James Milner has announced his retirement from football after a 24-year career.
Milner’s retirement comes at the conclusion of a season which saw him become the Premier League’s most capped player with 658 appearances, having spent the last three seasons at Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 40-year-old announced his retirement in an Instagram post in which he spoke of his journey from his debut for Leeds to having represented seven different clubs in total across which he won 13 trophies in total with three of his seven clubs.
“After 24 seasons in the @premierleague, it feels like the right time to bring an end to my playing career.
“From making my debut for @leedsunited, 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 @officialbhafc qualifying for Europe for the second time in their history at the age of 40.
“To have gone on to represent @nufc, @astonvilla, @mancity, @liverpoolfc and @officialbhafc — and not forgetting a memorable month at @officialstfc — has been an incredible privilege.
“Every club has played a huge role in my life and career, and I want to thank everyone involved — the owners, staff, coaches, teammates and supporters who welcomed me and helped me along the way.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from fighting for survival to winning trophies, playing in Europe, and representing my country, @england, at two European Championships and two World Cups. But more than anything, it’s the people and friendships I’ve made throughout the game that I’ll cherish forever.
“To the fans, thank you. To those who supported me every step of the way, your encouragement meant more than you’ll ever know. And to those who gave me grief along the way, thank you too — you all played your part in making the journey memorable and helping shape me as a player and person.
“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 ever have imagined, and I will always be thankful for the opportunities it provided.
“Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey.”
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Milner began his career at Leeds where he managed five goals in 54 appearances amidst a month-long loan spell at Swindon at the start of 2003-04 season, before he went on to net 11 goals in 136 appearances at Newcastle during which he helped them win the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
He however spent 2005-06 season on loan at Aston Villa before he returned in August 2008 for two years until he was signed by Manchester City, which saw him go on to achieve two Premier League titles plus one FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield honour apiece.
June 2015 saw Milner depart City for Liverpool where he spent eight seasons in which he scored 26 goals in 332 appearances, and was part of their first Premier League winning team in 2019-20, in a campaign which saw them win UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
Milner also helped Liverpool clinch the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League title, followed by League Cup and FA Cup double in 2021-22 season, plus the Community Shield in 2022 before he left for Brighton a year later.
Milner also scored one goal in 61 senior international caps for England between 2009 – 16.
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