Timeless James Milner! Veteran Creates PL History By Assisting Player Born After His Debut

Last Updated:October 27, 2025, 23:40 IST

James Milner made Premier League history, assisting a goal for Kostoulas -- who was born five years after Milner’s top-flight debut in 2002.

James Milner (left) continues to stand the test of time, inching closer to yet another historic PL record at 39 years of age (Credit: X)

James Milner wrote yet another remarkable chapter in his storied Premier League career — by assisting a player who wasn’t even born when he made his top-flight debut.

The 39-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder came off the bench in the 59th minute of Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

With Brighton trailing 3-0, Milner’s experience shone through as he swung in a precise corner deep into stoppage time.

His delivery found 18-year-old Charalampos “Babis" Kostoulas, who powered home a header to make it 3-2 and briefly reignite hopes of a comeback before United sealed the result late on.

That assist created a slice of Premier League history: the first time ever that a player has provided an assist for a teammate who wasn’t born when he made his league debut.

Milner made his first appearance for Leeds United on November 10, 2002, at just 16 years old. Kostoulas was born nearly five years later, on May 30, 2007.

The 21-year, 146-day age gap between the two also marked the largest assist-to-goal age gap in Premier League history.

Milner’s appearance was his 645th in the competition — just eight shy of Gareth Barry’s all-time record of 653. If he continues into next season, he could also surpass Teddy Sheringham to become the oldest outfield player in Premier League history.

The assist was Milner’s 136th across all competitions, while Kostoulas’ header was his first senior goal for Brighton since joining from Olympiacos last summer for £34 million.

Brighton currently stands 13th in the league with 12 points — having registered 3 wins and 3 draws from their 9 games so far — just a mere 4 points away from the relegation zone.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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