Milner wishes he played for Leeds longer before Newcastle move

James Milner has revealed he wished he played for Leeds  longer after he was forced to leave for Newcastle in 2004.

Milner has since gone on to enjoy a successful career with Manchester City and Liverpool  but the versatile midfielder admitted that he is disappointed with how his time at Elland Road came to a premature end.

The 32-year-old was sold to the Magpies for an initial fee of £3.6million in 2004 as a teenager after Leeds were relegated from the Premier League. However, Milner has insisted that he had no say in the matter but was happy the money they received for him helped with Leeds' financial difficulties.

He told FourFourTwo magazine: 'As hard as it was, I learned a lot very quickly. Within two years I'd had numerous managers, and highs and lows. By the start of my second season, Peter Reid had come in and I was sent on loan to Swindon. I did quite well there, went back to Leeds and started playing in every game.

'But then, in 2004, I turned up on the first day of pre-season thinking we were going to discuss a new contract, and someone said: "You're going up to Newcastle for your medical tomorrow". I was like: "Am I?" That was tough.

'It was disappointing that I didn't get to play for Leeds for longer, but to do it at all was pretty special.'

Milner grew up as a Leeds fan and even waived money he was owed by the club before his impending departure to St James' Park.

Milner continued: 'What little money the club owed me, I gave up to help them, and they got a transfer fee.'

'So it was portrayed to me that it was in the best interests of the club [for me to leave] due to all of the financial difficulties. I thought I was doing the right thing by the club.'