James Milner, 40, equalled the record for most Premier League appearances on Wednesday, coming on as a substitute for Brighton & Hove Albion against Aston Villa, a milestone achieved 8,491 days after his debut for Leeds United in 2002. The occasion brought a wry smile from Jon Moss, his former PE teacher, who famously sent Milner off while refereeing a Liverpool match in 2019.
“People joke that I only did it due to the fact that he didn’t do his homework,” Moss said, reflecting on the incident. The sending off occurred during a 4-3 victory for Liverpool against Crystal Palace, with Milner receiving two yellow cards for challenges on Wilfried Zaha. Moss, who taught Milner at Westbrook Lane Primary School in Horsforth, Leeds, admits the situation was unusual.
“He said I couldn’t wait to get my card out,” Moss recounted, laughing about dismissing his former pupil. “People say I’m the only teacher to send off one of his pupils in a Premier League game. You can both laugh about it now.”
Milner’s longevity in the Premier League is set to observe him surpass Gareth Barry’s record of 653 appearances. Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler highlighted Milner’s impact beyond mere statistics. “I think that will be a special thing for him but he is focused on top of that on the ambitions from the club as well. He wants to be always successful like he was his whole life,” Hurzeler stated. “He is a driver of this winning mentality and I think it’s very crucial to have these kind of players in the squad. They know how to win, they know what it needs to win, how you need to prepare a game, how you react in bad phases like on bad runs we have at the moment.”
Former teammate Alan Shearer, who played alongside Milner at Newcastle United, described him as a “model professional” and a “manager’s dream.” “You would do well if you had him in your squad because you knew exactly what you were going to get,” Shearer added. The incident with Moss, while lighthearted in retrospect, underscores a career built on dedication and respect.
Moss, who retired from refereeing last year, now runs an independent record shop called ‘Vinyl Whistle’ in Headingley, Leeds. He received a signed shirt from Leicester City for his final Premier League fixture, with the message, “Thanks for retiring” on the back.
Milner’s career boasts an impressive array of accolades, including three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and one Champions League triumph, alongside 61 England caps. His journey from a young player at Leeds United to a seasoned professional with multiple clubs exemplifies a commitment to hard work and professionalism.
