History of James Milner in Timeline

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James Milner

James Milner is a versatile English professional footballer currently playing as a midfielder for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. Known for his adaptability, Milner has played in numerous positions throughout his career, including wing, midfield, and full-back. He holds the joint record for the most Premier League appearances, sharing it with Gareth Barry, highlighting his longevity and consistent presence in the league.

7 hours ago : James Milner Breaks Premier League Appearance Record: Klopp Praises His Impact

James Milner broke the Premier League appearance record. Jurgen Klopp highlighted Milner's crucial role in Liverpool's success, praising his contributions and impact on the team's achievements over the years.

1930: Manchester United's heaviest home league defeat

In September 2011, James Milner played a role in two goals as Manchester City inflicted Manchester United's heaviest home league defeat since 1930, winning the Manchester derby at Old Trafford 6-1.

1975: City First League win at Arsenal since 1975

In January 2013, James Milner was involved in Manchester City's first league win at Arsenal since 1975.

January 1986: James Milner Born

In January 1986, James Philip Milner was born. He would later become an English professional footballer.

1993: FA Youth Cup memory

In 1993, James Milner's earliest memory of Leeds United was watching them win the FA Youth Cup.

1996: Joined Leeds Youth Academy

In 1996, James Milner, a childhood Leeds United supporter, joined the Leeds Youth Academy.

November 2002: First Team Debut

On 10 November 2002, James Milner made his first-team debut for Leeds United against West Ham United, becoming the second-youngest player ever to play in the Premier League.

December 2002: Youngest Premier League Goalscorer

On 26 December 2002, James Milner became the youngest player to score in the Premier League, scoring a goal against Sunderland at 16 years and 356 days old. He scored again against Chelsea two days later.

2002: England Under-17 Victory

In 2002, James Milner helped the England under-17 team win the Nationwide summer tournament against Italy, Czech Republic and Brazil, scoring a goal against Brazil.

2002: First Team Debut

In 2002, James Milner made his debut for the Leeds United first team at the age of 16. He also played for England at under-15 and under-17 levels and helped the England under-17 team win the 2002 Nationwide summer tournament against Italy, Czech Republic and Brazil, scoring a goal against Brazil.

February 2003: Signed Five-Year Contract

On 10 February 2003, James Milner signed a five-year contract with Leeds United.

2003: Relegation fears and loan

At the end of the 2003-04 season, Leeds United were relegated, and James Milner was subsequently sold to Newcastle United.

2003: Milner Called Up for World Youth Championship

In 2003, James Milner was called up for the 2003 World Youth Championship but was recalled by Leeds United four days before the opening game.

March 2004: Milner Debuts for England Under-21 Team

On March 30, 2004, James Milner made his debut for the England under-21 team against Sweden.

July 2004: Agreed to Newcastle Move

In July 2004, James Milner agreed to a five-year contract with Newcastle United due to Leeds' financial problems, despite his initial reluctance to leave his childhood club.

August 2004: Premier League Debut for Newcastle

On 18 August 2004, James Milner played his first Premier League match for Newcastle United against Middlesbrough.

2004: Milner scores for England U21

During the 2004–05 season, James Milner scored for the England under-21 team in a qualification match for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship against Wales.

April 2005: First Full Premier League Match

In April 2005, James Milner played his first full Premier League match for Newcastle United, expressing frustration at not being used as a starter for most of the season.

September 2005: Aston Villa Debut and Goal

In September 2005, James Milner made his debut for Aston Villa in a Premier League match against West Ham United and scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. He also scored two goals in a League Cup match against Wycombe Wanderers.

2005: UEFA Intertoto Cup Goal

At the start of the 2005-06 season, James Milner scored in Newcastle's 3-1 away win against FK ZTS Dubnica in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, and also set up Alan Shearer for the team's third goal.

2005: Youngest Goalscorer Record Broken

In 2005, James Vaughan of Everton broke James Milner's record of youngest player to score in the Premier League.

2006: Return to Newcastle as Starter

At the start of the 2006-07 season, after a loan spell at Aston Villa, James Milner returned to Newcastle and was a starter for the entire season.

2006: Won UEFA Intertoto Cup

In 2006, James Milner won the UEFA Intertoto Cup with Newcastle United.

2006: UEFA Cup Run

In the 2006-07 Premier League season Newcastle made a poor start but in European competition, James Milner played a key role in helping Newcastle reach the round of 16 of the UEFA Cup, playing all but one of the Magpies 12 games.

January 2007: Goal Against Manchester United and New Contract

In January 2007, James Milner scored his first goal of the season in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United and signed a new contract at Newcastle, which secured his future at the club until 2011.

May 2007: Signed a New Contract

In May 2007, James Milner signed another four-year contract with Newcastle after Sam Allardyce took over as manager.

2007: Milner helps England U21 qualify for UEFA European Under-21 Championship

In 2007, James Milner played a key role for the England under-21 team, scoring the winning goal in a 3–2 win over Switzerland, securing a place in the playoff stage of the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers.

2007: UEFA European Under-21 Championships

In 2007, James Milner played for the England national under-21 football team at the UEFA European Under-21 Championships.

2007: City Player goal Drought At Arsenal

In January 2013, James Milner scored Manchester City's opening goal in a 2–0 away win at Arsenal, breaking a goal drought for City players at Arsenal in the League since 2007.

2007: Milner competes in UEFA European Under-21 Championship

In June 2007, James Milner competed for England at the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, playing in all four of England's matches. He also set an England under-21 record by making his 30th appearance for the team.

May 2008: Transfer Rumours

In May 2008, after missing the final nine matches of the season due to injury, it was rumoured that James Milner would be part of a transfer between Newcastle and Liverpool. Despite starting the season for Newcastle, he had handed in a written transfer request.

August 2008: Signed for Aston Villa

On 29 August 2008, James Milner signed for Aston Villa for a fee of £12 million.

2008: Signed for Aston Villa

In 2008, James Milner signed for Aston Villa on a permanent deal after a loan spell.

January 2009: First Premier League Goal

On 17 January 2009, James Milner scored his first Premier League goal in his second spell at Aston Villa in a 2–1 win against Sunderland.

January 2009: FA Cup Goals

On 4 January 2009, James Milner scored his first goals in his second spell at Aston Villa in an FA Cup tie against Gillingham on his 23rd birthday.

February 2009: First England Squad

In February 2009, James Milner was named to the England senior team squad for the first time.

August 2009: England Debut

In August 2009, James Milner debuted for the England senior team as a substitute in a friendly match against the Netherlands, playing the final 23 minutes of the 2–2 draw.

December 2009: Goal of the Season

In December 2009, James Milner's goal in a win against Sunderland was later voted as Aston Villa's Goal of the Season.

2009: UEFA European Under-21 Championships Runner-Up

In 2009, James Milner played for the England national under-21 football team at the UEFA European Under-21 Championships, finishing as runner-up.

2009: Milner participates in UEFA European Under-21 Championship

In the summer of 2009, James Milner participated in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden, helping England reach the final, which they lost to Germany. The final was his last match for the under-21 team, ending with a national record of 46 appearances at under-21 level.

February 2010: League Cup Final Goal

On 28 February 2010, James Milner scored the opening goal in the 2010 League Cup final with a penalty, but Aston Villa were eventually beaten by Manchester United.

May 2010: Manchester City Offer

On 19 May 2010, Manchester City made a £20 million offer for James Milner which was rejected.

July 2010: Desire to Leave

On 22 July 2010, Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill said that James Milner had shown a desire to leave Villa for City, but would only be sold at Villa's valuation.

August 2010: Milner agrees to join Manchester City

In August 2010, Aston Villa agreed to sell James Milner to Manchester City for around £26 million, including a player exchange of Stephen Ireland. He debuted for City on August 23, 2010, contributing an assist in a 3–0 victory against Liverpool.

November 2010: Captained England against France

On November 17, 2010, James Milner captained England for the first time in the final 10 minutes of a 2–1 loss against France, after Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard were substituted.

2010: FIFA World Cup Squad

In 2010, James Milner was selected for the England squad for the FIFA World Cup.

2010: PFA Young Player of the Year

In 2010, James Milner won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

September 2011: Milner scores first Premier League goal for Manchester City

On September 24, 2011, James Milner scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester City against Everton. Shortly after, he scored against his former club, Aston Villa, in a 4–1 victory.

2011: Manchester City Wins FA Cup

In 2011, James Milner was an unused substitute when Manchester City beat Stoke City 1–0 to win the FA Cup.

2011: Contract Until 2011

James Milner signed a contract in January 2007 at Newcastle, which secured his future at the club until 2011

August 2012: Milner wins Community Shield with Man City

In August 2012, James Milner secured his first Community Shield as Manchester City defeated Chelsea at Villa Park.

September 2012: First International Goal

On September 7, 2012, James Milner scored his first and only international goal in a 5–0 win away to Moldova during 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

October 2012: Milner scores first goal of the season and receives red card

On October 6, 2012, James Milner scored his first goal of the 2012–13 season from a free kick against Sunderland. On October 20, he received his first Premier League red card in a match against West Bromwich Albion.

2012: UEFA Euro 2012

In 2012, James Milner played in six matches during qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 and was named in Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad for the tournament. He started all of England's group stage games as the Three Lions finished top of group D and qualified for the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Italy.

2012: UEFA European Championships

In 2012, James Milner was selected for the England squad for the UEFA European Championships.

January 2013: Milner scores City's opening goal against Arsenal

On January 13, 2013, James Milner scored Manchester City's opening goal in a 2–0 away win at Arsenal, marking the first time a City player had scored away at Arsenal in the League since 2007 and City's first league win at Arsenal since 1975.

December 2013: Milner scores winning goal against Bayern Munich

On December 10, 2013, James Milner scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, becoming the first English player to score for Manchester City in the competition that season.

2013: Rooney's Champions League record

In the 2017–18 season, James Milner assisted 9 goals in a single Champions League campaign, surpassing the previous record held by Wayne Rooney from 2013-2014.

2014: 2014 FIFA World Cup

In 2014, James Milner was included in Hodgson's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making a substitute appearance in the final group game against Costa Rica.

2014: Rooney's Champions League record

In the 2017–18 season, James Milner assisted 9 goals in a single Champions League campaign, surpassing the previous record held by Wayne Rooney from 2013-2014.

June 2015: Milner agrees to join Liverpool

On June 4, 2015, James Milner agreed to join Liverpool on a free transfer from Manchester City.

August 2015: Milner announced as Liverpool's vice-captain

On August 7, 2015, James Milner was announced as the vice-captain for Liverpool. He played his first competitive match for the club in a 1–0 win over Stoke City.

September 2015: Milner scores debut goal for Liverpool

On September 26, 2015, James Milner scored his debut goal for Liverpool in a 3–2 win against his former club Aston Villa at Anfield.

2015: Signed for Liverpool

In 2015, James Milner signed for Liverpool on a free transfer and was appointed vice-captain.

2015: Most Underrated Footballers

In 2015, The Telegraph included James Milner at number seven in their list of "The top 20 most under-rated footballers of all time", describing him as "hard working, reliable and intelligent."

August 2016: Retirement from International Duty

On August 5, 2016, James Milner announced his retirement from international duty after discussions with new England manager Sam Allardyce.

2016: Played as Left Back

During the 2016–17 season, James Milner played as a left back for Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp, despite stating he did not enjoy the position, emphasizing his commitment to the team's needs.

2016: Milner appears in UEFA Europa League final

In 2016, James Milner appeared in the UEFA Europa League final at the end of his first season with Liverpool, concluding the season with seven goals and 15 assists.

2016: Euro 2016

In 2016, James Milner was part of the England squad for Euro 2016, playing just five minutes in the group stage against Russia and not featuring in England's loss to Iceland.

2016: UEFA European Championships

In 2016, James Milner was selected for the England squad for the UEFA European Championships.

2016: Neymar's Champions League record

In the 2017–18 season, James Milner assisted 9 goals in a single Champions League campaign, surpassing the previous record held by Neymar in 2016-2017.

March 2017: Milner breaks Premier League record

On March 19, 2017, James Milner scored in Liverpool's 1–1 draw against Manchester City, breaking a Premier League record for the most matches scored in without losing (47 matches).

November 2018: Milner scores 50th Premier League goal

In November 2018, James Milner scored his 50th Premier League goal during a 1–1 draw at Arsenal.

2018: Declined World Cup Return

In 2018, England manager Gareth Southgate enquired about James Milner's availability for the 2018 World Cup, but Milner declined to return to international action.

June 2019: Milner wins Champions League title

On June 1, 2019, James Milner won his first Champions League title with Liverpool, coming on as a substitute in the final against Tottenham, which Liverpool won 2–0.

August 2019: Milner wins UEFA Super Cup

On August 14, 2019, James Milner won his first UEFA Super Cup, starting the match against Chelsea, as Liverpool won after a penalty shoot-out in Istanbul.

December 2019: Milner wins FIFA Club World Cup and signs new contract

In December 2019, James Milner signed a new contract with Liverpool and won the FIFA Club World Cup, beating Flamengo 1-0 in the final. On December 26, 2019, he scored a penalty against Leicester City.

2019: Speaks Spanish with his children

In 2019, James Milner spoke to his children only in Spanish to ensure they too learnt the language, indicating his commitment to their bilingual education.

2019: UEFA Champions League Title

In 2019, James Milner won the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool.

June 2020: Milner wins third Premier League title

On June 25, 2020, James Milner won his third Premier League title and his first for Liverpool.

2020: Milner's goalless season

During the 2020–21 season, James Milner experienced his first goalless season as Liverpool finished third and qualified for the Champions League.

February 2022: Milner makes 800th senior appearance

On February 16, 2022, James Milner made his 800th senior appearance at club level in a Champions League win against Inter Milan. On February 27, he scored Liverpool's first penalty in the 2022 EFL Cup final victory over Chelsea.

May 2022: Milner scores penalty in FA Cup final victory

On May 14, 2022, James Milner scored Liverpool's first penalty in the 2022 FA Cup final victory over Chelsea.

June 2022: Milner signs one-year extension with Liverpool

On June 6, 2022, James Milner signed a one-year extension with Liverpool.

October 2022: Milner makes 300th appearance for Liverpool

On October 5, 2022, James Milner made his 300th appearance for Liverpool in a 2–0 victory against Rangers in the Champions League.

2022: Milner at Liverpool

In December 2019, James Milner signed a new contract reportedly keeping him at Liverpool until 2022.

2022: Appointed MBE

In the 2022 Birthday Honours, James Milner was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to association football and charity.

April 2023: Milner marks 610th Premier League appearance

On April 4, 2023, James Milner marked his 610th Premier League appearance in a draw against Chelsea, moving to third place in all-time Premier League appearances.

May 2023: Milner to leave Liverpool

In May 2023, Liverpool announced that James Milner would leave the club at the end of the 2022–23 season upon the expiry of his contract.

June 2023: Milner joins Brighton & Hove Albion

On June 14, 2023, James Milner agreed to join Brighton & Hove Albion upon the expiry of his Liverpool contract.

January 2024: Milner moves to second in all-time Premier League appearances

On January 22, 2024, James Milner played his 633rd Premier League match, moving ahead of Ryan Giggs to be second in all-time appearances, only behind Gareth Barry.

May 2024: Milner Signs New One-Year Deal with Brighton

On May 15, 2024, James Milner signed a new one-year deal with Brighton.

August 2024: Premier League Assist Chart

As of August 2024, James Milner is 9th on the all-time Premier League assist chart due to his ability to pass accurately and shoot from a great distance.

May 2025: Milner features in Brighton's victory against Tottenham

On May 25, 2025, James Milner came on as a late substitute in Brighton's 4-1 away victory against Tottenham Hotspur on the final matchday of the season.

June 2025: Milner extends contract and changes squad number

On June 13, 2025, James Milner extended his contract with Brighton and changed his squad number from 6 to 20 in honour of his former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota.

February 2026: Milner equals Premier League appearance record

On February 11, 2026, James Milner equaled Gareth Barry's Premier League appearance record by making his 653rd appearance in a match against his former club, Aston Villa.