Leeds United - on this day: James Milner makes heartbreaking Elland Road departure

The date...

July 2, 2004

The event...

Leeds United academy product James Milner is sold to Newcastle United for an initial fee of £3.6m

The story...

It has been 16 years to the day since one of the most revered talents Thorp Arch has ever produced left Leeds United for pastures new.

James Milner - who rose through the Whites academy ranks at stunning pace - broke hearts at Elland Road as he was forced to depart for Newcastle United amid the financial crisis in LS11 following relegation from the Premier League in 2004.

The now 34-year-old was handed his senior debut at the age of just 16 by the Whites and in November 2002 became the second youngest player to appear in the English top flight.

Just a month later he was the youngest player to score in the Premier League in a 2-1 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, but it is a goal against Chelsea just days later that United fans remember more than most.

Milner collected the ball and created a yard of space away from Blues defender Marcel Desailly before curling an inch-perfect shot inside the post from 18 yards as Leeds went on to stun Chelsea 2-0 at Elland Road.

The Wortley-born star made 54 appearances for the club in total before his exit, scoring five goals in the process as he burst onto the scene ahead of United's off-field woes around the turn of the century.

He has gone on to boast spells with the Magpies, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool since and has returned a trophy haul of three Premier League titles along with a Championship League, FA Cup and League Cup winners medal.

Milner also earned 61 caps for England before retiring from international football in 2016.

“What little money the club owed me I gave up to help them and they got a transfer fee," Milner said of his departure in 2018.

"It was portrayed to me that it was in the best interests of the club due to all the financial difficulties. I thought I was doing the right thing by the club.

“It was very tough to get relegated and there were a lot of financial things going on.”

Milner also credits his footballing education in West Yorkshire as a key factor to all of his career success, adding: "I was playing in the Premier League and still cleaning the under-18s captain’s boots.

"I was scoring goals in the Premier League but, after the game, I’m picking up the kit, taking the dirty slips to the bus with the kitman. I had to make tea on the bus.

"After 20 games in the Premier League, with a few goals, the kitman said: ‘Go on, get on the bus.’ That made me feel so good. But it gave me such hunger and you knew your place.

“It definitely helped me and they’re good values that I wish were still in the game."

Whites fans still hold out hope of seeing Milner return to the club one day, and he himself says he would be open to the possibility if the right opportunity arose.

"I am a Leeds lad and I want the team to do well, I’m a fan. I always follow the team and the results," Milner said last year.

"So you can never say 'No' or even 'Yes' because just so much changes in football, you never know what happens."

He added: "It would be amazing to play for Leeds again but no-one from the club has ever contacted me about that."