Name : Paul Scholes

Birthplace : Salford, 16/11/1974

Height : 170cm - 5ft 7in

Weight : 74kg - 11st 9lb

Full International : England (16 caps, 7 goals)

Position : Forward

Squad Number : 18

Debut : 21.09.1994

Appearances (1994-1999) : 174 - 50 as sub

Goals : 49

Paul Scholes signed for United on trainee forms on 8th July 1991 and turned professional eighteen months later on 23rd July 1993. Scholes showed much promise in the Youth and Reserve teams, winning an FA Youth Cup winners' medal in 1992 and a runners-up medal in the same competition a year later. He was also a member of the England Under-18 team which won the European Championships in 1993.

His League debut was against Ipswich Town on 24th September 1994, where he scored twice in a 2-3 defeat.

In the 1994-95 season Paul Scholes became a regular player, in the absence of Eric Cantona (through suspension) and Mark Hughes (through injury), earning himself a place in the FA Cup Final as a substitute for Lee Sharpe.

However Scholes and Manchester United ended the season with no silverware for the first time in five years. The following season had a much happier ending, as United pipped Newcastle United to win their third Premier League title in four years, with Scholes picking up his first major honour. To cap the season off he was in the starting line-up for the FA Cup final victory against Liverpool to complete a historic 'Double Double'.

Paul has become an important member of the Manchester United team and his goals have often come at important stages of the season. A full international, Scholes scored on his full international debut and his first international at Wembley. Paul played his part in the 1998 World Cup Finals, scoring in England's opening match against Tunisia, and starting all four of their games in the competition.

In March 1999, Paul became the first player since Norman Whiteside in 1984 to score a competitive goal for Manchester United on Italian soil. He scored the Reds' equaliser in a 1-1 Champions League draw with Inter Milan at the San Siro Stadium.

March proved to be a dramatic month for Paul. Following his heroics in Milan, he went on to net all of England's goals at Wembley in a 3-1 win over Poland in a qualifying match for Euro 2000. Days later, he announced that he and his new wife Claire were expecting their first baby.

Did You Know?

In 1993 Paul Scholes won Manchester United’s Young Player of the Year Award.

Paul Scholes supported Oldham Athletic as a youngster.

On his full international debut against Italy Paul Scholes was voted man of the match and scored in a 2-0 victory over Italy.

 

Paul Scholes