Has Milner’s record pursuit become a problem for Brighton?

February 11, 2026 No Comments

Has Milner’s record become a problem for Brighton?Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesImage caption, James Milner has made 652 Premier League appearancesByGary RoseBBC Sport journalistPublished53 minutes ago32 Comments

Brighton midfielder James Milner is on the verge of equalling the all-time record for most Premier League appearances.

The current holder is former Aston Villa and Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry, who played in 653 top-flight games.

Milner could draw level with Barry on Wednesday evening when Brighton are at Villa and while Seagulls fans will no doubt celebrate such a moment, there will also likely be a sense of relief.

That’s because for some supporters there is a feeling that the 40-year-old Milner has been making late appearances off the bench just to edge closer to the record and not necessarily for the benefit of the team.

“Not for the first time this season, Fabian Hurzeler made a substitution involving James Milner [against Fulham recently] which made little sense,” Seagulls fan Scott McCarthy, of We are Brighton, reported.

“That adds to the feeling, Milner is being gifted appearances so he can break the Premier League record.

“Hurzeler bringing on Milner at Anfield back in December, for example, was clearly done for another tick in the box and a nice reception from the home crowd.

“The token substitution did not go down well at the time.”

How much has Milner contributed this season?

There is little doubt that Milner has made some crucial contributions to the teams he has played for over the years.

He has won multiple Premier League titles with Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as the Champions League with the Reds.

As he’s got older his influence on the pitch has understandably declined and this season he has made 14 Premier League appearances, with 12 of those from off the bench.

He has scored one goal and provided one assist, but for many of those who have either played alongside him or seen him in action, Milner offers much more than that.

“He is someone you can rely on,” former England and Newcastle striker Alan Shearer reported.

“If you have a James Milner in your squad you want to keep hold of him.”

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards added: “He comes in training every single day.

“Sometimes you would come in and you want to relax, he was on you: ‘Have you done this? Have you done that? What are you eating? What is your diet like?’ But it was in a good way.”

Pundits reflect on the remarkable career of James Milner

Milner’s 14 appearances this season make a total of 310 minutes on the pitch – meaning he is playing an average of 22 minutes per game.

In each of his last five Premier League appearances he has been sent on in the final 10 minutes, leading some fans to question whether his contribution has been worthwhile.

“As annoying as it was seeing a 39-year-old come on [against Liverpool] when Brighton had young players on the bench who could have benefited from the experience, at least the Albion were 2-0 down. It had no bearing on the outcome,” added McCarthy.

“That was not the case against Fulham. Carlos Baleba had run the midfield with his best performance of the season. If Baleba was tiring, Hurzeler had Jack Hinshelwood on the bench to bring similar energy and drive.

“Instead, Hurzeler introduced Milner with 81 minutes played. 11 minutes later and Fulham scored their winner from a free-kick conceded in the exact area of the pitch Baleba had defended well all afternoon.”

The frustration that some Brighton fans feel about Milner’s late appearances off the bench – during which they perceive he offers little – will be compounded by the fact the Seagulls are on a poor run of form – with just one win in their last 12 Premier League games.

What do other Brighton fans think?

Joe: I do not agree with the Milner vanity project. He should be a member of the coaching staff and not a member of the playing squad. We have younger, better options than him.

Brian: Bringing Milner on towards the end of any game affects the balance of the midfield, usually causing unnecessary problems. I think the manager is just giving Milner an opportunity to beat record appearances rather than to improve team.

Graham: Utter nonsense. Milner is brought on to shore up the midfield being a more defensive player and far more experienced than others.

Rozzer: Milner has represented the best of professionalism in English football for some time now. He has been a role model to thousands of youngsters in how he conducts himself on and off the pitch and he is deserving of this record. There will always be opportunity for him to do that this season without having too much impact on Albion. Well done Milner.

Fewer minutes, but making the most of them

Should Milner equal Barry’s record on Wednesday evening, he will do so having played significantly fewer minutes than Barry did over his career.

In total, Barry spent 54,439 minutes on the pitch compared to 40,408 for Milner.

However, it is about what you do with that time playing and Milner has certainly contributed plenty when he has played – scoring 56 goals and providing 90 assists.

Those are statistics that compare favourably with Barry’s record of 53 goals and 64 assists.

Milner’s longevity is certainly impressive.

Almost half the players to have played in the Premier League since it was formed in 1992-93 (5,094) have either played alongside or against Milner.

Since his debut in the 2002-03 campaign, he has faced 99.9% of the 876 other players to have played at least 100 games in the last 24 Premier League seasons.

The only one of the above who has so far avoided facing Milner is Brentford’s Nathan Collins, but that could change when the Bees play Brighton on 21 February.

Plenty of Premier League managers have also become well acquainted with Milner over the decades. Including caretakers, he has made a Premier League appearance under 21 different managers – two more than any other player.