How ‘freak of nature’ Milner reached record, by those who know him
As midfielder prepares for landmark 654th top-tier appearance, figures from his six Premier League clubs detail how and why he has set himself apart ‘He treated the rondo box that teams do after a warm-up like it was the FA Cup final’ 21 Feb 2026 - THE GUARDIAN / Sport Interviews by Louise Taylor, Ben Fisher, Jamie Jackson, Andy Hunter and Ed Aarons 2002-04 Leeds Michael Bridges James Milner was the most dedicated and professional young player I’ve met. He also took the not inconsiderable transition from being at school to playing in the Leeds first team totally in his stride. Nothing fazed him. He was very level-headed. Back in those days, footballers used to have to share rooms during away trips and, at the time, Leeds had developed a mentoring scheme intended to support young players. It meant that my regular roommate, Harry Kewell, and I were split up. I was asked to room with James and Harry shared with Aaron Lennon. It was then that I realised what an incredible footballer – and ...