Every footballer who has played past 40 in the Premier League
Brighton midfielder on the cusp of history as he approaches Premier League record
James Milner turned 40 on Sunday, which means he is set to become only the fifth non goalkeeper to play past the age in the Premier League.
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The Brighton midfielder’s cameo as a substitute against Burnley on Saturday, the last day of his 30s, took him within four of Gareth Barry’s Premier League record of 653 games.
Milner made his debut as a 16-year-old for Leeds in the 2002/03 season and has gone on to play for Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Liverpool as well as England.
While several goalkeepers have played past their 40th birthday in the English top flight, the number of outfielders is a very elite selection.
Here are the five to have done it.
Teddy Sheringham
The former England forward is the only outfielder in the Premier League’s 10 oldest ever players, with his final appearance coming aged 40 years and 272 days for West Ham against Manchester City in December 2006.
Best remembered for spells at Tottenham, who he joined from Nottingham Forest early in the Premier League era, and Manchester United, Sheringham is the only 40-year-old so far to score in the Premier League, netting against Blackburn in October 2006 and Portsmouth in his penultimate appearance.
Ryan Giggs
Giggs was 40 years and 158 days old when he made the last of his 632 Premier League appearances for Manchester United in May 2014, while acting as player-manager following the sacking of David Moyes.
He played six times after turning 40 at the end of a career which saw him score in a record 21 Premier League seasons and win 13 titles.
Kevin Phillips
Phillips turned 40 after helping Crystal Palace to Championship promotion in 2013, and made four substitute appearances the following season.
The high point of his top-flight career came over a decade earlier with 30 goals for Sunderland in 1999-2000, earning him the European Golden Shoe, while he won eight England caps.
Gordon Strachan
The Scotland midfielder played the majority of his career for Leeds and Manchester United in the old First Division, winning the title with the Yorkshire club in the final season before it was rebranded.
His 96 appearances in the Premier League era included six for Coventry after his 40th birthday before he went on to manage the Sky Blues and Southampton in the top flight as well as Celtic, Middlesbrough and Scotland.
James Milner
Milner will join the club next time he takes to the field, with his first opportunity coming against the club where he won the first two of his three Premier League titles.
By the end of the season he could be the third-oldest outfield player after Sheringham and Giggs and should he play on next season his is likely to top the chart.
He remarkably also remains the Premier League’s second-youngest goalscorer thanks to his strike for Leeds against Sunderland in December 2002, nine days before turning 17, and just outside the 20 youngest players.
Goalkeepers
John Burridge is the Premier League’s oldest ever player, featuring in goal for Manchester City against QPR in May 1995 aged 43 years and 162 days – having made his debut in the old First Division for Blackpool in 1971.
Burridge is one of 14 keepers to appear in the Premier League after turning 40, a list also featuring Alec Chamberlain, Steve Ogrizovic, Brad Friedel, Mark Schwarzer, Neville Southall, Kevin Poole, Jens Lehmann, Edwin van der Sar, Shay Given, David Seaman, Willy Caballero, Steve Harper and current West Ham back-up Lukasz Fabianski.