Over two decades have passed since James Milner made his Leeds United debut as a 16-year-old.
Milner has gone on to win the Premier League with two different clubs, as well as the Champions League. He’s made 600 appearances in the English top flight, making him the Premier League’s fourth top appearance-maker after Gareth Barry, Ryan Giggs and Frank Lampard.
Terry Venables gave Milner the first of those 600 appearances back in November 2002, turning to the teenager off the bench as Leeds were holding on to a 4-3 lead in a memorable match away to West Ham. The youngster was introduced in the 84th minute as Leeds took home all three points.
But what became of young Milner’s team-mates that day? We’ve taken a look back at the rest of Leeds’ line-up that day.
GK: Paul Robinson
Leeds academy graduate Robinson remained at Elland Road until their drop to the second tier in 2004. He went on to receive 41 caps for England and made over 100 Premier League appearances for Tottenham and Blackburn apiece before hanging up his gloves at Burnley in 2007.
Now working as a pundit, he still has his former team-mate’s back.
“Milner can still play at the top level. I think he is playing in a team that is struggling and he has been exposed a couple of times this season,” Robinson told Football Insider following the raft of criticism the veteran received after Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat to Napoli earlier this season.
“Liverpool’s high line has been exposed because they are not defending from the front. The team is not functioning in the way the manager wants and expects.
“It is easy to highlight individual players but when a team isn’t playing well collective responsibility needs to be taken. When a team is playing well you can carry a player who has a bad day. Unfortunately, Milner is playing in a team that is struggling right now.”
RB: Gary Kelly
Former Republic of Ireland international Kelly made his debut for Leeds a decade before Milner.
A proper one-club man, Kelly’s 15-year stint with the Whites ended back in 2007. He’s kept out of the limelight since retiring but does the odd media appearance.
CB: Teddy Lucic
One of the lesser-remembered players from that era at Elland Road, Swedish centre-back Lucic made 17 Premier League appearances for Leeds during the 2002-03 campaign while on loan from AIK.
Leeds declined the offer to sign him on a permanent basis, and he went to Bayer Leverkusen instead. He continued playing until 2010 and was last…
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