James Milner exclusive: Premier League record appearance holder admits personal accolades don't compare to trophies & 'special' dressing rooms

Milner could not have imagined when making his senior debut for Leeds at the age of 16 that he would still be going strong close to 25 years later. Having celebrated his 40th birthday in January, the evergreen midfielder now forms part of an exclusive club when it comes to professional football longevity.

His ability to steer clear of serious injury for the most part, while committing fully to training and advances in sports science away from the pitch, have allowed 656 Premier League games to be graced and more than 900 in total for club and country.

The ex-England international, with 61 caps to his name, is a three-time Premier League title winner with Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup entries on a glittering roll of honour.

His place in Premier League folklore is now secure, while nobody has managed to top his tally of 46 outings for the England U21 team. With the end of a distinguished career in sight, and with plenty of major silverware tucked away, do personal achievements now mean more to Milner?

Responding to that question, Milner - who forms part of Specsavers’ Best Worst Team project - told GOAL: “If I'm honest, no, not at this moment. Maybe when I finish. I think for me, the special part is being part of the team and achieving something as a team and with your team-mates and as a group and celebrating.

“I've been fortunate to win trophies and things, celebrating those with your team and the fans on the open-top bus. And it's not always winning trophies as well. I think Brighton is very capable of winning a trophy, for sure. But being part of something and the goal is different and it's improving the club and helping the club push on and helping the young players develop and being part of a special group of lads in the dressing room and helping them push on.

“I think that's a different goal to trying to win a European Cup. And I think being part of something is special and especially when you've got good people around you and people you want to help.

“I feel fortunate being at Brighton that it's a really good dressing room of different characters and obviously a lot of different ages, a lot of kids who are a lot younger than me and then obviously the senior group, your Danny Welbeck. I’ve probably taken the pressure off him because of my age but he's 35 and he's playing incredibly. That's amazing to see. Dunkey, obviously, Jason Steele, incredible professional. And then obviously the young boys, your Carlos Balebas and your Jack Hinshelwoods and your Kostoulas’ and these guys who you're trying to help push on and help them arrive at their potential as soon as you can.”

Milner is passing on words of wisdom in the ‘Best Worst Team’ campaign - having teamed up with Warley FC, a side that registered one win and 18 defeats last season while conceding 81 goals. He has not ruled out a move into coaching once retirement is reached and hopes to give back to the game in any way he can.

He knows how hard it is to make the grade, but sees grassroots football as being the lifeblood of English football as starry-eyed hopefuls of the future seek to tread the same path that has taken him to the very top.

Milner said of games on the streets and in the park being as important now as they have ever been: “100%, it's where it all starts. No one starts in an academy. No one starts playing in the Premier League on the best pitches. It starts everywhere.

“You play football, you love kicking a ball around. You love being out there with your mates, wherever it is, whether it's in your living room at home with a balloon or being told off by your mum for kicking the ball against the sofa or whether it's in your garden or cul-de-sac. I was always jealous of my mates because they lived in a cul-de-sac and could play on the street and I lived on a busy road so I had to go over to the field and I wasn't old enough. It wasn’t until you get to a certain age that you can go on your own, so you can't always go. So you’re kicking the ball against your garage and it’s flying into the neighbour's garden and he’s getting annoyed at you because it's the fifth time in the day it's gone over the fence and things like that. That's where it all starts and such an important part of the journey.

“It's some of the best memories that a lot of people you speak to have, when they're growing up, they love playing with their mates more than they did when they get into academies and things like that and it got serious.

“Why do you play the game? You play the game for love and not everyone has that feeling. Everyone has different drivers, whether it's money, whether it's being the best player in the world, whether it's winning trophies. But it all starts from enjoying it and loving the game.”

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