Paul Scholes is a true Manchester United legend and one of the most talented English midfielders of his generation. Part of the famous class of 92, Scholes and co, formed an integral part of Sir Alex Ferguson's all-conquering Manchester United team.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for the ginger genius. Scholes was much shorter than his compatriots, he was also short-sighted and was slightly asthmatic too.
The United academy coaches also had their own doubts as to whether he would be fit for the Premier League with Lee Sharpe revealing this interesting anecdote.
Sharpe revealed on “football tonight” that while he and fellow senior players Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Peter Schmeichel and Brian McClair were watching the United youth team, a coach expressed his reservations about giving a contract to the "little red-head in midfield" -- only for him to immediately go and make up their minds for them.
"The senior pros, Robson, Bruce, Schmeichel, McClair -- always used to watch the third team, which was then the A team, and Scholes was playing,"
"Robson turns to the manager and says, 'Who are you keeping, who are you letting go?' and he obviously said, 'We're keeping Beckham, Butt, Neville, this lad, this lad, this lad's going, and we're not sure about the little red-head in midfield.'
"Then Scholesy gets the ball on the edge of the box, fakes to shoot and drags it, defender slides past him, fakes to shoot again and drags it, and another midfielder slides past him, shuffles between the two centre-halves, fakes to shoot, keeper goes down onto one knee and Scholesy scoops it and dinks it into the bottom corner.
"And Robson turns to the manager and went, 'Are you sure you know what you're talking about?'”
The rest, as they say, is history.
