Graeme Souness Extends Long-Delayed Apology to James Milner for Newcastle Incident: A Reconciliation After 18 Years

In a surprising turn of events, Graeme Souness, the former Newcastle United manager, has extended a long-overdue apology to James Milner, the seasoned Liverpool veteran. The apology comes nearly two decades after Souness sent a young Milner on loan to Aston Villa during his managerial tenure at St. James’ Park.

Back then, Souness’s decision to loan out the 19-year-old midfielder received substantial criticism, as Milner had seen limited playtime in the previous season. Souness defended his choice by emphasizing his preference for an experienced team, claiming that a player like Milner wouldn’t be capable of winning the league. Little did he know that Milner would go on to achieve remarkable success, winning three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and a Champions League during his stints at Manchester City and Liverpool.

Now, as Milner prepares to depart Anfield as a free agent and Souness concludes his long-standing punditry role at Sky Sports, the Scotsman has taken the opportunity to express his remorse to his former player. Writing in his Daily Mail column, the 70-year-old Souness said, “I was discussing leadership with Simon Jordan. James Milner was one of those I named as a leader I would want in my dressing room. At Newcastle, I knew him as a young boy.”

“He has matured into a professional you can bet is a ten out of ten around the dressing room. He was upset with me many years ago at Newcastle when I said that ‘you won’t win the league with James Milners,’ and he took that as me saying he wasn’t good enough,” Souness continued. “I was trying to say that you needed men. He was only 19 at the time. I apologized to him for that, and I hope he’s forgiven me. You can never have enough James Milners in the dressing room. He makes other players turn up.”

Interestingly, despite Souness’s belated apology, Milner seems to have already moved on from the incident. In a 2018 interview with FourFourTwo, the Englishman made it clear that he harbors no grudge. “I think it was more like, ‘You don’t win anything with a team of James Milners.’ Newcastle was tough… But as a player, you love the chance to shut people up. Any time that you’re criticized, it drives you on and you try to prove people wrong. That’s what I did in that part of my career,” Milner explained.

The mature response from Milner showcases his resilience and ability to thrive despite criticism. Furthermore, it highlights the absence of any animosity between him and Souness. Milner even recalls Souness congratulating him when he won the Premier League title with Manchester City, demonstrating their amicable relationship.

As Milner prepares for a potential move to Brighton as a free agent in the upcoming summer, and with Souness’s departure from Sky Sports on the horizon, this unexpected reconciliation between the former manager and player adds a remarkable chapter to their intertwined football journeys.