PETER Clarke notched up the 600th game of a distinguished career with Bury's 1-1 draw at Burton Albion on Saturday.

And after putting in a characteristically gritty display there is no sign the experienced defender is ready to hang up his boots any time soon.

The 34-year-old centre-back has enjoyed regular football since joining from Blackpool on a free transfer last summer.

He is Bury's leading appearance maker this season with 39, one more than second-placed Danny Mayor, something the former Everton and Huddersfield man is "quietly" proud of.

“It's certainly nice to get that amount of appearances," said Clarke. "I'm quietly quite pleased with myself. There's still plenty left in the legs yet so a few more would be nice.

“I feel good, the body feels good and I want to play for as long as I can.

“I'm not sure I'll make Graham Alexander's appearance count (977) but I think there's a few years left in me yet and I want to play for as long as I possibly can."

Like every true professional, the defender has one eye on life after football.

A coaching role is one option that could tickle Clarke's fancy, and he is currently dedicating his spare time helping the younger age groups at Gigg Lane.

“I have started taking my coaching qualifications,” Clarke confirmed.

“I'm on my A licence at the minute and I'm working with the younger players as and when the fixtures and the training allows and I'm enjoying that too.

“That's (becoming a coach) certainly an option. When the time comes I want to be as well qualified as I can be for that next chapter but I want to play for as long as I can.

“I love being out there on the grass. I love playing. I love a Saturday afternoon or a Tuesday night.

“Yes, there's plans for the future but certainly that's not the imminent future.”

Bury's point against 10-man Burton leaves them 10 points above the League One relegation zone with six games to go.

But Clarke feels like his side should have picked up all three points at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.

The defender also insisted his team wanted to finish the season with a bang, especially having only won one of their last 14 away games.

He said: “Even when it was full complement, 11v11, I thought we were the better side, we created the better chances.

“When we had the man advantage I thought the score would only get greater if I'm perfectly honest, but unfortunately that has not been the case.

“They have kept going and nicked an equaliser in the end, which I'm really, really disappointed with.

“As a group – the manager, the staff, the players – we want to end on a high.

“It has been well documented, but we are realistic enough to realise that we have had a sticky spell.

"We have had some players missing that are quite influential but we want to finish on a high and that's by gaining as many points as we can between now and the end of the season and performing as well as we possibly can do.”