Paul Scholes, famously known as the “Ginger Ninja,” is a name that represents more than just his distinctive appearance—it reflects his sharp football intellect and fiery style of play. While most recognize him as a Manchester United legend, celebrated for his no-nonsense approach both on the field and in the pundit’s chair, few truly know the man behind the fame. This story delves into the life of one of football’s greatest midfielders, a man who battled asthma and Osgood-Schlatter disease before finding his way to stardom.
Roots, Family, Football: The Making of Football Legend Paul Scholes
Born into a family with Irish and Northern Irish roots, Paul’s heritage and upbringing shaped much of who he is today. Growing up with his sister, Joanne Scholes, Paul’s early years were filled with a passion for football, which would soon propel him to greatness. From humble beginnings to legendary status, this article explores the personal and professional journey of a true football icon.
In this biography, we’ll take you through Paul’s childhood, his struggles with health, his rise to international fame, and his contributions to the beautiful game. Let’s dive into the story of the Ginger Ninja and discover what makes Paul Scholes one of football’s true legends.
Paul Scholes Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:
For Biography starters, Paul Scholes was born at Hope Hospital in Pendleton, Greater Manchester, on the 16th of November 1974. He was born to his mother, Marina Scholes, and father, Stewart Scholes. Research has it that Paul Scholes’ Family is of Irish origin.
Paul was born with asthma. More so, as a child, Paul suffered from Osgood–Schlatter disease, a knee condition.
Again, Paul grew up with his sister, Joanne Scholes. His family moved to Langley, Greater Manchester when baby Paul was 18 months old. They settled at a home on Bowness Road and Talkin Drive.
Paul attended the St Mary’s RC Primary School in Langley. This was where he learned football. The first team he played for was Langley Furrows.
As Paul grew into a teenager, his likeness to other sports, like cricket, became obvious. This was also the time he got a call from United after a successful enrolment in a late youth career.
At age 14, he began training with Manchester United, which became a fulfilment of his childhood dreams.
Paul Scholes Early Years in Career Football. He overcame early health challenges to pursue his passion for football. Starting at St Mary’s RC Primary and playing for Langley Furrows, his talent caught Manchester United’s attention.
After finishing his time at Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School in Middleton in the summer of 1991, Paul Scholes took the next step in his football journey by joining Manchester United as a trainee. In his last term at school, his talent was recognized when he was chosen to represent Great Britain National Schools in football. Impressed by his dedication and progress, Manchester United soon offered him a senior contract. From there, his legendary career took off, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Who is née Froggatt? Paul Scholes Wife:
Paul married his teenage childhood sweetheart, Claire (née Froggatt), in Wrexham in February 1999. She has been there for him throughout his career, even when he was 19 and made his senior debut for United at Port Vale on September 21, 1994.
Introducing née Froggatt – Paul Scholes’ Wife.
The couple preferred to live in a village in Greater Manchester. They have three children, one daughter and two sons. The oldest is Arron, his sister Alicia and little Aiden.
Sadly, Paul Scholes’ youngest son, Aiden, faces the challenges of autism. His condition comes with significant learning difficulties, which limit his ability to participate in most sports. However, Aiden has developed a deep love for swimming, a sport that brings him joy despite the hurdles he faces.
One of Aiden’s hobbies is swimming.
Arron and Alicia are fantastic with Aiden. It can’t be easy having a brother in his situation, but they cope with it brilliantly. Paul’s first son Arron is a massive Manchester United fan; it’s a passion. He loves other sports, too, especially cricket, as pictured below.
Alicia is another natural at the sport, very quick around the netball court and willing to have a go at practically anything. She has also been into riding. Alicia has a nice little pony called Boston, which is pictured below.
Alicia excels in netball with her agility and versatility on the court. Besides, she’s an enthusiastic rider with her beloved pony, Boston.
Paul Scholes Family Life:
On his mother’s side, his grandmother came from the Republic of Ireland, while his grandfather was from Northern Ireland. Though he played cricket as well, but preferred to become a professional footballer.
Once upon a time, a GANG of knife-wielding thugs held up the terrified parents of Manchester United star Paul Scholes before stealing their luxury car.
Stewart and Marina Scholes were asleep at their semi-detached home in a quiet cul-de-sac in Rhodes when four balaclava-clad raiders smashed their way in through the patio doors.
The couple were unhurt but badly shaken, and Mrs Scholes said: “It was horrible.”
One neighbour said:
“There were four lads in balaclavas. I heard a bang, came out to the front and saw them stood at each door of the Audi.
They were armed, so I picked up a hammer. Two of them ran off, and two sped off in the car. They were just kids, but they knew exactly what they were coming for – a couple of them had knives, and one was carrying a log.”
Personality:
He has a very shy personality off the field and prefers to live an ordinary, simple life.
Here, we present some attributes of Paul Scholes’ personality.
Strengths: Paul is resourceful, brave, passionate, stubborn, and, indeed, a true friend.
Weaknesses: Paul could be distrusting, jealous, secretive, violent
What Paul Scholes likes: He loves the Truth, anything factual, teasing longtime friends as pictured below, and of course, football.
What Paul Scholes dislikes: Dishonesty, revealing secrets and passive people.
In summary, Paul is a passionate and assertive person. They are determined and decisive and will research until he find out the truth behind any myth.
The Blurry Vision Man:
Did you know?… Paul Scholes was once out of the team because of blurred vision.
The thought of Paul Scholes clouds your mind with visions of those famous diagonal passes and stunning long-range goals.
Scholes, to his credit, was like an eagle.
His balls would rise in the air and swoop down to the leg of the intended target.
What if I were to say that a man with such an eye was once on the doctor’s table for blurred vision? Well, that’s true.
In 2006, in the second half of the season, Paul Scholes developed blurred vision and was ruled out for a good four months. Thankfully, he got his sight back!
3rd most Yellow card Collector in the Premier League:
A very weird fact about him is that he holds a very weird record of being 3rd most yellow card receiver in the history of Premier League matches.
With a total of 99 yellow cards and four red cards, he has always been criticized for his discipline.
Not limited to this, in Champion League matches, the Premier League Legend was booked nearly 32 times. Paul, however, did not receive more yellow cards than Wayne Rooney and Gareth Barry.
The Comeback Boot:
Starting off, Paul Scholes bought boots from a local store for Manchester United’s comeback. When he knew he was going to make a comeback for United in the FA Cup match, he had a plethora of problems. While the more important ones, like his fitness, were sorted out, he didn’t have boots to put on and play with.
So, what would a normal footballer have done? He would have called up his sponsor and made the request. Scholes, who had always chosen to play down things, went up to the local store and purchased a new set of boots for £40. And indeed, he wore this boot while making his return against Manchester City in the FA Cup. Now, that’s Paul Scholes for you!
What they think of him:
Without any denial, Paul Scholes was something special.
Ryan Giggs calls him United’s “greatest-ever player”. Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola both considered him the “best midfielder of his generation”.
“One of my greatest career regrets is that the transfer opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my active football playing years.”, said Zidane. Now, that certainly asserts the fact that Paul was no ordinary player.
Pele and Eric Cantona turned up to his farewell match. The late Brazilian 1980s star Socrates said he loved to watch “the boy with the red hair and the red shirt”.
Xavi said that Scholes was the “most complete” midfielder he had watched. That’s not bad for a lad from Middleton in North Manchester who only grew to 5ft 7 and suffered asthma his whole career.
Fact Check:
Thanks for reading our Paul Scholes Childhood Story, including his untold biography facts. We strive for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver Classic Football Footballers. Surely, the life history of Roy Keane and Alan Shearer will excite you. If you see something that doesn’t look right in this article, please leave your comments or contact us.
