RORY McArdle will share the pain of his personal Wembley heartache to remind City just what is at stake on Saturday.

McArdle is gearing up for his third appearance in a play-off final when the Bantams face Millwall for a place in the Championship.

The rugged centre half has scored in both of the previous two – for Rochdale in 2008 and when City beat Northampton to win promotion from League Two four years ago.

McArdle has been a Wembley winner and loser and the memory of getting beaten 3-2 by Stockport with Dale in that first appearance still haunts him – and he is determined not to suffer a repeat against the Lions.

"Wembley is a horrible place to lose, especially in a play-off final," he said.

"I know we lost in the League Cup but it was a great achievement to get there. The play-offs are different. I will never forget losing there, it is still like yesterday to me.

"I was sitting on the pitch and looked up to see the opposition celebrating. It was horrible.

"We had trained all year and worked so hard, especially in the semi-finals to reach Wembley, but it all counted for nothing.

"I was thinking, 'We have been through so much and for what?'. I am sure a couple of the lads have been in the same place.

"Those who haven't, I might have a little chat with as I don't want anyone to have to go through that. It is something that is always in the back of the mind."

McArdle experienced the flipside in 2013 with City as Phil Parkinson's side romped to victory after netting three goals inside the first half an hour.

The defender, who scored the second, admitted that day had felt "surreal" because they were in control so early.

He said: "I remember sitting down at half-time and thinking, 'What can the gaffer say here? We have done it'.

"But at the same time, I knew we had to guard against complacency. If we had got sloppy, there could have been a way back for them.

"The scenes afterwards were brilliant and the feelings night and day compared to that final we lost.

"It made everything worthwhile and we were all on a massive high that we took into the following season."

With Hull relegated from the Premier League, there is going to be a sizeable Yorkshire contingent in the second tier next season.

Leeds, Sheffield United, Barnsley and possibly Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday all lay in wait for the Bantams if they go up.

It is an exciting prospect for McArdle, although the boyhood Wednesday fan would not mind missing one club.

He said: "There will be some big derbies next season in the Championship. A couple of Yorkshire clubs are in the play-offs so we might lose them, hopefully one in particular from Sheffield!

"I always follow how the Yorkshire clubs are doing and it would be brilliant to have so many in the same division. There would be some huge attendances and that would be great for football round here."

McArdle's first-leg goal against Fleetwood proved to be enough in the play-off semi-finals – and turned him into a social-media sensation as City fans replicated his trademark celebration of sticking his tongue out.

He laughed: "My missus said I had gone viral, or that's what I am told – I don't think I had ever been viral before!

"It is a good bit of fun. People are enjoying it. And don't worry, the tongue will be out if I score again at Wembley.

"Even if it is not me, I might get Charlie (Wyke) or one of the other lads to sneak it in there."