Milner announces retirement after over 600 Premier League appearances
Brighton midfielder James Milner has announced his retirement from professional football on Monday.
Milner confirmed his retirement in a social media post, bringing an end to his glittering 24-year career in the Premier League.
He wrote: “After 24 seasons in the Premier League, it feels like the right time to bring an end to my playing career.
“From making my debut for Leeds United, who I supported growing up, at the age of 16 and becoming the Premier League’s youngest scorer, I could never have dreamed of the journey I’ve been on, right through to not being able to lift my foot last year and then coming back to be part of Brighton qualifying for Europe for the second time in their history at the age of 40.
“To my family, thank you for every sacrifice, every mile travelled and every moment of encouragement. None of this would have been possible without you.
“I leave the game with immense pride, gratitude and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Football has given me far more than I could have ever imagined, and I will always be thankful for the opportunities it provided.”
He made his debut in the league at Leeds United against West Ham in 2002 at the age of 16 years and 309 days old (making him the second-youngest player in Premier League history at the time.
He played for six teams in the Premier League which includes Leeds United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.
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Milner won the Premier League title three times – twice with Man City and once with Liverpool.
He also claimed one UEFA Champions League, two FA Cups, two EFL Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup.
He overtook Gareth Barry at the top of the competition’s all-time appearance list when he started for Brighton & Hove Albion against Brentford in February.
The 40-year-old ends his career with 658 Premier League appearances – five more than any other player.
Milner made his debut for England in 2009 and went on to play for his country 61 times while playing at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, and the 2012 and 2016 UEFA European Championships.
He has scored 56 goals, 19 for Liverpool, 13 for City, 12 for Villa, six for Newcastle, five for Leeds and one for Brighton –
He recorded 90 assists to rank 10th on the all-time Premier League list.
