Since the First Division switched to the Premier League in 1992, there has been a small group of players who have represented just one club in the Premier League for a sustained period.
Due to various changes in the game, this doesn’t happen as often in football. Here are a few players who have made over two hundred appearances for just one Premier League club:
Steven Gerrard (Played for Liverpool from 1999 until 2015)
The midfielder is a Liverpool legend, having come through the ranks at his boyhood club. He became a hero among the club’s fans, making 504 appearances for the men from Merseyside and scoring 120 goals in the English top flight.
🌟⚽️🔴 A legend emerges! Steven Gerrard makes his Premier League debut for Liverpool on November 29, 1998, beginning a storied career at Anfield to end up with 504 appearances and 120 goals for the club. #Gerrard #Liverpool #PremierLeagueDebut pic.twitter.com/Rr2IE7FsCZ
— FootballHeritage (@ThisDayInFtbl) November 29, 2024
Gerrard won many honours during his Liverpool career, including the 2005 Champions League. However, the one title that eluded him throughout his trophy-laden career was a Premier League winners medal, which he came close to winning in season 2013/14 when the Reds threw away a healthy lead at the top of the table to finish second place to Manchester City.
Gerrard won many individual awards during his stellar playing career, including in season 2005/06 when he won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year. He also won the fan’s version in seasons 2000/01 and 2008/09 while also picking the FWA Footballer of the Year in season 2008/09.
Paul Scholes (Played for Manchester United from 1994 until 2013)
The diminutive former midfielder came through the ranks alongside Gary Neville, his brother Phil, David Beckham and Nicky Butt in the famous class of 92’.
Out of the group, he made the most top-flight appearances for United, appearing 499 times in his nearly two-decade Premier League career.
Scholes played a crucial part in the Red Devils’ 11 top-flight titles during his playing career. His talent didn’t go unnoticed, with former opponents Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane, and Xavi all praising the midfielder’s quality during his time with United.
Jamie Carragher (Played for Liverpool from 1996 until 2013)
The boyhood Everton fan came through the youth ranks at their rivals Liverpool to become one of the Reds’ most loyal servants.
Carragher appeared for the men from Merseyside from 1996 until 2013, playing 508 times in the Premier League.
Jamie Carragher made his 508th #BPL appearance as Liverpool beat QPR 1-0. pic.twitter.com/9a45ZQ6boM
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 19, 2013
During his time with Liverpool, the defender won the Champions League in season 2004/05, as well as the FA Cup twice and the League Cup on three occasions, amongst other trophies.
When he hung up his boots, Carragher moved into the media to work as a pundit on SKY’s coverage of the English top flight.
Gary Neville (Played for Manchester United from 1994 until 2011)
Neville came through the club’s youth system and went on to establish himself as a key player for United for over a decade and a half.
The defender made 400 Premier League appearances for United during his career. His time as a Red Devils player was certainly eventful, as he helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s team to eight Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and three FA Cups, amongst a plethora of other trophies.
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Ironically, after spending years in opposition to Jamie Carragher on the football pitch, he then worked closely alongside him as a pundit for SKY.
Ryan Giggs (Played for Manchester United from 1990 until 2014)
Another one of the youngsters who came through the youth ranks at United under Sir Alex Ferguson. Giggs came along slightly before the class of 92’, having made his Red Devils debut in season 1990/91 when the English top-flight was still called the First Division.
Giggs made 632 appearances during the Premier League era, scoring a creditable 109 goals, but maybe more crucially, producing 162 assists for his teammates. Only James Milner and Gareth Barry have made more appearances in the Premier League in its current guise.
The former Wales winger is acknowledged as the most successful player in the history of the English game, having won the top-flight title on 13 occasions. His silverware collection also includes two Champions League-winning medals and four FA and League Cup-winning medals.
John Terry (Played for Chelsea from 1998 until 2017)
Although Terry finished his playing career with a season in the Championship with Aston Villa and had a loan spell at Nottingham Forest early in his career in the second tier, his only Premier League club was Chelsea.
It would be unfair to leave the centre-back out of this list, as he served the Blues with such distinction from 1998 until 2017 in the English top flight.
During his time in south west London, the former England captain made 492 appearances in the Premier League, helping the club to win the Premier League on six occasions, amongst a plethora of other trophies.
In season 2004/05, Terry was named the PFA Players Player of the Year, having helped the Blues to their first title of the Premier League era.
Tony Adams (Played for Arsenal from 1983 until 2002)
The big centre-back started his career with Arsenal way before the advent of the Premier League, making his Gunners debut way back in 1983 after coming through the north London club’s youth system.
From 1992, when the Premier League was rebranded, until his retirement in 2002, Adams made 255 Premier League appearances. He had previously won the English title twice in the First Division era and went on to also win the Premier League on two occasions.
The fact that Adams was named in the Premier League Team of the Year in seasons 1993/94, 1995/96 and 1996/97 illustrates how consistent the centre-back was during his Gunners career.
Mark Noble (Played for West Ham from 2005 until 2022)
The midfielder became ‘Mr West Ham’ during his playing career, which began in season 2004/05 when the midfielder played a part in the Hammers winning promotion to the Premier League.
Although he made just 15 top-flight appearances for the Hammers in the first two seasons of his career, Noble went on to become a mainstay of the West Ham midfield, making an impressive 492 appearances for the Irons.
During his playing days, he won the West Ham Hammer of the Year award twice, in seasons 2011/12 and 2013/14.
