TONY HIBBERT is adamant  Everton will remain a mainstay  of his life as he marks a decade  as a player at Goodison Park.

In modern football the  one-club man is an increasingly  rare breed and Hibbert is proud  to count himself among their  dwindling number.

The 31-year-old right-back is  preparing to mark his  testimonial season when AEK  Athens visit Merseyside on  Wednesday and he views the  occasion with an uncomplicated  honesty so prevalent in his  playing style.

“It’s just normal,” he said  when asked about the  significance of his lengthy stay.

“I’ve been here since I was 10  or 11, so Everton is just Everton  to me.

“It’s a big part of my life and  it always will be. My family  always say ’Everton’s first’.  Every single day is Everton.

“Coming here and spending  every day here is nothing  different to me so it’s hard to  explain and get across how it is  for me.

“To be a part of a club for  that long, when I sit down and  think about it with my family  and go through it, it’s  unbelievable and I can’t say any  more really.

“To be here playing for that  long, 10 years, really is a blessing  for me.”

Hibbert, the only player  remaining at Goodison from  David Moyes’ first game in  charge against Fulham in 2002,  holds an inauspicious club  record of playing 265 times  without scoring.

So what are the chances of  him thrilling the Gladys Road  End by finally hitting the back  of the net against AEK?

“Obviously that’s the main  question everyone’s asking me,”  he said.

“I want us to win first, whatever game it is. Whether it’s a friendly, a testimonial or a Premier League game I think Everton should be winning.

“But if it does come, it comes.  It’s hard to say I’m going to go  up and take a penalty because  I’ve never thought about it  during games.”