Bobby Hassell admits he would have liked to have played with his 2006 promotion team-mates in his testimonial but understands why Barnsley FC are not allowing him to do so.
The long-serving fans' favourite will captain the current Reds side against his former club Mansfield – who he insists were always his first choice as opposition – on July 18 from 3pm.
"I am happy to have the game confirmed and I am looking forward to it," said Hassell who made 299 appearances in ten seasons at Oakwell before his release in May last year.
"I always wanted it to be Mansfield. My only disappointment is that I can't play with the Barnsley team that got promoted to the Championship. That would be great for me and the fans and it might have been nice to start a season by seeing the last promotion team and then hopefully end it with another one if Barnsley go up.
"But I totally understand that Lee Johnson (Barnsley's head coach) has a pre-season to organise and he wants to use the friendlies to get his squad together. I am grateful that he has let me captain the side. I have no complaints at all.
"The club offered us a chance to play a legends' game with none of the current squad but we thought this option would draw a bigger crowd.
"It's a shame it's dragged on but it's not the club's fault. It's no one's fault."
The testimonial was originally supposed to take place last summer but, after proposed games with Mansfield, Manchester United and Everton could not be arranged, it was moved back to May 4 this year. But Hassell's season with Indian Premier League side Bharat was extended around Christmas time so the match had to be postponed again.
Hassell, who returned from India this week after completing the first year of a two-year player-coach contract, has given the money from his other testimonial events – such as a cricket match, a gala ball and a golf day – to charity. Proceeds from testimonials go to the player but he says the only reason he has organised the match is to say a proper goodbye to the fans.
Hassell, who turned 35 yesterday, said: "I only got ten minutes as a substitute against QPR in my last game (the final match of the 2013/14 season) and I didn't know I would be released at that time. If I had started that game, knowing it was my last, and had a chance to say goodbye properly, then I wouldn't even have needed a testimonial.
"But when you spend ten years of your life at a club and in a town, you feel a very strong connection and I want to thank the fans for all the support they have given me."
Barnsley's former marketing manager Darren Hayes, who has organised the game alongside former Red Bruce Dyer, added: "It's the first home friendly of the year and before the school holidays so we would hope for a crowd of up to 5,000.
"There's no hiding from the fact that it should have happened last year or even in May this year. But there's no one to blame and we hope it will be a great event for the club and the town."
Tickets are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.
