Paul Aaron Scholes (born 16 November 1974) is an English football player who has spent his whole career at Manchester United. Scholes has been called one of the best midfielders of his generation, and has been praised many times for his modesty and attitude towards the game.
Scholes represented the England national team for a period of seven years, having been handed his début in 1997. He went on to represent his country at four major tournaments; the 1998 and 2002 World Cups and the 2000 and 2004 European Championships. Following Euro 2004, Scholes announced his retirement from international football, citing his intentions to focus on his club career with Manchester United and spend more time with his family. Scholes went to Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School in Middleton Manchester. At his final Period of School he was selected to represent Great Britain National Schools in Football.
Born in Salford, England, Scholes was brought up an Oldham Athletic supporter, but has trained with Manchester United since the age of 14. He then later joined as a trainee upon leaving the Cardinal Langley School, Middleton, Greater Manchester in the summer of 1991. Contrary to popular belief, he was not a member of Manchester United's 1992 FA Youth Cup-winning squad, but he was part of the youth team that reached the final in the following season. Scholes turned professional on 23 July 1993, but did not make his breakthrough into the Old Trafford team until the 1994–95 season, when he made 17 league appearances and scored five goals. His debut for the senior squad came on 21 September 1994, where he scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Port Vale in the League Cup. The 20-year-old Scholes proved himself to be a promising understudy for the likes of Eric Cantona and Andrew Cole.
Scholes was unable to secure a regular first team place until the 1997–98 season, when he played in midfield after the ninth game when Roy Keane was ruled out by injury.
In 1998–99, Scholes was a key player in Manchester United's Premiership title, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League "Treble" success. He scored one of United's two goals against Newcastle in the FA Cup final but was ruled out of the Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich through suspension.
Established player
Since then, Paul Scholes has established himself as a world class midfielder at the club level. He became a key player in the Manchester United squad. Scholes generally played as a central attacking midfielder during his longstanding midfield partnership with Roy Keane, where Keane would drop deep and Scholes would push forward in a diamond formation. However since the departure of Keane he has shifted into a more conventional centre midfielder, but still playing a more attacking role than defensive. One of the well known features of Paul's game is his high level of passing. Typical Manchester United moves over the last decade have involved Scholes receiving the ball from the holding midfielder, Roy Keane or Michael Carrick and then spreading a diagonal ball to a player on the right flank, mostly Gary Neville, David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Paul's shooting has also been hailed by the fans and media alike. His goal-scoring record has diminished in recent seasons and it's highly unlikely he'll regain the goalscoring form he had during the 2002-03 season when he netted 20 goals in all competitions, including a Hat-Trick away to Newcastle and a 25 yard screamer off the underside of the bar against Everton. However his goals record during the 2006-07 season was a massive contribution to Manchester United clinching the Premiership title and reaching the FA Cup Final and UEFA Champions League Semi-Final
In ten years as a first team player at Manchester United, Paul Scholes has won seven Premiership titles, three FA Cups, the European Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup, amongst many other personal achievements.
Unlike other modern footballers, Scholes does not have an agent and negotiates deals on his own behalf. He rarely gives interviews or accepts advertising contracts.
Later career
Scholes' retirement from England helped revive his club form in 2005. However, he was ruled out for the second half of the 2005–06 season with blurred vision. The cause of this was initially uncertain, at first leaving Scholes' career in the balance. He overcame this problem through the beginning of the year and he appeared in United's final game of the 2005–06 season, against Charlton Athletic. Reportedly, Scholes' vision has not completely recovered.
On the 22 October 2006, in the 2-0 Premiership victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford, twelve years after marking his Red Devils début with a League Cup brace against Port Vale, Scholes became the ninth United player to reach the 500th appearance landmark, following the likes of Sir Bobby Charlton, Bill Foulkes, Denis Irwin and current team-mates Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. Scholes was voted Man of the Match and gave a rare interview after the game.
Inspired goalscoring form during late 2006 and early 2007 saw players from rival Premiership teams tip Scholes to be named Footballer of the Year. Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal F.C., and Luis Garcia of Liverpool F.C., all said he was the player that they most admired. Many commentators have said that Scholes was their personal player of the year, over the high scoring Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba, although he eventually finished third behind these two, with Ronaldo claiming the top prize.
Scholes was dismissed by referee Martin Atkinson, during Manchester United's 1-0 victory over Liverpool F.C. at Anfield on 3 March 2007, for swinging an arm at Xabi Alonso. It marked the first time he has been sent off in the league since Manchester United lost 1-0 against Liverpool's city rivals, Everton FC in April 2005. He missed the next three domestic games. The loss of Scholes was described by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as "a disappointment" Scholes still featured in Manchester United's match against Lippi's European team, performing calmly and effectively in centre-midfield, which Manchester United won 4-3 with the help of Wayne Rooney's brace and strikes from Ronaldo and Wes Brown. Scholes returned to the United line-up against Blackburn on March 31; scoring the equalizer in a 4-1 win. Scholes received his second red card of the season four days later against Roma in a Champions League match at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, after committing two yellow card offences. Due to suspension, he missed the second leg at Old Trafford on April 10th which United won 7-1 (8-3 on aggregate). On 24 April, during a Champions League game against AC Milan at Old Trafford, with United trailing 2-1, Scholes used his creativity to lob a pass over the Milan defence, which included Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta, leaving Wayne Rooney free to slot home the equalizer. Clive Tyldesley's comment summed up a typical Paul Scholes' pass: 'What a pass!' United eventually did win the game 3-2 when Wayne Rooney, again, scored the winner in injury time. However, eight days later at the San Siro, the team produced a poor performance which saw United outplayed by Milan and were eliminated from the Champions League 5-3 on aggregate. However Scholes produced a fine performance and did his job for the team. On 13 May 2007, Scholes won his 7th Premiership title with Man Utd.
As the 2007-08 season commenced, Scholes netted his first goal against Portsmouth on 15 August 2007, and in doing so became the highest scoring United player in the Premier League.
According to team mate, Rio Ferdinand, Scholes is the only player who has not come face-to-face with manager Sir Alex Ferguson's "hair-dryer treatment".
On 23 August 2007, Scholes was shortlisted for a place in the National Football Museum Hall of Fame 2007. Viewers of BBC's Football Focus on 1 September 2007, however, ultimately voted for Dennis Bergkamp.
In his autobiography, Sir Bobby Charlton says that he believes that Scholes is the one player still playing who truly epitomises the spirit of Manchester United and what is great about football.
Paul Scholes has been ruled out of action until the end of January 2008, after scan results showed he has suffered knee ligament damage. He sustained the injury after turning awkwardly in training the night before United's Champions League Group F clash with Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday 23 October 2007.
Honours
With Manchester United (1994 – present)
Premier League (7) - 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07
FA Cup (3) - 1996, 1999, 2004
League Cup (1) - 2006
UEFA Champions League (1) - 1999
Intercontinental Cup (1) - 1999
Community Shield (5) - 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007
Individual honours
Barclays Premiership Player of the Month for October 2006
PFA Premiership Team of the Year: 2006-07
Absolutely marvelous player, and a legend both for Manchester United and this league