The Top 5 Longest Serving Players In The Premier League

David Tully

2 months ago

Categories: Galleries, Manchester City News

Tags: Arsenal, aston villa, Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Southampton, spurs, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, wolves

It’s very rare these days for a player to stay at one club for more than a decade.

Money and the presence of agents mean that footballers are often encouraged to switch clubs rather than stay in one place for too long.

Yet, there are some who buck the trend. The 5 names on our list have stayed at their current teams for at least 11 years.

Press the next page as we count down the longest-serving Premier League players (based on data from the CIES Football Observatory).

=3) Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (Luton Town) – 11 Years

The holding midfielder initially joined the Hatters on loan from West Ham before signing on a permanent basis in January 2014.

At the time, Luton were still in the National League, the fifth tier of English football, but Ruddock Mpanzu has stayed loyal as the club moved up through the divisions.

The 29-year-old has made 391 appearances for his current team, scoring 23 goals and providing 34 assists.

Ruddock Mpanzu is still part of the first-team setup, having played 24 games in all competitions this season.

=3) Paul Dummett (Newcastle) – 11 Years

The defender is Newcastle through and through, having been born in the city.

Dummett made his way through the club’s youth system before making his first-team debut in 2013.

The centre-back has gone on to play 208 games for the Magpies over the last decade, but he has been getting fewer and fewer matches over the past few years.

Now 32 years of age, Dummett is expected to leave St James’ Park on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer.

=3) Solly March (Brighton) – 11 Years

Another youth academy product, the winger made his debut for the Seagulls in 2013. It took him a number of years to establish himself as a regular starter.

However, by the time of Brighton’s promotion to the top flight at the end of the 2016/17 campaign, March was a key player in Chris Hughton’s squad.

Now 29, he has racked up 286 appearances, scoring 25 times and contributing 31 assists.

March’s form last season even led to calls for him to be given an England cap but, unfortunately, back in October, he suffered a serious knee injury.

2) Joel Ward (Crystal Palace) – 12 Years

The veteran fullback is not a one-club man, unlike Dummett and March. He came through Portsmouth’s youth academy prior to joining Palace in the summer of 2012.

Ward got promoted in his first season with the Eagles before playing regularly in the Premier League for the next 11 years.

At the age of 34, the defender is captain of Palace, and he continues to be a key member of the squad.

However, Ward’s contract does expire at the end of the season so it remains to be seen whether he will stay at Selhurst Park.

1) Seamus Coleman (Everton) – 14 Years

The Republic of Ireland international famously signed for just £60,000 from Sligo Rovers in 2009.

Coleman has gone on to play 415 games for Everton, as well as becoming club captain.

Over the last decade, the 35-year-old has seen the Merseyside club finish as high as 5th as well as being threatened by relegation on more than one occasion.

The right-back is more of a bit-part player these days, having only started 3 times this season, but he is still a very influential figure in the dressing room.