Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes retires but stays at Old Trafford on coaching staff
Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has announced his retirement from football with immediate effect and will join United's coaching staff next season, the club have confirmed.
Scholes, one of the finest players to emerge from the wave of talent that came through to the first team during the mid-90’s, made 676 appearances for the club. Scholes's 77th-minute substitute's appearance in the Champions League final was his last competitive appearance, but the midfielder play in his testimonial match at Old Trafford in August.
Scholes will take on a coaching role with United from the start of next season.
The famously taciturn midfielder said: “I am not a man of many words but I can honestly say that playing football is all I have ever wanted to do and to have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honour."
Scholes won 10 Premier League titles - two fewer than the record set by Ryan Giggs, who broke into the first team earlier - as well as two Champions Leagues and the FA Cup three times.
"This was not a decision that I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing. To have been part of the team that helped the Club reach that 19th title is a great privilege," he said.
