From £70 Weekly Wage to Premier League Milestone: A Journey of 24 Years

Jon Moss, a former Premier League referee, humorously reflects on the time he sent off James Milner, saying, “People joke that I only did it because he didn’t do his homework.” This incident occurred during a match where Milner was playing for Liverpool.

Now, nearly a quarter of a century since his debut, Milner, who is now 40 years old, stands on the verge of equaling the Premier League record for most appearances if he plays for Brighton against Crystal Palace this Sunday.

Milner’s remarkable career has spanned over twenty years, featuring six top-tier clubs and encompassing 652 Premier League matches, 61 caps for England, three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and a Champions League victory, alongside a few surprising moments.

One notable instance was when Moss, who once taught Milner at Westbrook Lane Primary School in Horsforth, Leeds, showed him a red card in a 2019 match against Crystal Palace. “He joked that he couldn’t wait to pull out the card,” Moss recalls. “It’s amusing to think I’m the only teacher to ever dismiss one of his students in a Premier League match. Now, we can both laugh about it.”

Milner is poised to match Gareth Barry’s record of 653 appearances in the Premier League, a remarkable achievement that comes 8,491 days after he made his debut for his hometown club, Leeds United, shortly after finishing school in 2002.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler spoke about Milner’s impending milestone: “This is certainly significant for him, but he remains focused on the club’s goals. He has always aimed for success, just as he has throughout his career.” Hurzeler emphasized Milner’s crucial role in cultivating a winning mentality within the team.

Alan Shearer, a former teammate at Newcastle, labeled Milner as a model professional, describing him as a “manager’s dream.” Shearer noted, “Having him in your squad means you know exactly what to expect from him.”

This narrative follows a young boy from Leeds who has become a benchmark for diligence, professionalism, and longevity, earning admiration from fans worldwide.

At just 16 years old, Milner was earning £70 a week as a YTS player when he made his way into Leeds’ first team, only six months after completing his GCSEs.

On November 10, 2002, in a thrilling 4-3 victory against West Ham, Milner’s father, Peter, was in attendance when manager Terry Venables brought him on for Jason Wilcox, who is now the director of football at Manchester United.

This was a dream come true for Milner, a lifelong Leeds supporter who idolized players like Tony Yeboah and Tony Dorigo.

Just six weeks later, at 16 years and 356 days, he made history as the youngest Premier League goalscorer at that time, netting a goal in a 2-1 win against Sunderland.

However, scoring did not exempt him from post-match responsibilities, as YTS players were required to clean the dressing room after games. “Even while scoring goals, I was still helping the kit man clean up,” Milner shared on a podcast in 2023.

Despite his early successes, Milner was soon loaned to a lower-tier team to further his development in football.

During his loan spell at Swindon Town, Milner had already made 18 Premier League appearances and garnered a couple of goals, earning admiration from Leeds fans despite his youth.

While some 17-year-olds might have been disheartened by the thought of playing in the lower leagues, Milner viewed it as an opportunity to showcase his talent.

In just four weeks in Wiltshire, he played six matches and scored two goals. Sam Parkin, a teammate, described Milner as a dedicated and driven young player eager to learn.

Parkin recalls, “James was focused and determined compared to many other young players we had around. I remember him creating a goal for me against Brighton and scoring together during a win over Peterborough.”

Milner referred to his time in the lower leagues as an enlightening experience, where teammates brought their own meals on the bus. Parkin noted that Milner’s attitude and performances were impressive throughout his loan period.

Upon his return to Leeds, Milner established himself as a key player alongside stars like Mark Viduka and Alan Smith. He marked his 18th birthday with a match against Arsenal in the FA Cup, although Leeds faced relegation that season.

To manage finances after relegation, Leeds sold several players, including Smith to Manchester United for £7 million and goalkeeper Paul Robinson to Tottenham for £1.5 million, while Milner was sold to Newcastle for £5 million.

Milner joined Newcastle, who had just completed a strong Premier League season under Sir Bobby Robson, with Alan Shearer as captain. However, his time there was not without its challenges.

Shearer recalls Milner’s relentless desire to improve, saying, “His mentality to grow was commendable, and he displayed both patience and frustration at times during his career.”

Robson was dismissed shortly into the 2004-05 season, and Graeme Souness took over as manager. A year later, Milner was loaned out to Aston Villa.

Souness’s comment that “you won’t win the league with James Milners” hurt the young player, a remark the manager later apologized for, yet Milner went on to win three Premier League titles.

When Milner returned to Newcastle, he found another managerial change had occurred, with Glenn Roeder now in charge. However, his journey was about to take another twist.

Milner had made such an impression during his loan at Villa that the club sought to sign him permanently for around £4 million. Unfortunately, Newcastle withdrew from the deal at the last moment, leaving Milner frustrated.

It wasn’t until he reached 22 that he secured a permanent transfer to Villa after making 94 appearances in the Premier League for Newcastle.

Milner spent two seasons under Martin O’Neill’s management before making another significant move in 2010.

Following Chelsea’s double win in the Premier League and FA Cup, they showed interest in signing Milner, as did Manchester City, who had not triumphed in a major competition since 1976.

Faced with a pivotal choice, Milner ultimately accepted the challenge of helping to reshape City’s fortunes.

After five successful years, he departed having contributed to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup, and a Community Shield.

Milner established himself as a versatile player under both Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, filling various roles, including that of a lone striker, and quickly became a dressing room favorite.

Micah Richards, a former City defender, reminisced about their time together: “We won the Premier League in 2012, but faced our share of struggles during that season. Milner was crucial in keeping morale high.”

Richards had a playful rapport with Milner, recalling the infamous ‘Boring James Milner’ social media account that humorously depicted Milner’s mundane traits. “Everyone thought I was behind it, but I wasn’t!” he chuckled, sharing his interaction with the account’s creator.

Milner embraced the ‘boring’ label, even posting a video during lockdown of himself trimming his lawn with scissors.

After 147 appearances for City, he prepared for his next adventure at Liverpool, where he collected an impressive array of trophies, including the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, and Community Shield.

However, his time at Anfield wasn’t devoid of challenges, including that infamous red card from his former teacher and a heated exchange with manager Jürgen Klopp during a halftime discussion.

In 2023, Milner joined Brighton to continue his Premier League journey, marking his 24th season in the league.

Earlier this season, he became the second-oldest goalscorer in Premier League history when he scored a penalty against Manchester City, commemorating his former teammate Diogo Jota with a celebratory gesture.

Wearing the No. 20 jersey, the same number Jota wore at Liverpool, Milner shared, “I hadn’t scored in the Premier League for six years, and wearing his number felt special. I was undoubtedly aided by the great man.”

As Milner approaches the end of his contract this summer, speculation arises about his future. Having turned 40 in January, he approaches each match as if it could be his last.

Reflecting on advice from veteran Leeds goalkeeper Nigel Martyn when he first broke into the team, Milner remembers, “He told me to savor every moment because it goes by quickly.” Milner now finds himself at a pivotal moment in his own career, echoing Martyn’s words from years past.