James Milner: From £70-a-week YTS player to Premier League appearance record
James Milner ended a brilliant 24-year career, which began as a teenager at Leeds United, by breaking the Premier League appearance record.
James Milner started his career at the age of 16 at Leeds United and now at the age of 40 he has broken the record for most appearances in the Premier League. Last season he played 658 Premier League matches and during this period he won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League trophy.
During his career, Milner played for top teams such as Leeds, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool. In February he broke the record of Gareth Barry, who had played 653 matches.
Milner's career has been filled with many significant moments. In 2019, he was sent off in a match against Crystal Palace while playing for Liverpool, and funnily enough the referee who sent him off was his former teacher.
Milner's most special moment came when he made his first-team debut when he was only 16 years old. He played in the last minutes for Leeds against West Ham in 2002. After this, he also held the record for the youngest Premier League goalscorer at the age of 16 years and 356 days.
He also played a key role for Manchester City, where he won several titles from 2010 to 2015. There were many ups and downs in his career, but his hard work and dedication always kept him at the top.
Now, playing at Brighton, Milner enters his 24th Premier League season and is inspiring younger players with his experience. He became the second-oldest goalscorer in the Premier League when he scored a penalty against Manchester City this season.
James Milner's journey began as a young boy who set the standards for hard work, professionalism and longevity. Now as he heads towards the end of his career, his contribution will always be remembered.