Brighton’s James Milner ties Premier League appearance record

James Milner came off the bench for Brighton against Aston Villa on Wednesday, tying Gareth Barry’s all-time Premier League appearance record at 653 matches.usatoday
Milner’s career began in 2002 with Leeds United when he was just 16, and he has since played for six clubs across 24 seasons in England’s top flight.usatoday
The veteran midfielder could break the record outright on Feb. 21 when Brighton faces Brentford, with 12 league matches remaining this season.espn

James Milner Equals Premier League Appearance Record With 653rd Game

Brighton midfielder James Milner matched the Premier League’s all-time appearance record on Wednesday, coming off the bench in the first half against Aston Villa at Villa Park to make his 653rd top-flight appearance. The 40-year-old now stands level with former Villa and Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry atop the list.usatoday

A Career Spanning 24 Years

Milner entered the match in the 22nd minute, replacing Carlos Baleba, and nearly set up the opening goal when his pass found Danny Welbeck, whose shot was saved by Emiliano Martinez. Villa ultimately won the match 1-0 thanks to a late Jack Hinshelwood own goal in the 86th minute.espn

The veteran midfielder’s Premier League journey began on November 10, 2002, when he came off the bench for Leeds United against West Ham at just 16 years and 309 days old, making him the second-youngest player to appear in the competition at that time. In the 24 seasons since, Milner has represented six clubs: Leeds, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Brighton.wikipedia

Of his 653 appearances, Milner has started 435 matches and come off the bench 218 times. He has won three Premier League titles, two with Manchester City and one with Liverpool, and made 332 appearances for the Reds over eight seasons before joining Brighton in 2023.france24

Record in Sight at Brentford

With Brighton’s next league match scheduled for February 21 at Brentford, Milner is poised to claim the record outright barring injury. Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler spoke highly of Milner ahead of the milestone, saying, “He has a character that is incredible. I think it will be a special thing for him, but he is also focused on the ambitions of the club.”espn

Ryan Giggs sits third on the all-time appearance list with 632 matches, followed by Frank Lampard with 609 and David James with 572. Barry, who retired in 2020 after spells at Villa, City, Everton, and West Bromwich Albion, had held the record since March 2018.telegraph

Brighton remain 14th in the table with 31 points following the defeat, while Villa stay within striking distance of the top four.nbcsports