Ledley King says he will have to work hard to get in shape for his upcoming testimonial, and admits the Spurs physios may not be pleased to see him again.

The former centre back will step out at White Hart Lane for the last time on Monday, May 12, surrounded by a team of club legends who will play the current first team in a match celebrating his career and raising money for charity.

The 33-year-old was forced to retire in 2012 because of a chronic knee condition that left him unable to train in the later stages of his playing career.

Now, after two years working with the Tottenham Hotspur charitable foundation and as a club ambassador, King admits he will be training hard to get fit before the big game – and that will involve a trip back to see the Spurs physios.

He said: “I’ll have to give the knee a good workout to get myself in shape to play.

“It’s not just a case of going out there and playing - I will have to put a bit in just to get out onto the pitch, and that starts with the knee and making sure it’s strong enough for the game.

“We’ve got great facilities that I’ll be able to use and I’ve spent many years working with the physios here – I think they’re enjoying me not being around these days to be honest. But I’ll obviously get a programme from them and go from there.

“Day-to-day it’s better than when I was playing - it used to always be swollen. It’s when I try to do activities that I get real problems, but I’ll be trying to get in the best position to play the game.”

King’s testimonial squad is yet to be picked, but the former England defender has promised the fans a special night with “some old faces and legends” back on the White Hart Lane turf.

He said: “It should be a great occasion for the fans and for me to come out one more time and say thank you with some old faces from the past.

“It will be emotional and a chance for me to say thanks for the support I’ve had over the years, and that I continue to receive.

“The difficulty will be picking the starting 11 – I might not make it in on current form. It will all be former players - it’s a real in-house thing, so I think the fans will really enjoy it.”

With the testimonial formerly marking the end of his career as a player, King says it gives him a chance to look to the future, and he has not ruled out a move into coaching.

He said: “At the moment I’m continuing to work with the foundation and as an ambassador, which allows me to do my coaching badges at the same time. It’s something I’ll assess in a year or two.

“Coaching is something I’m curious about and it’s important I take the opportunity to see how I really feel about it. If I enjoy it I’ll throw myself into it and give it 100 per cent.

“For me it’s important to get the qualifications and see what opportunities there are but it would be good to see some more black managers in the league.”