"It was my 50th league game for the club last Saturday. A couple of years ago no one would have given me a cat in hell's chance of making that. I've never done it before in my career.
"I didn't play 50 games for Liverpool - I only played 34 times for them in five years. And I only played 29 games for Coventry in my four years there," said Kirkland.
The 26 year old is now in contention for an England place tonight for the national sides fixture with Switzerland.