James Milner
Encyclopedia
Milner was described as a "first class" student at his school; he left with 11 GCSEs
and an award for his performance in physical education. Milner also showed talent in cricket, sprinting and long-distance running. He played for the Yorkshire Schools cricket team, was the cross-country champion at his school for three consecutive years and was the district champion over 100 metres for two years in a row. He then completed his studies at Boston Spa School
; at which the sports college was a partner to the football club.
Milner took as much interest in watching football as he did playing it. He supported his hometown club Leeds United
from a young age. His earliest memory of the team was watching them win the FA Youth Cup
in 1993. He and his parents, Peter and Lesley, were season ticket
holders and Milner later became a ball boy
for the club.
When Milner was 10 years old, he joined the Leeds United Academy after being spotted by a scout
while playing for Westbrook Juniors in Horsforth. At the academy, Milner played against contemporaries from other clubs in the north, including future Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney
. His role model was Leeds-born Alan Smith, who was then a Leeds United striker. Milner believed playing with Smith put him through a learning curve, as Smith had done what Milner aspired to do; that is, to come through the academy and play for the first team. Having made good progress at the Academy, Milner was taken on as a trainee after leaving school. However, his father insisted that he attend college once a week to continue his education. Milner remarked later that he did not want to get excited and think that he "had already made it". He also said he could hardly believe he was playing alongside first-team Leeds players such as David Batty
and Olivier Dacourt. He continued to improve his skills in the youth team, and played for England at under-15 and −17 levels. He helped the England under-17 team win the 2002 Nationwide summer tournament against Italy
, Czech Republic
and Brazil
, scoring a goal against the latter. Milner claims to have never consumed alcohol throughout his life, despite pressures from those around him when he was growing up.
for Jason Wilcox
for the last six minutes. The appearance made him the second youngest player ever to play in the Premier League, at the age of 16 years and 309 days. On Boxing Day
of that year, he became at 16 years and 356 days the youngest player to score in the Premier League, with a goal in a 2–1 win against Sunderland
. His record has since been broken by James Vaughan
of Everton
.
In a match against Chelsea
a month later, Milner scored again, with a deft first touch of the ball and manoeuvre, in order to avoid a tackle from Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly
, that won widespread praise from commentators. The manoeuvre created a yard of space for him to deliver a curling shot from 18 yards (16 m). Reporters were impressed by his overall performance in the game, especially by his desire, confidence, and ability with both feet. Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri
remarked after the game that Milner had performed like a much more experienced player. The performance prompted comparisons to England internationals Michael Owen
and Wayne Rooney
, who had also come to footballing prominence as teenagers. The BBC
asked in a poll on their website
if he was a better prospect than Rooney
.
After more appearances for Leeds, Milner signed a five-year contract with them on 10 February 2003.
At the start of the 2003–04 season
, Milner was sent on a month-long loan to Division Two
side Swindon Town
to gain experience as a first-team player. Before the stint, he saw it as a valuable experience as a player. He spent a month with Swindon, playing in six games and scoring two goals against Peterborough
and Luton
.
However, Leeds United's fortunes were on the decline; the team became the subject of numerous negative stories in the media, and several first-team players were sold. Milner said he believed that this experience made him emotionally stronger and taught him how to deal with team problems. Leeds's eventual relegation
to the Championship
led to speculation over Milner's future at the club. Tottenham Hotspur
, Aston Villa
and Everton
all expressed an interest in signing him. Ultimately, Villa and Everton did not make offers and Milner rejected an offer from Tottenham as they were based too far from his family home, where he still lived. Leeds insisted that he would not be sold and the chairman of the club at the time even referred to him as "the future of Leeds". Nonetheless, financial problems eventually forced Leeds to sell Milner to Newcastle United
for an initial price of £3,600,000. Although Milner was not happy to be leaving the club he had supported as a child, he wished to do what was "in the club's best interest" and in July 2004, he agreed a five-year deal with Newcastle.
. During this tour, he took the opportunity to observe how Newcastle striker Alan Shearer
dealt with attention from fans and the media. He said that his association with people like Shearer gave him a better idea of how to deal with the media.
Milner's first Premier League game for Newcastle came against Middlesbrough
on 18 August 2004, in which he played on the extreme right of the field as a winger
, despite having featured regularly on the left for Leeds. When asked about this after the match, Milner said he had no preference where on the pitch he played. A month later he made his debut in European competition, when Newcastle
played in the UEFA Cup
against Bnei Sakhnin
from Israel
, after coming on as a substitute for Shola Ameobi
. In the same month, he scored his first competitive goal for the club, also as a substitute, in a 3–1 win against West Bromwich Albion
. It looked probable he would soon start a game.
However, the situation changed for Milner after Newcastle manager Bobby Robson
, whom Milner considered his mentor, was sacked and replaced by Graeme Souness
. Under Souness, he started 13 league games, but did not play his first full Premier League game for Newcastle until April 2005. By the end of the season, he had made 41 appearances in all competitions and scored once. Souness did not make Milner a regular in the Newcastle side and controversially remarked that the club would not win "with a team of James Milners". Milner's response to this statement was reported as "mature". He did however confirm that he was frustrated at not being used as a starter for most of the season.
At the start of the 2005–06
season, Milner scored in Newcastle's 3–1 away win against FK ZTS Dubnica
in the Intertoto Cup, and also set up Shearer
for the team's third goal. His good run of form in this competition continued when he scored in the next round against Deportivo La Coruña
. Despite these goals, a clause in Newcastle
's purchase of Nolberto Solano
from Aston Villa
resulted in Milner being loaned to Villa
for the rest of the season. Villa manager David O'Leary
, who had managed Milner at Leeds, was happy to acquire Milner in this deal, saying that he believed Villa got the better of the deal and that he hoped to improve him as a player.
. Five days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur
. In a League Cup
game less than a week later, he helped his side recover from being 3–1 down at half-time to win 8–3 against Wycombe Wanderers
, scoring two goals in the second half comeback. Throughout the season Milner was positive about his team. He remained confident that Villa would recover from a poor start to the season and praised the quality of the squad.
Milner was generally seen as a positive signing in a season that was disappointing for Villa. Milner himself also received the loan move positively, saying that he would like to join Villa permanently because of the probability of becoming a regular starter, but admitted that the possibility of this happening was beyond his control.
Manager David O'Leary
confirmed during the season that he would like Milner to join the club permanently, but doubted he would be given the opportunity to sign him. He even pulled out of signing Robert Huth
so that he would have the funds to sign Milner permanently if the opportunity arose. Shortly before the end of his loan period, negotiations between Villa and Newcastle began.
The newly-appointed Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder
appeared to appreciate Milner's ability more than Souness and expressed a desire that he remain a Newcastle player. This, as well as the departure of O'Leary and the shortage of transfer funds at Villa, meant that a deal to sign Milner permanently seemed unlikely. In June, it became even less likely when Villa rejected an offer of Milner as part of a trade for Gareth Barry
. However, the deal was resurrected when Villa were taken over by American billionaire Randy Lerner
, and Martin O'Neill
was appointed as new Villa manager. Villa made an improved offer on 30 August, which was accepted by Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd
. Media sources quoted the transfer fee as being £4,000,000. A move to Villa appeared to have been agreed, but at the last moment Newcastle recalled Milner and the talks broke down.
reacted positively to Milner's return at the start of the 2006–07
season. Roeder praised Milner for the way he had handled the failed Villa transfer, although Roeder's own handling of the negotiations was criticised. Roeder confirmed that he would play Milner in "plenty of games" during the season. This proved to be the case, as Milner was a starter in the Newcastle side for the entire season.
Newcastle made a poor start in the Premier League, but in European competition, Milner played a key role in helping Newcastle advance through the group stage of the UEFA Cup
. Shortly after, rumours began to spread that he would be sold during the transfer window
in January, although both Milner and Roeder dismissed these rumours.
On 1 January 2007 Milner scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw with Manchester United. The goal came from a "stunning" shot from 25 yards (23 m) away. He scored two more goals during the next three weeks, against Birmingham City
and then against West Ham United
. Both of these were scored from at least 20 yards (18.3 m) away. Later in the season, Roeder praised the progress Milner had made and said that he believed him to be the hardest-training player at the club. Also during the season, Milner displayed his ability to play comfortably in a range of different positions by scoring and setting up goals with both feet from both sides. As a result, Milner signed a new contract at Newcastle in January, which secured his future at the club until 2011. He signed another four-year contract in May 2007, when Sam Allardyce
took over as manager of Newcastle. Milner said later in the year that he was happy about his future at the club and its new manager saying the that training sessions were "the best since I have been here". Allardyce said during the season that Milner was so keen to play, that he was concerned he would "burn out mentally [and] physically". As a result, Milner played mainly as a substitute in the early part of the season.
In late October, he scored Newcastle's 500th home Premier League goal in a 3–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur
. A second Premier League goal of the season came fortuitously in the Tyne-Wear derby
from a shot intended as a cross
. Allardyce praised Milner highly during the season, saying he was "a hugely experienced Premier League player".
After missing the final nine games of the season due to a foot injury, it was rumoured in May 2008 that he would be part of a transfer between Newcastle and Liverpool
. Despite starting the season for Newcastle and scoring in a League Cup win over Coventry City
, it was revealed after the game that Milner had handed in a written transfer request the week before.
on 29 August 2008 for a fee of twelve million pounds, and signed a four-year contract with the club.
Milner made his debut for Villa on 31 August 2008 as a second-half substitute against Liverpool
. His first goals in his second spell at Villa came in a third round FA Cup
tie against Gillingham
at Priestfield Stadium
on 4 January 2009 on his 23rd birthday, where he scored both goals in a 2–1 win for Villa.
Milner's first Premier League goal in his second spell at Villa came on 17 January 2009 in a match against Sunderland
at the Stadium of Light
. Milner headed in a cross from Villa midfielder Ashley Young to level the scores at 1–1, Villa went on to win the match 2–1.
On 7 February 2009, Milner was named to the England full team squad for the first time, after a run at club level that had impressed England manager Fabio Capello
.
Milner continued to impress and scored his second league goal of the season against Blackburn Rovers with a rifled shot from a difficult angle after a corner had not been closed down. He later scored a free-kick from outside the penalty area at home against Everton
as Villa came back from a 3–1 deficit to draw level at 3–3. He stated that his time at Villa is the "most settled" period of his career so far, having played under thirteen managers and caretakers despite being only 23. On 19 May 2010, Mancheter City
made a £20 million offer for Milner which was rejected. On 22 July 2010, Villa manager Martin O'Neill
said that Milner had shown a desire to leave Villa for City, but would only be sold at Villa's valuation. On 14 August despite being on the verge of a move to Manchester City, Milner played in Villa's first game of the season against West Ham United, scoring Villa's third goal. Milner was given a standing ovation when he was substituted near the end of the game.
, valued at £8 million. Milner made his debut for City on 23 August 2010 in a 3–0 win against Liverpool
, where he set up the first goal for former Villa teammate Gareth Barry
. Milner scored his first competitive goal for Manchester City in an FA Cup
third-round match at Leicester City which ended in a 2–2 draw.
Milner scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester City against Everton
on 24 September. Two matches later, he scored his second Premier League goal for Manchester City against former club Aston Villa
in a 4–1 win after initially starting the attack with a 60 yard diagonal cross-field pass and then ending with a curling finish from 25 yards out.
During a Champions League
tie away at Napoli James filled in at right-back after Roberto Mancini
bought on winger Adam Johnson for Right-Back Pablo Zabaleta
. Soon after this, Under-21 manager Peter Taylor called him up to the England Under-21 side
and Milner made his debut against Sweden
on 30 March 2004.
Milner scored his first goal for the England Under-21 side during the 2004–05
season in a qualification game for the 2007 European Under-21 Championship
, against Wales
. During the game, in which he played in the centre of midfield, he also set up a scoring chance for Darren Bent
as the Young Lions won 2–0. Despite domestic club troubles, he continued to make progress at international level, scoring the winning goal for the England Under-21 side in a 3–2 win over Switzerland
. The win secured England a place in the playoff stage of the 2007 Under-21 European Championship
qualifiers.
In June, Milner competed for England at the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
. He played in all four of England's matches and was booked in the semi-final against the Netherlands
, which meant he would have missed the final. The game was decided by a penalty shootout, in which Milner scored twice and England lost 13–12. Milner's performance in the tournament led to rumours that he would make his full England debut in a friendly against Germany
, but he was not included in the squad for the match. He was however included in the Under-21 squad for a friendly against Romania
, which ended in a 1–1 draw. A month later, Milner set an England Under-21 record by making his 30th appearance for the side in a 3–0 win against Montenegro
. During this game, he set up the first goal from a corner. Historically, players with several England Under-21 appearances have not progressed to become regulars in the senior side, which has led some to doubt whether Milner would be able to successfully make the transition. In October, he scored his third goal for the Under-21 side in a 3–0 win over Republic of Ireland
. He scored again in the return game four months later that England also won 3–0.
Milner continued to be a regular and was the only player, along with Joe Hart
and captain Steven Taylor
, to have played in all the qualifiers for the European Championships
. In the summer of 2009, he was in the final 23-man U21 squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
in Sweden. He helped set up the winning goal for Micah Richards
against Finland
, and manager Stuart Pearce
said after the match, "The modern-day full-back can get up and down the pitch and I knew [Milner] would be comfortable". In England's second match against Spain
, Milner had a penalty well saved by Sergio Asenjo
, and scored England's second goal in a 2–0 win. England faced the hosts Sweden
in the semi-finals. In the first minute of the match, Milner delivered a corner the was headed in by Martin Cranie
to give England the lead. Another corner from Milner would set up England's third goal, an own goal
by Mattias Bjärsmyr
. After the match ended in a 3–3 draw, it went to a penalty shootout. Milner was the only England player to miss in the shootout after he slipped just before kicking the ball, causing it to sail over the crossbar. England won the shootout 5–4 to advance to the final for the first time in 25 years. England lost the final to Germany
4–0 and Milner said after the match that the team was "hurting" and that the way in which the team lost was "not good enough". The final was his last game for the under 21 side.
team, when he came on as a substitute in a friendly match
against the Netherlands
for the final 23 minutes. After outrunning defender John Heitinga
, he provided a low cross
into the six yard box, from which striker Jermain Defoe
scored from close range to make the score 2–2. He would also provide another high cross for Defoe later in the match, which he headed over the bar. The match ended in a 2–2 draw. He played twice more for England the following month against Slovenia
in another friendly and made his competitive debut four days later in a World Cup qualifer against Croatia
, where he played the final nine minutes. England won the latter match 5–1 to secure qualification for the 2010 World Cup
. On 2 June 2010 Milner was named in the final 23 man squad for the World Cup finals in South Africa. He was selected in the starting eleven for England's first match of the tournament against the USA
, however he was substituted after 30 minutes. In England's third match against Slovenia
, he setup the only goal of the match with a cross for Jermain Defoe
.
He captained England for the first time for the final 10 minutes of the match against France on 17 November 2010, when both Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard had been substituted.
. Nolberto Solano
, a former teammate, said that because of his ability, Milner would "become an important team player". After his move to Newcastle, he began playing more as a winger. He has been described as "comfortable on either wing". He has also been used occasionally as a central midfielder and as an emergency right-back, generally during an injury crisis.
Milner has the ability to pass accurately and shoot from a great distance from goal. As a result, he usually goes forward for set pieces
and is often a candidate to take corners
and free kicks
. Critical opinion is divided as to Milner's crossing ability. While some commentators have been critical of his ability in this area, other journalists have said that Milner can produce accurate crosses
.
Milner, in his time at the club, was described on the Newcastle United official website as "a good reader of the game". One quality that is praised by commentators is Milner's awareness of players around him. This awareness allows him to pass the ball from a range of positions to teammates making forward runs, as well as giving him the confidence to take on defenders. His awareness and willingness to pass have been called mature for a player of his age.
Milner has expressed a willingness to play as much as possible and feels that Wayne Rooney
's move to Manchester United
and success as a player has taken a lot of pressure off his own career, commenting, "I have been able to concentrate on football and ignore everything else". During his career, Milner has been booked
15 times, but has never been sent off.
Despite being a winger by trade, Aston Villa
manager Martin O'Neill
stated in November 2009 that he thought Milner's versatility could lead to him becoming an accomplished central midfielder at some point in his career. Milner played in a number of different positions for Aston Villa, including both wings, in central midfield and even as a right back. In Winter 2009, following the return to action of midfielder Stewart Downing
, Milner moved in to the centre of Villa's midfield to make room for Downing on the left wing. Milner, along with Downing, Petrov
and Young were all praised by team mate Emile Heskey
for their ability in the new-look midfield.
|2002–03||rowspan="2"|Leeds United
||rowspan="2"|Premier League
||18||2||4||0||0||0||0||0||22||2
|-
|2003–04
||30||3||1||0||1||0||0||0||32||3
|-
|2003–04||Swindon Town
||Second Division
||6||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||6||2
|-
|2004–05||rowspan="2"|Newcastle United
||rowspan="11"|Premier League
||25||1||4||0||1||0||14||1||44||2
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005–06
||3||0||0||0||0||0||4||2||7||2
|-
|Aston Villa
(Loan)
||27||1||3||0||3||2||0||0||33||3
|-
|2006–07||rowspan="3"|Newcastle United
||35||3||2||1||3||0||13||0||53||4
|-
|2007–08
||29||2||2||1||1||0||0||0||32||3
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008–09
||2||0||0||0||1||1||0||0||3||1
|-
|rowspan="3"|Aston Villa
||36||3||3||3||0||0||4||0||43||6
|-
|2009–10
||36||7||5||0||6||4||2||1||49||12
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010–11
||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||1
|-
|rowspan="2"|Manchester City
||22||0||1||1||0||0||4||0||28||1
|-
|2011–12
||8||2||0||0||2||0||3||0||13||2
263||25||25||6||16||7||37||4||340||40
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
and an award for his performance in physical education. Milner also showed talent in cricket, sprinting and long-distance running. He played for the Yorkshire Schools cricket team, was the cross-country champion at his school for three consecutive years and was the district champion over 100 metres for two years in a row. He then completed his studies at Boston Spa School
Boston Spa School
Boston Spa School and specialist Sports College is a mixed-gender school aged 11–19 years old on Clifford Moor Road in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, England. It is larger than other secondary schools in the area, with 1,880 students on roll, including 350 in the sixth form...
; at which the sports college was a partner to the football club.
Milner took as much interest in watching football as he did playing it. He supported his hometown club Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
from a young age. His earliest memory of the team was watching them win the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
in 1993. He and his parents, Peter and Lesley, were season ticket
Season ticket
A season ticket is a ticket that grants privileges over a defined period of time.-Sport:In sport, a season ticket grants the holder access to all regular-season home games for one season without additional charges. The ticket usually offers a discounted price over purchasing a ticket for each of...
holders and Milner later became a ball boy
Ball Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
for the club.
When Milner was 10 years old, he joined the Leeds United Academy after being spotted by a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
while playing for Westbrook Juniors in Horsforth. At the academy, Milner played against contemporaries from other clubs in the north, including future Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
. His role model was Leeds-born Alan Smith, who was then a Leeds United striker. Milner believed playing with Smith put him through a learning curve, as Smith had done what Milner aspired to do; that is, to come through the academy and play for the first team. Having made good progress at the Academy, Milner was taken on as a trainee after leaving school. However, his father insisted that he attend college once a week to continue his education. Milner remarked later that he did not want to get excited and think that he "had already made it". He also said he could hardly believe he was playing alongside first-team Leeds players such as David Batty
David Batty
David Batty is an English retired professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder....
and Olivier Dacourt. He continued to improve his skills in the youth team, and played for England at under-15 and −17 levels. He helped the England under-17 team win the 2002 Nationwide summer tournament against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
and Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
, scoring a goal against the latter. Milner claims to have never consumed alcohol throughout his life, despite pressures from those around him when he was growing up.
Leeds United
Milner's debut for Leeds United came on 10 November 2002, in a game against West Ham United, when he came on as a substituteSubstitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
for Jason Wilcox
Jason Wilcox
Jason Wilcox is a former professional footballer who played as a left winger. He made 5 appearances for England including 3 at full international level.-Blackburn:...
for the last six minutes. The appearance made him the second youngest player ever to play in the Premier League, at the age of 16 years and 309 days. On Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
of that year, he became at 16 years and 356 days the youngest player to score in the Premier League, with a goal in a 2–1 win against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. His record has since been broken by James Vaughan
James Vaughan (striker)
James Oliver Vaughan is an English footballer who plays for Norwich City. He plays as a striker and represented England at under 21 level...
of Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
.
In a match against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
a month later, Milner scored again, with a deft first touch of the ball and manoeuvre, in order to avoid a tackle from Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly is a retired Ghanaian born French footballer and star of the France national football team squad, with whom he won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000...
, that won widespread praise from commentators. The manoeuvre created a yard of space for him to deliver a curling shot from 18 yards (16 m). Reporters were impressed by his overall performance in the game, especially by his desire, confidence, and ability with both feet. Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri, is an Italian football manager, currently in charge as head coach of Internazionale.He has also managed many other well-known clubs in Europe, including Cagliari, Napoli, Fiorentina, Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Parma, Juventus and Roma.-Early life:Ranieri attended St...
remarked after the game that Milner had performed like a much more experienced player. The performance prompted comparisons to England internationals Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
and Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
, who had also come to footballing prominence as teenagers. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
asked in a poll on their website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
if he was a better prospect than Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
.
After more appearances for Leeds, Milner signed a five-year contract with them on 10 February 2003.
At the start of the 2003–04 season
2003-04 in English football
The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
, Milner was sent on a month-long loan to Division Two
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
to gain experience as a first-team player. Before the stint, he saw it as a valuable experience as a player. He spent a month with Swindon, playing in six games and scoring two goals against Peterborough
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
and Luton
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
.
However, Leeds United's fortunes were on the decline; the team became the subject of numerous negative stories in the media, and several first-team players were sold. Milner said he believed that this experience made him emotionally stronger and taught him how to deal with team problems. Leeds's eventual relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
led to speculation over Milner's future at the club. Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
all expressed an interest in signing him. Ultimately, Villa and Everton did not make offers and Milner rejected an offer from Tottenham as they were based too far from his family home, where he still lived. Leeds insisted that he would not be sold and the chairman of the club at the time even referred to him as "the future of Leeds". Nonetheless, financial problems eventually forced Leeds to sell Milner to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
for an initial price of £3,600,000. Although Milner was not happy to be leaving the club he had supported as a child, he wished to do what was "in the club's best interest" and in July 2004, he agreed a five-year deal with Newcastle.
Newcastle United
Milner made his first appearance for Newcastle United during their pre-season tour of Asia, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Kitchee, in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. During this tour, he took the opportunity to observe how Newcastle striker Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
dealt with attention from fans and the media. He said that his association with people like Shearer gave him a better idea of how to deal with the media.
Milner's first Premier League game for Newcastle came against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 18 August 2004, in which he played on the extreme right of the field as a winger
Winger (sport)
In certain sports, such as football, field hockey, ice hockey, handball, rugby union, lacrosse and rugby league, the term winger is the name of a position. It refers to positions on the extreme left and right sides of the pitch . In American football and Canadian football, the analogous position...
, despite having featured regularly on the left for Leeds. When asked about this after the match, Milner said he had no preference where on the pitch he played. A month later he made his debut in European competition, when Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
played in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
against Bnei Sakhnin
Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin FC
Bnei Sakhnin F.C. , is an Israeli football club based at the Doha Stadium in Sakhnin. They are the most successful Israeli Arab club in the country, having won the State Cup in 2004.-Early years:...
from Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, after coming on as a substitute for Shola Ameobi
Shola Ameobi
Foluwashola "Shola" Ameobi is an Nigerian footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United as a forward. Born in Nigeria but raised in Newcastle, he played for England at under-21 level. He is the older brother of fellow footballers Tomi and Sammy...
. In the same month, he scored his first competitive goal for the club, also as a substitute, in a 3–1 win against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. It looked probable he would soon start a game.
However, the situation changed for Milner after Newcastle manager Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
, whom Milner considered his mentor, was sacked and replaced by Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
. Under Souness, he started 13 league games, but did not play his first full Premier League game for Newcastle until April 2005. By the end of the season, he had made 41 appearances in all competitions and scored once. Souness did not make Milner a regular in the Newcastle side and controversially remarked that the club would not win "with a team of James Milners". Milner's response to this statement was reported as "mature". He did however confirm that he was frustrated at not being used as a starter for most of the season.
At the start of the 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season, Milner scored in Newcastle's 3–1 away win against FK ZTS Dubnica
FK ZTS Dubnica
MFK Dubnica is a Slovak football club, playing in the city of Dubnica nad Váhom.- History :MFK Dubnica was founded in 1926 and spent much of its early years playing in the regional Czechoslovakian leagues until 1977 where they were finally promoted to the national first division and finished a...
in the Intertoto Cup, and also set up Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
for the team's third goal. His good run of form in this competition continued when he scored in the next round against Deportivo La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
. Despite these goals, a clause in Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
's purchase of Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Albino "Nobby" Solano Todco is a Peruvian footballer who plays for Hartlepool United. He has spent much of his career in the English Premier League and also played 95 times for Peru between 1994 and 2009...
from Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
resulted in Milner being loaned to Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
for the rest of the season. Villa manager David O'Leary
David O'Leary
David Anthony O'Leary is an Irish football manager and former player. His managerial career began at Leeds United and later he managed Aston Villa. He most recently worked as the manager of Al-Ahli Dubai...
, who had managed Milner at Leeds, was happy to acquire Milner in this deal, saying that he believed Villa got the better of the deal and that he hoped to improve him as a player.
Loan to Aston Villa
Milner made his Villa debut on 12 September 2005 in a Premiership match against West HamWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. Five days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. In a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
game less than a week later, he helped his side recover from being 3–1 down at half-time to win 8–3 against Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
, scoring two goals in the second half comeback. Throughout the season Milner was positive about his team. He remained confident that Villa would recover from a poor start to the season and praised the quality of the squad.
Milner was generally seen as a positive signing in a season that was disappointing for Villa. Milner himself also received the loan move positively, saying that he would like to join Villa permanently because of the probability of becoming a regular starter, but admitted that the possibility of this happening was beyond his control.
Manager David O'Leary
David O'Leary
David Anthony O'Leary is an Irish football manager and former player. His managerial career began at Leeds United and later he managed Aston Villa. He most recently worked as the manager of Al-Ahli Dubai...
confirmed during the season that he would like Milner to join the club permanently, but doubted he would be given the opportunity to sign him. He even pulled out of signing Robert Huth
Robert Huth
Robert Huth is a German footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Stoke City.Huth was signed for Chelsea from the youth system of German club Union Berlin in 2001 by then Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri. He joined Middlesbrough in 2006 and spent three years at the Riverside...
so that he would have the funds to sign Milner permanently if the opportunity arose. Shortly before the end of his loan period, negotiations between Villa and Newcastle began.
The newly-appointed Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder
Glenn Roeder
Glenn Victor Roeder is an English football manager and former player, most recently in charge at Norwich City. As a player, Roeder represented England B on 7 occasions...
appeared to appreciate Milner's ability more than Souness and expressed a desire that he remain a Newcastle player. This, as well as the departure of O'Leary and the shortage of transfer funds at Villa, meant that a deal to sign Milner permanently seemed unlikely. In June, it became even less likely when Villa rejected an offer of Milner as part of a trade for Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in...
. However, the deal was resurrected when Villa were taken over by American billionaire Randy Lerner
Randy Lerner
Randolph D. Lerner is an American entrepreneur and sports team owner.Lerner has been the owner of the American football team, the Cleveland Browns, of the National Football League since October 2002, and the Chairman of Aston Villa Football Club of the English Premier League since 2006...
, and Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
was appointed as new Villa manager. Villa made an improved offer on 30 August, which was accepted by Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd
Freddy Shepherd
Freddy Shepherd , is an English businessman and the former chairman of Newcastle United football club.During his time at Newcastle, both as an active assistant to and later replacement of Sir John Hall as chairman for ten years, Shepherd proved an often outspoken and controversial figure, at times...
. Media sources quoted the transfer fee as being £4,000,000. A move to Villa appeared to have been agreed, but at the last moment Newcastle recalled Milner and the talks broke down.
Return to Newcastle United
Newcastle's players and manager Glenn RoederGlenn Roeder
Glenn Victor Roeder is an English football manager and former player, most recently in charge at Norwich City. As a player, Roeder represented England B on 7 occasions...
reacted positively to Milner's return at the start of the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season. Roeder praised Milner for the way he had handled the failed Villa transfer, although Roeder's own handling of the negotiations was criticised. Roeder confirmed that he would play Milner in "plenty of games" during the season. This proved to be the case, as Milner was a starter in the Newcastle side for the entire season.
Newcastle made a poor start in the Premier League, but in European competition, Milner played a key role in helping Newcastle advance through the group stage of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup 2006-07
The 2006–07 UEFA Cup was the 36th UEFA Cup, Europe's second tier club football tournament. On 16 May 2007, at Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Sevilla won their second consecutive UEFA Cup, defeating Espanyol 3–1 on penalties after the match finished 2–2 after extra time...
. Shortly after, rumours began to spread that he would be sold during the transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
in January, although both Milner and Roeder dismissed these rumours.
On 1 January 2007 Milner scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw with Manchester United. The goal came from a "stunning" shot from 25 yards (23 m) away. He scored two more goals during the next three weeks, against Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and then against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. Both of these were scored from at least 20 yards (18.3 m) away. Later in the season, Roeder praised the progress Milner had made and said that he believed him to be the hardest-training player at the club. Also during the season, Milner displayed his ability to play comfortably in a range of different positions by scoring and setting up goals with both feet from both sides. As a result, Milner signed a new contract at Newcastle in January, which secured his future at the club until 2011. He signed another four-year contract in May 2007, when Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce
Samuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
took over as manager of Newcastle. Milner said later in the year that he was happy about his future at the club and its new manager saying the that training sessions were "the best since I have been here". Allardyce said during the season that Milner was so keen to play, that he was concerned he would "burn out mentally [and] physically". As a result, Milner played mainly as a substitute in the early part of the season.
In late October, he scored Newcastle's 500th home Premier League goal in a 3–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. A second Premier League goal of the season came fortuitously in the Tyne-Wear derby
Tyne-Wear derby
The Tyne and Wear derby is a local derby between the association football clubs Newcastle United and Sunderland. The derby is an inter-city rivalry in North East England with the two cities of Newcastle and Sunderland just ten miles apart. The first meeting of the two sides took place in 1883, with...
from a shot intended as a cross
Cross (football)
In football, a cross is a delivery of a ball from either side of the field across to the front of the goal by applying various kicking techniques. A cross is there to provide a goal-scoring opportunity...
. Allardyce praised Milner highly during the season, saying he was "a hugely experienced Premier League player".
After missing the final nine games of the season due to a foot injury, it was rumoured in May 2008 that he would be part of a transfer between Newcastle and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. Despite starting the season for Newcastle and scoring in a League Cup win over Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
, it was revealed after the game that Milner had handed in a written transfer request the week before.
Return to Aston Villa
Milner signed for Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on 29 August 2008 for a fee of twelve million pounds, and signed a four-year contract with the club.
Milner made his debut for Villa on 31 August 2008 as a second-half substitute against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. His first goals in his second spell at Villa came in a third round FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie against Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
at Priestfield Stadium
Priestfield Stadium
Priestfield Stadium is a football stadium in Gillingham, Kent...
on 4 January 2009 on his 23rd birthday, where he scored both goals in a 2–1 win for Villa.
Milner's first Premier League goal in his second spell at Villa came on 17 January 2009 in a match against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
at the Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
. Milner headed in a cross from Villa midfielder Ashley Young to level the scores at 1–1, Villa went on to win the match 2–1.
On 7 February 2009, Milner was named to the England full team squad for the first time, after a run at club level that had impressed England manager Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
.
Milner continued to impress and scored his second league goal of the season against Blackburn Rovers with a rifled shot from a difficult angle after a corner had not been closed down. He later scored a free-kick from outside the penalty area at home against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
as Villa came back from a 3–1 deficit to draw level at 3–3. He stated that his time at Villa is the "most settled" period of his career so far, having played under thirteen managers and caretakers despite being only 23. On 19 May 2010, Mancheter City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
made a £20 million offer for Milner which was rejected. On 22 July 2010, Villa manager Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
said that Milner had shown a desire to leave Villa for City, but would only be sold at Villa's valuation. On 14 August despite being on the verge of a move to Manchester City, Milner played in Villa's first game of the season against West Ham United, scoring Villa's third goal. Milner was given a standing ovation when he was substituted near the end of the game.
Manchester City
On 17 August 2010 it was reported that Aston Villa had agreed a deal with Manchester City to sell Milner subject to a medical. The deal was reported to be worth around £24 million, including a player exchange of Stephen IrelandStephen Ireland
Stephen James Ireland is an Irish footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Aston Villa.-Cobh Ramblers:...
, valued at £8 million. Milner made his debut for City on 23 August 2010 in a 3–0 win against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, where he set up the first goal for former Villa teammate Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in...
. Milner scored his first competitive goal for Manchester City in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
third-round match at Leicester City which ended in a 2–2 draw.
Milner scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester City against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
on 24 September. Two matches later, he scored his second Premier League goal for Manchester City against former club Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in a 4–1 win after initially starting the attack with a 60 yard diagonal cross-field pass and then ending with a curling finish from 25 yards out.
During a Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
tie away at Napoli James filled in at right-back after Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini is an Italian football manager, formerly an international player and current manager of Premier League club Manchester City.As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches, and helped them win the Serie A league title, four Coppa...
bought on winger Adam Johnson for Right-Back Pablo Zabaleta
Pablo Zabaleta
Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod is an Argentine footballer who plays for Manchester City.Zabaleta can operate on both sides of the pitch either as a defender or defensive midfielder, but is predominantly a right sided player. Zabaleta also holds a Spanish passport...
Under-21s
After representing England at the U-15 and U-17 levels, Milner was promoted to the U-20 level and called up for the 2003 World Youth Championship2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between November 27 and December 19, 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested...
. Soon after this, Under-21 manager Peter Taylor called him up to the England Under-21 side
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
and Milner made his debut against Sweden
Sweden national under-21 football team
The Swedish U-21 national football team is the football team representing Sweden in competitions for under-21 year old players. Sweden U21's current captain is Jiloan Hamad with Jakob Johansson as vice captain.-UEFA European U-21 Championship Record:...
on 30 March 2004.
Milner scored his first goal for the England Under-21 side during the 2004–05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
season in a qualification game for the 2007 European Under-21 Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
, against Wales
Wales national under-21 football team
The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
. During the game, in which he played in the centre of midfield, he also set up a scoring chance for Darren Bent
Darren Bent
Darren Ashley Bent is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Bent started his career with Ipswich Town. After progressing through their youth system he made his first team debut in 2001. He made 122 appearances and scored 48 goals in the league for Ipswich, before joining...
as the Young Lions won 2–0. Despite domestic club troubles, he continued to make progress at international level, scoring the winning goal for the England Under-21 side in a 3–2 win over Switzerland
Switzerland national under-21 football team
The Switzerland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Switzerland and is controlled by the Swiss Football Association...
. The win secured England a place in the playoff stage of the 2007 Under-21 European Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
qualifiers.
In June, Milner competed for England at the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
. He played in all four of England's matches and was booked in the semi-final against the Netherlands
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
, which meant he would have missed the final. The game was decided by a penalty shootout, in which Milner scored twice and England lost 13–12. Milner's performance in the tournament led to rumours that he would make his full England debut in a friendly against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, but he was not included in the squad for the match. He was however included in the Under-21 squad for a friendly against Romania
Romania national under-21 football team
The Romania national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years....
, which ended in a 1–1 draw. A month later, Milner set an England Under-21 record by making his 30th appearance for the side in a 3–0 win against Montenegro
Montenegro national under-21 football team
The Montenegro national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Montenegro and is controlled by the Football Association of Montenegro...
. During this game, he set up the first goal from a corner. Historically, players with several England Under-21 appearances have not progressed to become regulars in the senior side, which has led some to doubt whether Milner would be able to successfully make the transition. In October, he scored his third goal for the Under-21 side in a 3–0 win over Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team
The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland and competes in the biennial European Under-21 Football Championship and has competed since 1978.-Competition...
. He scored again in the return game four months later that England also won 3–0.
Milner continued to be a regular and was the only player, along with Joe Hart
Joe Hart
Charles Joseph John "Joe" Hart is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national football team and was previously a regular for the England under-21 team....
and captain Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor (footballer)
Steven Vincent Taylor is an English footballer, currently playing for Premier League club Newcastle United. He is a versatile central defender who can play at right back or, on rare occasions, at left back...
, to have played in all the qualifiers for the European Championships
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship started on 31 May 2007 with a qualifying competition and finishes on 15 October 2008, before the final tournament on 15–23 June 2009....
. In the summer of 2009, he was in the final 23-man U21 squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
in Sweden. He helped set up the winning goal for Micah Richards
Micah Richards
Micah Lincoln Richards is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national team. A versatile defender, Richards is equally adept at centre back and right back or in centre midfield...
against Finland
Finland national under-21 football team
The Finnish national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Finland. The team qualified for the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship final tournament in 2009.-UEFA U-21 Championship Record:...
, and manager Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce OBE is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the England national under-21 team and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team...
said after the match, "The modern-day full-back can get up and down the pitch and I knew [Milner] would be comfortable". In England's second match against Spain
Spain national under-21 football team
The Spain national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of Spain and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The team, nicknamed La Rojita , competes in the biannual European Under-21 Football Championship.Following the realignment of UEFA's youth...
, Milner had a penalty well saved by Sergio Asenjo
Sergio Asenjo
Sergio Asenjo Andrés is a Spanish footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid as a goalkeeper.-Club career:Born in Palencia, Castile and León, Asenjo began playing in Real Valladolid junior teams, and soon emerged as one of the most talented players in the club...
, and scored England's second goal in a 2–0 win. England faced the hosts Sweden
Sweden national under-21 football team
The Swedish U-21 national football team is the football team representing Sweden in competitions for under-21 year old players. Sweden U21's current captain is Jiloan Hamad with Jakob Johansson as vice captain.-UEFA European U-21 Championship Record:...
in the semi-finals. In the first minute of the match, Milner delivered a corner the was headed in by Martin Cranie
Martin Cranie
Martin James Cranie is an English footballer, currently playing for Championship club Coventry City. He began his career with the famous Southampton youth academy playing alongside Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale before moving to local rivals Portsmouth and later to Coventry City after several loan...
to give England the lead. Another corner from Milner would set up England's third goal, an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
by Mattias Bjärsmyr
Mattias Bjärsmyr
Mattias Bjärsmyr is a Swedish football defender playing for Panathinaikos. He goes by the nickname "Bjärsa".-Career:Bjärsmyr made his first appearance for IFK Göteborg on 30 May 2005 as the club took on IF Elfsborg. He became a regular starter later in the year and was nominated best newcomer at...
. After the match ended in a 3–3 draw, it went to a penalty shootout. Milner was the only England player to miss in the shootout after he slipped just before kicking the ball, causing it to sail over the crossbar. England won the shootout 5–4 to advance to the final for the first time in 25 years. England lost the final to Germany
Germany national under-21 football team
The Germany national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Germany in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and is controlled by the German Football Association , the governing body of football in Germany....
4–0 and Milner said after the match that the team was "hurting" and that the way in which the team lost was "not good enough". The final was his last game for the under 21 side.
Senior team
In August 2009, Milner made his debut for the full EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
team, when he came on as a substitute in a friendly match
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
for the final 23 minutes. After outrunning defender John Heitinga
John Heitinga
John Gijsbert Alan "Johnny" Heitinga is a Dutch footballer who plays as a defender for English Premier League club Everton and the Dutch national team. A product of Jong Ajax, he previously played for AFC Ajax and Atlético Madrid, before signing for Everton in 2009. Heitinga previously represented...
, he provided a low cross
Cross (football)
In football, a cross is a delivery of a ball from either side of the field across to the front of the goal by applying various kicking techniques. A cross is there to provide a goal-scoring opportunity...
into the six yard box, from which striker Jermain Defoe
Jermain Defoe
Jermain Colin Defoe is an English footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national football team....
scored from close range to make the score 2–2. He would also provide another high cross for Defoe later in the match, which he headed over the bar. The match ended in a 2–2 draw. He played twice more for England the following month against Slovenia
Slovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
in another friendly and made his competitive debut four days later in a World Cup qualifer against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
, where he played the final nine minutes. England won the latter match 5–1 to secure qualification for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. On 2 June 2010 Milner was named in the final 23 man squad for the World Cup finals in South Africa. He was selected in the starting eleven for England's first match of the tournament against the USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, however he was substituted after 30 minutes. In England's third match against Slovenia
Slovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
, he setup the only goal of the match with a cross for Jermain Defoe
Jermain Defoe
Jermain Colin Defoe is an English footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national football team....
.
He captained England for the first time for the final 10 minutes of the match against France on 17 November 2010, when both Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard had been substituted.
Style of play
Milner is regarded as being a tenacious footballer. As a result, his main role on the team is as a wide midfielder who creates scoring opportunities, as well as taking the ball past defenders. He could be deemed a traditional English winger. While Milner does not score many goals, he does have a good record at providing assistsAssist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
. Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Albino "Nobby" Solano Todco is a Peruvian footballer who plays for Hartlepool United. He has spent much of his career in the English Premier League and also played 95 times for Peru between 1994 and 2009...
, a former teammate, said that because of his ability, Milner would "become an important team player". After his move to Newcastle, he began playing more as a winger. He has been described as "comfortable on either wing". He has also been used occasionally as a central midfielder and as an emergency right-back, generally during an injury crisis.
Milner has the ability to pass accurately and shoot from a great distance from goal. As a result, he usually goes forward for set pieces
Set piece (football)
The term set piece or set play is used in association football and rugby to refer to a situation when the ball is returned to open play following a stoppage, particularly in a forward area of the pitch. Most often, the term is used to refer to free kicks and corners, but sometimes throw-ins. Many...
and is often a candidate to take corners
Corner kick
A corner kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football. It was first devised in Sheffield under the Sheffield Rules 1867...
and free kicks
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
. Critical opinion is divided as to Milner's crossing ability. While some commentators have been critical of his ability in this area, other journalists have said that Milner can produce accurate crosses
Cross (football)
In football, a cross is a delivery of a ball from either side of the field across to the front of the goal by applying various kicking techniques. A cross is there to provide a goal-scoring opportunity...
.
Milner, in his time at the club, was described on the Newcastle United official website as "a good reader of the game". One quality that is praised by commentators is Milner's awareness of players around him. This awareness allows him to pass the ball from a range of positions to teammates making forward runs, as well as giving him the confidence to take on defenders. His awareness and willingness to pass have been called mature for a player of his age.
Milner has expressed a willingness to play as much as possible and feels that Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
's move to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and success as a player has taken a lot of pressure off his own career, commenting, "I have been able to concentrate on football and ignore everything else". During his career, Milner has been booked
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
15 times, but has never been sent off.
Despite being a winger by trade, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
manager Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
stated in November 2009 that he thought Milner's versatility could lead to him becoming an accomplished central midfielder at some point in his career. Milner played in a number of different positions for Aston Villa, including both wings, in central midfield and even as a right back. In Winter 2009, following the return to action of midfielder Stewart Downing
Stewart Downing
Stewart Downing is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool and the England national team. Primarily a winger, Downing has previously played for Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.-Middlesbrough:...
, Milner moved in to the centre of Villa's midfield to make room for Downing on the left wing. Milner, along with Downing, Petrov
Stiliyan Petrov
Stiliyan Alyoshev Petrov is a Bulgarian footballer who captains Aston Villa in the Premier League and the Bulgarian national team. He won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year award in 2003 when he was playing for Celtic...
and Young were all praised by team mate Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
for their ability in the new-look midfield.
International
EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-Up: 2009
Individual
- PFA Young Player of the YearPFA Young Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
(1): 2009–10 - PFA Premier League Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
(1): 2009–10
Career statistics
|-|2002–03||rowspan="2"|Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
||rowspan="2"|Premier League
||18||2||4||0||0||0||0||0||22||2
|-
|2003–04
||30||3||1||0||1||0||0||0||32||3
|-
|2003–04||Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||6||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||6||2
|-
|2004–05||rowspan="2"|Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
||rowspan="11"|Premier League
||25||1||4||0||1||0||14||1||44||2
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005–06
||3||0||0||0||0||0||4||2||7||2
|-
|Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
(Loan)
||27||1||3||0||3||2||0||0||33||3
|-
|2006–07||rowspan="3"|Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
||35||3||2||1||3||0||13||0||53||4
|-
|2007–08
||29||2||2||1||1||0||0||0||32||3
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008–09
||2||0||0||0||1||1||0||0||3||1
|-
|rowspan="3"|Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
||36||3||3||3||0||0||4||0||43||6
|-
|2009–10
||36||7||5||0||6||4||2||1||49||12
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010–11
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||1
|-
|rowspan="2"|Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
||22||0||1||1||0||0||4||0||28||1
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
||8||2||0||0||2||0||3||0||13||2
263||25||25||6||16||7||37||4||340||40
External links
- Profile on Aston Villa website
- BBC Profile on the BBC website
- Premier League profile