James ‘James Milner’ Milner turns in record 23rd season as new-look Brighton’s central cog

One of the Premier League’s oldest players was at the heart of a perfect start for the competitions’s youngest ever permanent manager

James Milner played a starring role for Brighton in midfield (Getty Images)

When James Milner made his Premier League debut, his newest manager - the precocious Fabian Hurzeler - was nine. Milner’s earlier outings instead came under managers such as Terry Venables, who died at 80, and Bobby Robson, who would be in his nineties if he were still alive. 

Milner has now played for managers born in both 1933 and 1993, for those born in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1990s (he only needs the 1980s to complete the set): like many aspects of his longevity, it probably renders Milner unique. He rarely wants to dwell on such distinctions. A matter-of-fact nature, a Yorkshire pragmatism, has helped him span eras. Robson managed Johnny Haynes. And, a few years earlier, Haynes’ status and excellence made him a catalyst when the top salary in the English game stopped being limited to £20 a week. Milner has played with Mohamed Salah, who is on rather nearer to £350,000 a week.

He has played against David Seaman, who is in his sixties, and with a growing number of Brighton players young enough to be his son, even if none of them have the Yorkshire vowels and the Milner haircut as proof of his DNA. It feels only a matter of time before Brighton’s scouting system unearths a Paraguayan prodigy young enough to be Milner’s grandson. 

He may still be playing then, chugging along in a variety of roles. Saturday’s typically stalwart display in Brighton’s 3-0 win at Everton rendered him a record-breaker, the first footballer to play in 23 Premier League seasons. He has left Ryan Giggs behind; the rest were already overtaken by Milner’s propensity to keep on running. 

Milner became the first player to play in 23 Premier League seasons on Saturday (Getty Images)

This season could put him first in another chart. He has made 636 Premier League appearances, 17 behind his friend Gareth Barry’s record. Milner is more injury prone than he once was but his chances of overhauling Barry are enhanced because he has an admirer in the manager who is seven years his junior. 

“I am amazed not by the player but by the character of the player,” said Hurzeler. “I know now why he has had such success in his career. He’s an unbelievable character. He’s a leader, a role model in terms of preparing for every training session. After training he takes care of his teammates, he takes care of himself, he always sees the wellness of the club. On top of that he is still a great player. We saw that today. He made a great performance.” 

There was something typically Milner about it: nothing spectacular but plenty of solidity. Whereas another veteran, Ashley Young, looked his age at Goodison Park on Saturday, in a performance curtailed by a red card, Milner just looked Milner.

“Age is just a number; it doesn’t matter,” he said. “You are talking to somebody who was playing in the Premier League at 16 and 38 so age is irrelevant if you are good enough to do the job.” Which was about as close as Milner came to boasting about his own staying power. 

There was a nod to a reason for it. He has been a jack of all trades, playing in virtually every position for managers from almost every generation. He was Manuel Pellegrini’s centre-forward for three games, Jurgen Klopp’s left-back for a season, and intermittently thereafter, most notably as a substitute in the 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona. Hurzeler’s reign began with Milner partnering new signing Mats Wieffer in the centre of midfield. “It’s nice to be back in the middle, a position I feel is the best,” he said.

Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton got off to a flying start in the Premier League (Action Images via Reuters)

In Brighton’s generation game, perhaps Milner was the guarantee, the man designed to offer no surprises. As much else has changed, football’s timeless wonder has remained the same. Hurzeler, however, is something very new. In a dressing room with five players who are older than him, his youth might have mattered. 

“I think it could if he didn’t have that presence and ability to do the job,” said Milner. “But the fact is that he’s passed the test of the owner [Tony Bloom] first of all which is very difficult. The first day he comes in, age is an issue if you don’t know what he’s about. But the first day he came in very clear about what he wants and you don’t even think about the age of the manager then. He’s very authoritative, fantastic team talks before the game and very methodical in how he does things. He’s very clever.” 

Perhaps Hurzeler, top of the Premier League at 31, has used his intelligence to find a way to accelerate the ageing process. Maybe Milner, still playing in it at 38, has managed to halt it.