Paul Scholes

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Scholes came through the Manchester United academy as one of Fergie's Fledglings, a group of players recruited by the club under the management of Alex Ferguson. He made his full debut in the 1994–95 season. He went on to make 718 appearances for the club, the third-highest number of appearances by any player. He announced his retirement from playing in May 2011 and was appointed as a coach at Manchester United. He returned to playing in January 2012, and played one more season for the club before retiring again in May 2013. Scholes represented the England national team from 1997 to 2004, gaining 66 caps and participating in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2000 and 2004 UEFA European Championships. He announced his retirement from international football in August 2004, citing his family life and his club career with Manchester United as being more important. Scholes' first managerial position was at Oldham Athletic, for 31 days in February and March 2019. In 2020, he had a short spell as interim manager of Salford City.

In Their Own Story

On 25 March 2000, Scholes delivered one of the finest goals of his career against Bradford City. David Beckham sent a corner directly to him on the edge of the area, and Scholes volleyed it in over Dwight Yorke, who was forced to duck. A week later, he scored his first United hat-trick in a 7–1 victory over West Ham United. His goal-scoring peak came in 2002–03 with 20 goals in all competitions, including a hat-trick against Newcastle. He also netted the winning goal in the 2003–04 FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal. However, his career faced challenges; he was ruled out for the second half of the 2005–06 season due to blurred vision, sparking fears it could end his career, but he returned for the final game against Charlton Athletic. In 2006–07, he enjoyed a fine season included in the PFA Team of the Year, though he was dismissed against Liverpool at Anfield on 3 March 2007 for swinging an arm at Xabi Alonso.

Reader's Guide

Scholes was born on 16 November 1974 in Salford, Greater Manchester. He is of Irish and Northern Irish descent. On his mother's side, his grandmother came from Ireland, while his grandfather was from Northern Ireland. The family moved to Langley, Greater Manchester, when he was 18 months old, where he lived on Bowness Road and Talkin Drive. He attended the St Mary's RC Primary School in Langley. The first team he played for was Langley Furrow. Scholes also excelled at cricket. At age 14, he began training with Manchester United. He later joined as a trainee upon leaving the Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School in Middleton during the summer of 1991. In his final term at school, he was selected to represent Great Britain National Schools in football. Scholes was a member of the Manchester United youth team that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup in the 1992–93 season, alongside Phil Neville. Scholes turned professional on 23 July 1993 but did not make his breakthrough into the senior squad until the 1994–95 season, when he made seventeen league appearances and scored five goals. His debut came on 21 September 1994, where he scored both goals in a 2–1 victory over Port Vale in the League Cup. His league debut came three days later against Ipswich Town at Portman Road, a game which United lost 3–2 and Scholes scored a consolation goal. He scored two league goals when he came on 10 December when United beat Queens Park Rangers 3–2 at Loftus Road. On 3 January 1995, he got onto the scoresheet at Old Trafford for the first time with the opener in a 2–0 league win over Coventry City. He scored once more that season, in a 3–2 away win over Coventry City on 1 May. Scholes came on as a substitute in the 1995 FA Cup final against Everton, which United lost 1–0. In the 1995–96 season, after Mark Hughes moved to Chelsea, Scholes had more first-team opportunities, standing in for the suspended Eric Cantona as Andy Cole's strike partner for the first two months of the season. Scholes scored 14 goals in all competitions as United became the first English team to win the double twice. He picked up another Premier League medal in the 1996–97 season. After Roy Keane suffered a knee injury in late September 1997 and was ruled out for the rest of the season, Scholes was made a central midfielder in the 1997–98 season. United finished the season without a major trophy,

Did You Know?

• Scholes scored over 150 goals in more than 700 appearances for Manchester United between 1993 and 2013.
• He won 11 Premier League titles, more than any other English player.
• Scholes was sent off in the 2008 UEFA Super Cup for a deliberate handball.
• He made his 100th Champions League appearance in April 2008.

The One-Club Legend and Trophy Cabinet

Paul Scholes is defined by his loyalty to Manchester United, where he spent his entire professional career from 1993 to 2013. He made 718 appearances for the club, the third-highest number in its history, and scored over 150 goals. His trophy haul includes 25 major honors: 11 Premier League titles (a record for an English player), three FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles. He was a key figure in the historic 1998–99 treble-winning season, scoring against Newcastle and Inter Milan before being suspended for the final. Scholes also won his last FA Cup medal in 2003–04 and played in the 2005 final, though he saw his penalty saved by Jens Lehmann in a shoot-out loss to Arsenal.

Technical Mastery and Evolution on the Pitch

Renowned for technical skills, accurate passing, intelligent movement, powerful long-range shooting, and goal-scoring ability, Scholes adapted his role multiple times. In 1997–98, he moved to central midfield following Roy Keane's knee injury. By 2001–02, under Ferguson's 4–4-1-1 system, he operated as a withdrawn striker behind Ruud van Nistelrooy. His career-high 20 goals in the 2002–03 season included a hat-trick against Newcastle. He scored one of his finest goals against Bradford City on 25 March 2000 and completed his first United hat-trick against West Ham a week later. Despite a career-threatening blurred vision issue in late 2005, he recovered to play until 2013.

International Service and Early Departure

Scholes represented the England national team from 1997 to 2004, earning 66 caps. His international tenure included participation in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2000 and 2004 UEFA European Championships. In August 2004, he announced his retirement from international football at age 30, citing his family life and club career with Manchester United as priorities. This decision meant he did not participate in subsequent major tournaments, ending a seven-year international stint that saw him serve as a key creative force for the Three Lions.

Life Beyond Playing: Coaching and Management

After announcing his initial retirement from playing in May 2011, Scholes was immediately appointed as a coach at Manchester United. He returned to the pitch in January 2012, playing one final season before retiring permanently in May 2013. His post-playing career included a short managerial spell at Oldham Athletic for 31 days in February and March 2019, followed by an interim role as manager of Salford City in 2020. He also established himself as a football pundit, leveraging his deep understanding of the game gained from over two decades at the highest level.