Incredible Premier League career of James Milner - a machine that hasn't stopped for 23 years

There are Premier League players and then there is James Milner - the man who's about to kickstart the 24th EPL season, which makes him one of the longest-lasting players ever.

He made his EPL debut in 2002 as a 16-year-old Leeds United player, becoming the Premier League's youngest goalscorer nine days before his 17th birthday while still living with his parents.

Milner was earning £70 a week and still cleaned the first-team players' boots, picked their dirty kit up off the dressing-room floor... With his first win bonus, he bought a phone line, a Sky (satellite television) box, and a TV for his childhood bedroom.

Talking to The Athletic, Milner, now 39, thinks it is a world away from the scenario faced by the Premier League's teenage stars today, many of whom are multi-millionaires while still in their teens.

"But the money, the social media, the hype… I don't think any of that makes it easier. It becomes so easy to get ahead of yourself. It's all thrust on them so early and there's no hiding place for them, just because they're amazing at football and playing first team at 16, 17, 18.

"And then if you're not getting a proper break in the summer, that becomes even harder. That's another topic in terms of how many games people are playing. Every other year, players should get a full rest in the summer. But instead, it's more and more games, less rest. With the Club World Cup and all of that now, it's getting ridiculous.

"If you're expecting players to play from 18 to 32/33, when are they going to get a break? Everyone will burn out. It's going to become completely impossible."

Interestingly and bizarrely, Milner used to be coached by Bobby Robson, who was born in 1933. His current Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was born 60 years later, in 1993. Moreover, his teammate at Leeds United was, for instance, Nigel Martyn, born in 1966. The Seagulls' centre-forward Charalampos Kostoulas, who'll be Milner's teammate in the upcoming season, came into the world in 2007.

"Mad, isn't it?" Milner says. "We were working it out the other day and 15 of the lads here (Brighton) weren't even born when I made my debut - something daft like that. There are lads I played with at the start of my career whose sons I'm now playing with or against: (Bournemouth forward) Justin Kluivert, I played with his dad (Patrick) at Newcastle; I played with (Derby County midfielder) Bobby Clark at Liverpool and played with his dad (Lee) at Newcastle/ (Brighton winger) Tommy Watson's girlfriend is (former Leeds full-back) Ian Harte's daughter."

When asked about his possible retirement after the end of the upcoming season, the former Newcastle United, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Liverpool midfielder would rather shift focus to what has happened to him during these years so far.

"I've been incredibly fortunate. I've played two careers, really. Some people are lucky enough to get eight or 10 years in the Premier League. I've had… what's this? Season 24? Last season was unfortunate, but what have I got to moan about? You get to 34, 35 and you start to think, 'If it ends at any point now, I can't complain'."

Milner becomes first-ever to concure Old Trafford with four different sides

This season, he'll wear a new shirt number - No. 20, in honour of his former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in northern Spain on July 3.

"I loved the guy, absolutely loved him," Milner said. "I loved him as a player, loved him even more as a teammate and a friend, and absolutely loved him. Carlos (Baleba) wanted to change his number, so the No. 20 became available, and it felt like the right thing for me to do. Every day when I put my kit on, I'll think of him.

"We were only together at Liverpool for three seasons and you might not have thought we had much in common - different nationalities, very different ages - but we hit it off immediately. Maybe it was because we were both so stubborn. Honestly, people say I'm stubborn, but Jots could give me a run for my money.

"He was an unbelievable guy, one of my favourite teammates I've had in all my time playing. He was always up for a laugh, always winding people up. He was one of those you could put in any corner of the dressing room, next to any other player, and he would click with them straight away."

Milner's touching tribute to his late Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota

They even messaged each other the night before the tragedy...

"Nothing major, just checking in and asking each other how things were going."

He was at Brighton's training ground when the terrible news began to circulate on social media that Thursday morning.

"Someone asked, 'Is that true?' and I didn't know at that point, obviously," he says. "I messaged someone at Liverpool to try to find out and… just horrific. Not many tougher days than that," concluded Milner in an interview with The Athletic.