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The 5 Players with the Most Premier League Appearances

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Gareth Barry

Most Premier League Appearances

The 5 Players with the Most Premier League Appearances

The Premier League has seen some of the best players to have played the game, and there have been the select few players who have gone on to make the most appearances in the league for their respective clubs. They have established themselves as club legends, who have had a positive impact on the league as well. Hence, we take a look at these players who have left their mark on the game.

 

5. James Milner – 567 appearances

James Milner is a player that needs no introduction. The 35-year-old currently plays for Liverpool and has captained his country England on the international stage. Milner started out his career at Leeds United in 2002, and went on to make 48 appearances for the club. His performances with the club helped him to be recognised as a young player with an enormous amount of potential to excel in the game; that statement turned out to be true as he became one of the youngest players to score in the Premier League.

The performances he used to put in helped him improve his game drastically, and a move to Newcastle United materialised as Leeds United were relegated in the 2003-04 season. Milner made over 94 appearances for Newcastle, before making a switch to Aston Villa on loan in the year 2005. The move later was made permanent and he went on to make another 100 appearances for the Lions.

After winning the PFA young player of the year award in 2010, Milner moved to Manchester City, where he made over 147 appearances for the club. During the period he was playing for them, he got his hands on the Premier League title twice, and also lifted one FA cup, one EFL cup, and one Community shield title. In 2015 Milner was again on the move and this time he signed for Liverpool, where he won his third Premier League title, and saw himself lift the prestigious Champions League title in 2019.

Milner’s work rate and attitude helped him become a versatile player, as he could start a game as a full-back, midfielder, or winger. His ability to read the game is second to none and irrespective of how the oppositions have lined up he would know how to create problems for them as he would give accurate passes to his teammates. Therefore we can say that Milner is one of the finest players to have played in the Premier League, and the English international has had a tremendous impact on the league.

 

4. David James – 572 appearances

David James is a former England international who played for Watford, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Bristol City, AFC Bournemouth, IBV Vestmannaeyjar and Kerala Blasters during his playing career.

James started his career at Watford and made 89 appearances for the senior team. His performances in the season of 1990-1991 helped him win the clubs Player of the Season award, and his contributions throughout his time at the club helped him in becoming a part of the Watford Hall of Fame for his services. He later signed for Liverpool in the year 1992 and made over 214 appearances for the Merseyside club. His time at the club saw the team win the Football League Cup in 1995 and he also received a runners-up medal in the 1996 FA Cup.

James established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers in the Premier League at that time. However, an exit from Liverpool was looming large as he fell down the pecking order due to the arrival of Brad Friedel. Therefore, a move to Aston Villa was finalised for the player. The transfer to Aston Villa saw the goalkeeper make over 67 appearances for the club, his time at the club was overshadowed however through picking up a serious knee injury which kept him on the sidelines for several months.

With his time at Aston Villa over he saw himself make a move to West Ham, where he spent most of his time in the first division as West Ham were relegated in 2003. He played 64 games for the Hammers before sealing a move to Manchester City. His time at City helped him become a first-choice keeper, however due to personal reasons, James soon had to leave City and, joined Portsmouth.

During the last phase of his career, James played for Portsmouth, Bristol City, AFC Bournemouth, Kerala Blasters, and IBV Vestmannaeyjar and had made over 263 appearances for all the clubs combined.

James played for several clubs throughout his career and despite not winning many club or personal accolades, he currently holds the record for having the fourth most appearances in the Premier League, and he once held the record for having the most clean sheets (169) until Petr Cech surpassed his record. Therefore it can be said that James is one of the best goalkeepers to have played in the Premier League and the longevity he has shown has helped him become an iconic figure in the game today.

 

3. Frank Lampard – 609 appearances

Frank Lampard is a former England international player who was Chelsea’s manager from July 2019 to January 2021. The 43-year-old started his professional career when he first signed for West Ham United in 1995 and he went on to make 174 appearances for the Hammers, finding the back of the net 24 times.

Lampard’s career took off when he signed for Chelsea in 2001, going on to make over 648 appearances for them. He reached his full potential with the Blues as he would go on to break many records, such as the record for scoring the most goals by a midfielder and the record of scoring the highest number of goals from outside the box. He managed to score 211 goals for the Blues and he helped the team win many accolades such as the Premier League title, the UEFA Champions League title, UEFA Europa League title, along with other domestic titles throughout.

After playing with Chelsea for 13 years, Lampard signed with Manchester City as a free agent. During his time with them, he managed to make 38 appearances for the Premier League giants, and out of the six goals he scored for them, one of them came against his former team, Chelsea, in 2014.

His last outing as a player was when he decided to join New York City in 2015. In his only year at the club the midfielder made 31 appearances for them, where he found the back of the net 15 times.

Lampard is seen as one of the best midfielders to have played the game, showcasing his skills as a creative and technically gifted midfielder who can create trouble for opposition defences. Apart from the creativity he possesses he is known to be a prolific goal-scorer. He is the highest goal-scorer for Chelsea, and the only midfielder in Premier League history to score more than 150 goals in the league. The English international always had a positive contribution while playing and going forward he would be a big source of inspiration for young budding footballers who dream of making it big.

 

2. Ryan Giggs – 632 appearances

Ryan Giggs is a former player and the current head coach of the Welsh international team. Giggs’s career actually started off in Manchester City, however on his 14th birthday he moved clubs and he ultimately joined rivals Manchester United, where he would end up playing for the entirety of his career. Giggs spent 23 years playing for United, and during his time at the club, he made 632 appearances for them in the Premier League, totallin 109 goals in England’s top flight.

The 47-year-old’s performances at United helped him in being recognised as one of the greatest talents of his generation, and the mindset he possessed paved the way for him to become one of the most decorated footballers of all time. He managed to win 13 Premier League titles, 4 FA cup medals, 3 league cup medals, 2 UEFA Champions League medals, and 9 Community Shields. Apart from winning team awards, the Welsh international got his hands on the PFA Young Player of the Year award twice and he eventually won the PFA Player of the Year in 2009.

Giggs was seen to be a menace on the wings as he used to create problems for the opposition’s defense with his blistering pace and unique passing ability. The technical skills he possessed helped him make his mark on the game as he would go on to be the player in the league to have the most assists (162), and he would ultimately make the second-most league appearances as well.

The Welsh wizard’s career has been a fairytale as he has got his hands on some of the most prestigious trophies that can be won by professional footballers, and the personality he showcased on the pitch will definitely inspire the younger generation to take over and make their mark on the game.

 

1. Gareth Barry- 653 appearances

Gareth Barry is a former England international who played for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton and West Bromwich Albion. Barry’s professional career took flight when he first signed for Aston Villa as a youngster, making his entry into the Premier League.

The 40-year-old spent 12 years at Aston Villa, and went on to make 441 appearances for them in all competitions, which included making 365 appearances in the Premier League. He found himself to be eighth in the all-time appearances made for the club. He joined Manchester City in 2009 and his time at the club saw the Premier League giants lift the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League trophy the following season.

Barry was a regular starter for City, making 132 appearances, and finding the back of the net 6 times. After spending 5 years at City, Barry joined Everton in 2013 on a season-long loan, with the move becoming permanent in 2014, signing a three year deal with the Toffees. Barry was chosen to be the first choice starting midfielder, making 131 appearances for them in the Premier League.

While he was in Everton, Barry became the third player after Ryan Giggs and Frank Lampard to make 600 appearances in the Premier League. Barry’s last outing as a player was when he moved clubs from Everton to West Bromwich Albion. He made 52 appearances for The Baggies, and therefore broke the record for making the most appearances in the Premier League (653).

Gareth Barry was a strong midfielder who had an eye for goal, as he managed to rack up 67 goals throughout his career. Half of these goals came from the spot as he was a clinical penalty taker who would always find the top corner of the net. His strength not only included scoring but it did include creating goal-scoring chances for his teammates, as he managed to register 60 assists during his time in the Premier League. Barry’s charisma and consistency has helped him become a Premier League legend and the record of him holding the most appearances will stay for quite a while.

 

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘The 5 Players with the Most Premier League Appearances’. Who do you think has had the biggest impact in the Premier League? Let us know!

 

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