Milner: I've proven in recent games I can still contribute

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Midfielder reflects on record breaking career.

Nick Szczepanik

2026-02-27T22:30+00:00

James Milner has now made 654 Premier League appearances. 📸 by James Boardman.

James Milner is not sure whether he will be with Albion next season to claim another Premier League record after setting a new appearance milestone in the win at Brentford last Saturday.

But for now he is concentrating on continuing to contribute to the club both on and off the field.

A representative of The Guinness Book of Records visited the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre earlier this week to recognise the midfielder’s appearances achievement (654) but also the longest period between first and last Premier League goals (22 years 248 days) and most consecutive Premier League seasons (24).

James Milner was presented with his Guinness World Record awards earlier this week. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

If he is still wearing Albion colours next season, James can also overtake Teddy Sheringham as the Premier League’s oldest outfield player (40 years and 272 days), a mark he would pass on 5 October. But he is not looking that far ahead just yet.

“I think things change very quickly in football, and I think when you get to my age things change very quickly as well,” he said. “When I look at where I was last year, not being able to lift my foot for six months [after a knee injury led to nerve damage], to where I am this year, when I've played more minutes the last two games and you've played a part in a win, it's easier to turn around and say, ‘Yes, I'd love to do another year.’

“I'm pretty open at this moment, but whether I will or whether I won't, I'm not sure. We haven't had any conversations, so obviously the club have to be interested as well. It's all right me saying I want to play another year if the club don't want you!

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“I said earlier in the season, let's get to February and see where we're at, and we're there now, so we'll see what happens. I'm just doing my work every day, and hopefully the last few games have proved that I can still contribute on the field.”

Everybody around the club knows that Milner’s contribution off the field has been almost as important. “There's an age gap [from me] to a lot of the players, obviously, but it is really a great group and I'm desperate to help and try and improve and push the younger boys," he said. "You have days where it's frustrating but then you see the messages going in over a bit of time and it’s nice when you see that happening.

“Sometimes it is a rollicking, but other times it's an arm around the shoulder and a bit of encouragement and it's just trying to get that right. You can bark at them, but there's normally a reason. Some of these guys have only been professional footballers for 18 months when they come through the doors and they're changing country, they're learning a new language, they're learning the Premier League, a new style of play.

James Milner broke the Premier League appearance record in our 2-0 win at Brentford. 📸 by James Boardman.

“There's so many reasons why they might not be able to get to where they want to quickly and it's our job to try and help them and hopefully try and understand that – Dunky, Danny Welbeck, Jason Steele, Adam Webster, great people in there for these guys to bounce off as well. It is difficult at times and you see that inconsistency in performances, but I think everyone can see the quality that's there.”

James is also available if head coach Fabian Hurzeler wants to pick his brains as a two-time Premier League winner, with Manchester City and Liverpool. “He always gets an honest opinion from me. I think he gets the balance bang on in terms of listening and taking things on board. We speak a lot, he'll speak to Welbz as well, he'll speak to Pascal, he'll speak to Dunky. But he has that respect. He knows that what I'm saying is coming from the right place and I'm just trying to help. He's a strong character, he'll take those opinions, but he's the manager and he’s going to make his own decision and go the way he thinks is right.

“It’s impressive to see what he’s done since he’s been here. I think we've been unfortunate this year, we probably haven't got what we deserve, but that's football at the highest level. We’re a work in progress and I think it's credit to the club that there's so many success stories, but when you're losing the quality of players that this club has lost over the last three or four years, every year, to still be doing it and pushing and churning out the players is an impressive thing.”