Premier League - Scholes: The legend hits 600

Eurosport - Thu, 23 Apr 08:58:00 2009

As Paul Scholes prepares to make his 600th appearance for Manchester United against Portsmouth, Eurosport-Yahoo! looks back at an illustrious career that has seen him win every club honour in the club game.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Manchester United Scholes - 0

The quiet little man of Old Trafford, Scholes scored twice on his debut as a 19-year-old and, after being converted from a centre forward to a midfield playmaker, became one of the best in European football.

His ability to dictate the pace of games with pinpoint passing and clever movement was coupled with an uncanny ability to arrive in the right place at the right time to finish with both feet and - impressively for a man standing at only 5'7" - weigh in with plenty of headed goals.

Scholes made his national debut at 22 and earned 66 caps for England, scoring 14 goals, but that would have been significantly more had he not retired from international football in 2004, aged only 29.

The softly-spoken Oldham fan rarely gives interviews, but despite his reclusiveness has drawn plaudits from some of the world's greats.

Here are some of the things people have had to say about him over the years:

Zinedine Zidane: "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest of his generation."

Edgar Davids: "I'm not the best, Paul Scholes is. We can all learn from Paul Scholes."

Marcello Lippi: "Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team - that is how highly I have always rated him."

Thierry Henry: "Without any doubt, the best player in the Premiership has to be Paul Scholes. He knows how to do everything, and he is the one who directs the way his team plays. On top of all that, he has indestructible mental strength and he is a genuine competitor."

Sir Alex Ferguson: "Throughout time, when you look at the likes of Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton and George Best, then it's difficult to say where Paul stands because that's a wide panorama of players. But in my time, he would sit in the top six or seven without question."

Paul Scholes Manchester United factfile:

Born: November 16 1974, Salford

Debut: September 21, 1994, Port Vale 1-2 Manchester United (Scholes 2), League Cup second round first leg

Premier League:

Appearances (as substitute): 339 (72); Goals: 98

FA Cup:

Appearances: 28 (12); Goals: 13

League Cup:

Appearances: 13 (6); Goals: 8

Other (including Champions League)

Appearances: 116 (15); Goals: 23

Total club:

Appearances: 599; Goals: 142

Honours:

Premier League: 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08

FA Cup: 1996, 1999, 2004

League Cup: 2006, 2009

Community Shield: 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2008

Champions League: 1999, 2008

Intercontinental Cup: 1999

FIFA Club World Cup: 2008

Reda Maher / Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 43 - 62 of 102

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  1. Thanks Scholes!!!

    From Asad Z, on Thu 23 Apr 1:47AM
  2. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    um, tom, who gives a $#!+ about winning the 2nd tier­ cup?

    From shoo, on Thu 23 Apr 1:45AM

  3. When are you going to realise that someone like Scholes­ who since he's played at Man Utd has been in the­ Champions League EVERY SEASON, does not have UEFA cup­ on his agenda?
    No-one at a big club cares about it­ when they're in the more elite form of the­ cup!
    Just because Gerrard has won it, you Scousers come­ here chatting shyte... I'm sure Scholes will take 2­ Champions League trophies every season as opposed to 1­ CL and 1 UEFA cup...

    Come to think of it the CL trophy­ that Gerrard won must play @#$% his conscience, with­ the disgusting dive he took to win a penalty!! Or well­ maybe being a Scouser, he has no conscience...

    From i am a teacup, on Thu 23 Apr 1:44AM

  4. PAUL SCHOLES, HE SCORES GOALS,
    PAUL SCHOLES, HE SCORES­ GOALS
    SHOVE YOUR GERRARD AND LAMPARD UP YOUR ARSE!!

    From The Manc, on Thu 23 Apr 1:43AM

  5. paul scholes has always been my favourite player. the­ amount of world class players that he has played with,­ and for me he has always stood out above the rest. the­ beckhams and giggs may have gotten more credit, but­ scholesy has been a driving force behind manchester­ united ever since i can remember. hail to the legend,­ may he have a few more seasons at the top yet!!!!

    From Podolski, on Thu 23 Apr 1:42AM

  6. LEGEND!!!!

    From maciej_marcinkowski1, on Thu 23 Apr 1:41AM

  7. he need to be praise

    From adedayo, on Thu 23 Apr 1:39AM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    "... Eurosport-Yahoo! looks back at an illustrious­ career that has seen him win every club honour in the­ club game..." except the UEFA Cup.

    From tomwilliams83, on Thu 23 Apr 1:38AM

  9. smallcocks mum i suggest u try having sex with your­ son.

    From saeed, on Thu 23 Apr 1:37AM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    a warning to all you young men out there please keep­ away from mens bottoms its not nice...look what it has­ done to my little boy (rc_alcock 29) he has now lapsed­ into a semi coma and only utters the words...rafa rafa­ him is da gaffa

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 23 Apr 1:36AM

  11. Tim I think you've mistaken this article with an­ article about Gerrard.
    You can say what legend?over­ there.

    From saeed, on Thu 23 Apr 1:36AM

  12. Tim I think you've mistaken this article with an­ article about Gerrard.
    You can say what legend?over­ there.

    From saeed, on Thu 23 Apr 1:36AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    what can a mother do when her only son likes other mens­ bottoms my little boy (rc_alcock 29) is my only hope of­ having grand children yet all he seems to do is go to­ the park and fraternise with strange men...im extremely­ concerned about him..he also has an unhealthy fixation­ with yossi benayoun....please help me !

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 23 Apr 1:29AM

  14. Dcrouch no one gives a f uck about your INGURLAND.Like­ always another INGURLAND fan having a go at another MAN­ UTD player.

    From saeed, on Thu 23 Apr 1:27AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Legend ? What legend ?!

    From Tim, on Thu 23 Apr 1:26AM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Get a PS3/Wii/Xbox 360 etc for only £5 or even FREE ­ from: go4it.freebiejeebies. co . uk (copy/paste and ­ remove spaces) Sign up and complete ONE of the listed ­ offers to qualify. I would recommend the Lovefilm trial­ (free) or Coral (place a £5 bet). Gala Bingo is only­ £5 too, and the HSBC offer just involves signing up­ for a current account. BBC approved, I even got my­ hdtv from this site, don't miss out like so many­ others...!!

    From mooresrachel, on Thu 23 Apr 1:25AM

  17. thank you saeed_wazza90...yes indeed my son has some­ serious "tissues"

    From rc_alcock_the_scouse_bum_boy, on Thu 23 Apr 1:24AM

  18. Well d.crouch a Liverpool fan calling Man Utd's­ players disloyal... With Carragher who's turned his­ back on the country... and Gerrard who wanted to go to­ Chelsea??? Or maybe Torres turning his back on his­ hometown club, to 'look for glory'... and he­ didn't win shyte last season, and looks to remain­ trophyless again this season...
    hahahaha! Hypocrisy and­ LFC go hand in hand!

    From i am a teacup, on Thu 23 Apr 1:23AM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    LOYALTY? he turned his back on his country at the prime­ of his career.poxy mancs wouldn't know loyalty if­ it slapped them in the face with a wet kipper.

    From crunch, on Thu 23 Apr 1:15AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I think your son has a very round bottom

    From Uzoigwe, on Thu 23 Apr 1:12AM
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