Brighton midfielder James Milner missed most of the season after suffering a freak issue that left him fearing for his career when undergoing an operation to resolve a knee injury
James Milner feared he may never walk normally again after suffering nerve damage in an operation. The former Newcastle and Liverpool midfielder could not lift his foot after going under the knife for knee surgery.
Milner, 39, featured for a single minute off of the bench in Brighton’s win over Tottenham on the final day of the Premier League season. That marked the veteran’s return after last playing for the Seagulls in August.
Milner started Brighton’s first three games of the season but was forced off the pitch against Arsenal. The ex-Manchester City ace picked up an issue in the build up to that game and required surgery to resolve an issue in his knee.
The Brighton star is out of contract this summer, though boss Fabian Hurzeler has insisted he wants to retain Milner’s services.
But Milner’s return to fitness was far from certain earlier this term after his operation saw a nerve get damaged. The former England international was unable to lift his foot as a result.
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“I had a contact injury in training before the Arsenal game on my knee. It was stable and we gave it a go and my hamstring reacted.
“I had a knee operation and knee reconstruction, which was fine and I would have been back at the start of December. But in the operation, a nerve got damaged. After the operation, I couldn’t lift my foot or my toes. The first time I saw any flicker of life was the 31st of December.”
Milner admitted that the issue could have ended his career outright. Walking normally may not have even been possible.
He explained: “It’s been a long, tough road. The medical staff have been incredible, [club physio] Sean Duggan has been absolutely unbelievable. There was a chance I might not have come back at all. I didn’t know if I could walk normally again, never mind play football.
“But, thankfully, the hard work’s paid off. And to get on the field today [Sunday] with the boys and see them turn it around in the second half and be a part of that was special.
“I’ve been on the grass for a good few months now, but I just need to be careful with contact. I’ve just run out of time. If the season was next week, I think I would have been fit from now on.
“It’s not age-related, it’s just one chance in however many thousand. It was just a bit of bad luck after starting the season well and feeling good.”
It now remains to be seen whether his career will continue at the Amex with the upwardly mobile Seagulls, Hurzeler would certainly like that to be the case. He said: “I’d like him to be here next season, but we are in discussions, let’s see how he will come back.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
