Postion: Midfield
Squad Number: 38
International: England U-21
Made his full debut as a substitute at West Ham in November to become the second-youngest ever player to ever play in the Premiership.
Milner, at sixteen and 309 days, is the second youngest ever player at Elland Road behind Leeds legend Peter Lorimer, who at the tender age of 15 years, 289 days, made his debut against Southampton in September 1962.
The Horsforth teenager impressed for the England U-17 side in the 2002 summer tournament and his performances helped him force his way into senior football at such a young age.
He became the youngster ever Premiership scorer during the 2002-03 season, aged 16 and 357 days, when Venables gave James his chance against Chelsea. He took the recently-set record away from Wayne Rooney by just 4 days.
After playing over 30 games during the relegation 2003-04 season the teenager was in demand and Spurs made a spectacular offer for him, but teenager James stepped up to fill the shoes of former "Mr Leeds", Alan Smith by saying, "No", and opting to stay with Leeds in the First Division.
However, it wasn't long before Robson, aged manager of Newcastle (now known as NewLeeds) United, who seems to have no managerial plan other than "buy Leeds United players", had another attempt at buying the Premiership by making a silly bid in excess of £5 million for the youngster. The spineless Leeds Board wet their collective pants at the size of the fee and immediately put it to the youngster that he could leave, contrary to all the verbal assurances the mendacious gits had given Leeds fans since the Spurs bid. Typical that a Leeds Board once again puts the onus on a Leeds player to leave and try to avoid the inevitable flak. This time Milner turned the tables by forgoing financial benefits to help the club and his agent said,
"However, he leaves with a heavy heart and is glad that the money his move has generated will help Leeds in the longer term."
Nice kid, and all at leedsutd365.co.uk wish him well in his personal footballing achievements in the future. As for Robson and Newcastle United we wish them relegation nightmares and financial ruin so we can see other clubs pick over their corpse; look at your history "Toon Barmy", you know it's coming once again, the spectre of failure hangs over your club and has for 35 trophy-less years. As for the Leeds Utd Board, they can stop pretending to be Leeds United fans and return to the smoke-filled rooms of financial skull-duggery and let the real fans try and save the club by belief in the youth - oh, bollocks we can't, they've sold 'em all, the fuckers.
Update 2nd July 2004 yet another black day in the tarnished history of Leeds United
