Milner Leads the Way as Liverpool Legends Squad Begins to Take Shape
If you were picking one former player to headline a Liverpool Legends team sheet, you could do a lot worse than James Milner. The man who did every job asked of him for the best part of a decade is coming back to Anfield, and we cannot think of a more fitting way to kick off the build-up to next spring’s charity fixture.
Milner has been confirmed as the first name in the Liverpool Legends squad to face Inter Legends on Saturday March 27, with kick-off at 3pm GMT. The rest of the players and the coaching team will be revealed nearer the time, but getting Milner on board first sends a clear message about the tone of the occasion.
The Ultimate Professional
It is easy to forget just how much Milner gave this club. He walked through the door on a free transfer from Manchester City in 2015, a signing that raised a few eyebrows at the time, and ended up becoming one of the most dependable figures of the most successful Liverpool side in a generation.
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Over eight seasons he racked up 332 appearances and collected six major trophies, with the 2019 Champions League in Madrid and the 2020 Premier League title the obvious highlights. Yet the medals only tell half the story. What we remember is the attitude. Central midfield one week, left-back the next, out on the right flank if that is what the team needed. He never complained, he just ran, tackled and organised.
Every title-winning dressing room needs a figure like that, someone who sets the standard in training and refuses to let anyone drop below it. Milner was that player, and for our money his influence on the culture of that squad is still underrated.
Why the Match Means So Much
Speaking about his return, Milner made it clear how much the chance to wear the red shirt again at Anfield means to him, describing the experience of playing in front of the Kop as special and unlike anything else. He also stressed that the day goes beyond football, framing it as a way of giving something back to supporters while backing the work of the LFC Foundation, and said he was delighted to be the first to commit.
That is the bit that really matters. The legends fixture has grown into one of the cornerstones of the Foundation’s fundraising year. Across the ten matches staged so far, more than £10 million has been raised for communities in the Liverpool City Region and further afield.
The scale of the Foundation’s work right now is remarkable. Last season it supported 239,421 people, a jump of 65 per cent on the year before, while over 50,000 more participants were reached overseas. In total that work generated £96 million in social value, which works out at £10.53 returned for every £1 spent.
A Long Partnership Off the Pitch
Milner’s involvement is not a one-off gesture either. His own charity, the James Milner Foundation, has worked alongside the LFC Foundation since 2016, giving more than 2,000 youngsters access to safe, enjoyable activities during the school holidays. Most recently it helped pay for four weeks of free football and multi-sport camps in Anfield and Toxteth, attended by more than 800 children.
For supporters wanting to be there, adult tickets are £29.50, concessions are £19.50 and juniors are £9.50. Premium seats start at £59.50 and hospitality packages from £189.
We will be keen to see who joins him in the squad, but Milner on the team sheet already makes this a date worth circling. He earned every ounce of affection Liverpool fans have for him, and Anfield will give him the welcome he deserves.