Paul Scholes

Paul Aaron Scholes (born November 16 1974) is an England national football team football (soccer) player who has spent his whole career at Manchester United F.C.. One of the best midfielders of his generation, Scholes has been praised many times for his modesty and attitude towards the game.

Scholes represented the England national football 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 FIFA World Cup and 2002 FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup and the Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 UEFA European Football Championship. 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.

Club career

Early career

Born in Salford, England, Scholes was brought up an Oldham Athletic F.C. 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, and in his first season guided the club to victory in the FA Youth Cup. His debut for the senior squad came on September 21, 1994, where he scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Port Vale in the League Cup. He turned professional on 23 July 1993, but did not make his breakthrough into the Old Trafford (football ground) team until the 1994-95 in English football season, when he made 17 league appearances and scored five goals. 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 FA Premier League title, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League "The Treble" success. He scored one of United's two goals against Newcastle United F.C. 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 F.C. squad. Scholes generally played as an 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.

In ten years as a first team player at Manchester United, Paul Scholes has won seven FA Premier League titles, three FA Cups, the European Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup (football), 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 in English football 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 F.C.. Reportedly, Scholes' vision has not completely recovered.

On the 22 October 2006, in the 2-0 FA Premier League victory over Liverpool F.C. at Old Trafford (football ground), twelve years after marking his Red Devils début with a Football League Cup brace against Port Vale F.C., 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 opened the scoring in the 39th minute, prodding the ball home following a Ryan Giggs cross. Rio Ferdinand scored the second goal, in the 66th minute. 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 Javier García Sanz 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.

Despite rave reviews about his play in the 2006/2007 season, 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 (football ground), 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, Scholes and company produced a poor performance which saw United outplayed by Milan and were eliminated from the Champions League 5-3 on aggregate. 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 who truly epitomises Manchester United.

International career

Scholes made his international début against South Africa national football team in 1997 in a 2-1 friendly win at Old Trafford (football ground), and was included in the England squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. England were grouped with Columbia, Tunisia and Romania. During England's first World Cup group match against Tunisia, Scholes sealed a 2-0 victory with a goal late in the game. Picking up a pass from Paul Ince just outside the Tunisian area, Scholes pushed the ball slightly to his right and hit a shot with his right foot which curled into the top right-hand corner of Tunisian keeper El Ouaer's net.

His international career continued after England's World Cup 98 elimination by Argentina on penalties in the first knock-out round. Scholes managed a hat-trick for England in a game against Poland national football team. In addition, Scholes scored both goals in England's 2-0 win at Hampden Park over Scotland in the Euro 2000 Play-off first leg, sealing a 2-1 aggregate win and qualification for Euro 2000. When he was sent off against Sweden at Wembley Stadium (1924) in 1999, he became the first English player to ever be dismissed on home soil. Given that the stadium has now been demolished he will, therefore, forever be the only England player to have received a red card in England's 223 matches at the old stadium.

With the turn of the century, Scholes became a prominent player in England's midfield. He started for England in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, wearing the number 8. However, after the World Cup, Scholes saw his opportunities in the national team decline. The rise of Frank Lampard forced him to play on the left wing at Euro 2004, a position which he disliked. Scholes announced his retirement from international football in August 2004, citing his family life and his club career with Manchester United F.C. as being more important. He has twice turned down the opportunity to come out of retirement and reclaim his position in the England squad under manager, Steve McClaren.

Honours

With Manchester United (1994 – present)

- Premier League - Champion (7): 1995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2002/03, 2006/07
- Premier League - Runner Up: 1994/95, 1997/98, 2005/06
- FA Cup Winner (3): 1996, 1999, 2004
- FA Cup Runner Up: 1995, 2005, 2007
- Football League Cup Winner (1): 2006
- UEFA Champions League Winner: 1999
- European/South American Cup: 1999
- UEFA Super Cup Runner Up: 1999
- Community Shield Winner (5): 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007
- Community Shield Runners Up: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004

Individual honours

- Barclays Premier League 2006-07 Monthly awards for October, 2006

Trivia

- Paul Scholes is a fan of Oldham Athletic A.F.C. and has been seen at some of the club's home matches when they don't clash with his Manchester United F.C. commitments. He has often hinted he would like to end his career at Oldham Athletic A.F.C.

- Paul is also a patron for Trust Oldham, the supporters trust set up by Oldham Athletic A.F.C. fans.

- Paul has stated that he is an avid cook, specifically lasagne.

- Paul does not have an agent and negotiates his own deals with Manchester United F.C]