and I just want to make sure we end the season right. Obviously, it’s a big number for me to play and I’m proud of that achievement, but I want to make sure we do it in the right way."

Gell’s potential landmark appearance comes after a challenging week personally, with illness and fatigue limiting his involvement following the recent midweek fixture against Gainsborough Trinity.

"I thought I could have got through it all right, but it does drain it out of you," he explained. "To be honest, when I got back after playing on Tuesday night, I felt broken really.

"I spent Wednesday, Thursday and most of Friday in bed. Back training this week and hopefully push on and work towards being fully fit for Saturday."

The midfielder also revealed he experienced discomfort during the match, with his body struggling to cope in difficult conditions.

"I think just the illness must have caught with me. My calf started cramping up, feeling really tight," he added. "Especially with pitches this time of the season, you get a lot of strain on your body.

"I just thought in those last moments, maybe I’ve done a bit of running, it’s felt difficult to push off.

"So, yeah, I wasn’t 100%. I knew instantly after the match that something was wrong. I got home, straight to bed, and I slept for a couple of days. But yeah, I’m hoping I’m fully over that now."

Despite the setback, Gell is determined to play his part in a strong end to the campaign and is keen to reward the club’s loyal supporters.

"I want to have a good end of the season. Hopefully, I can keep fit for the rest of the season and push some good needed wins over the line," he said.

"The fans are still following us home and away, and that’s been ever present in my time here. They’ve given everything for the club.

"The players are well looked after by the town, by the people that are involved in the club, and we just need to make sure we give them something back."

With crucial points still up for grabs, Gell believes there is no shortage of opportunity for Whitby to build momentum in the closing stages of the season.

"It is about sticking in. There’s a lot of points still to play for and a lot of winnable games," he said. "Even the tough games, the teams that are doing well, you can still go to those teams and get points or win games, especially as it comes to the back end of the season.

"You just need to make sure the full team’s got that fire, and we’re battling for every point."

Gell also emphasised the importance of belief and collective responsibility within the squad, particularly in front of goal.

"Games are won on not much, and once you win one game you get a bit of confidence," he continued. "We’ve definitely got the players there, me included. We can’t just rely on one or two players, everybody needs to put themselves forward now and really dig in.

"We need to take games by the scruff of the neck because that’s the way we’re going to push on."

As Whitby prepare for Saturday’s test, all eyes will be on whether Gell reaches his milestone, but for the midfielder, three points and a strong finish to the season remain the ultimate goal.