People From Manchester

"The truly great English midfield player of the generation. Didn’t just play the game, he thought about the game. You could see every pass, every decision, was based on his intelligence and understanding."

"For me, Paul Scholes is on the same level as Ronaldo. The real Ronaldo, not Cristiano. I always thought he was a great player but after I played alongside him I realised he was Manchester United’s greatest player of all time. He did his talking on the pitch which I respected most."

"Scholes was playing tiki-taka football when nobody in England knew what it was. He was another of those players, like Denis Law or Bobby Moore, who at 15 probably looked as if he wouldn't make it. Too small, you would think -- can't run, dumpy little ginger nut -- but then the ball would come to him and he would dazzle you. He was the best footballer in that Manchester United midfield, better than Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane."

"Maybe one small regret is that I never got to play with Paul Scholes - but I was never going to leave Barcelona and he was never going to leave Manchester United."

"“I was too shy to ask him for advice so I watched him carefully and tried to dissect everything he did. Then I would try to emulate his strengths.”"

"[Upon Ryan Giggs taking over as manager and bringing Scholes in as a coach]"Paul Scholes is one of these guys who has few words but the few words are so succinct, accurate and to the point. He is brilliant at it. Many times I would bring in the older guard to discuss certain things that we maybe wanted their opinion on. Scholesy had three or four words – bang, bang, bang. He was such a revelation for me for a young man to be so positive, a decision maker. I think Ryan will get the benefit of that now. That was the first thing Ryan did; he phoned up Scholesy – he was on holiday and called him back.""

"For me, Paul Scholes has been the best midfield player in the Premier League. By a mile. He has the lot. He scores and creates goals, he can pass the ball, he can head it, and rounds all this off with a competitive streak."

"Scholes was probably the best English midfielder since Bobby Charlton. Since I have been in England, Paul Gascoigne was the best of those who could lift you from your seat. In his last few years, Paul Scholes elevated himself above Gascoigne. One, for longevity, and two, for improving himelf in his thirties. He was such a brilliant long passer that he could choose a hair on the head of any team-mate answering the call of nature at our training ground. Gary Neville once thought he had found refuge in a bush, but Scholesy found him from 40 yards. He inflicted a similar long-range missile strike, once, on Peter Schmeichel, and was chased round the training ground for his impertinence. Scholesy would have made a first class-sniper."

"Paul Scholes was always unbelievably talented. Quiet. And dirty. When he got his tackle right, it was a great tackle. But when he got it wrong, he could kill someone. He was so talented and a player I feel honoured to have played with."

"After picking Scholes as the best Premier League player ever - "I was asked to pick my best Premier League team and he (Scholes) was the first player I picked – I can’t compliment him any higher than that.”"

"Scholes was England’s best football player. It was impossible to take the ball from him, and he never mishit a pass. He did not belong on the left flank but that’s where we needed him most. He had played on the left in the qualifying campaign, and sometimes even at Manchester United."

"I'm more of an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I've ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him I never felt I could get close to him."

"“The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy – Scholes”"

""They have two of the world’s best young players in Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, but the player who most impresses me is Paul Scholes. He is United’s most important player, he makes most things happen on the field.”"

"I remember when I played against Paul Scholes, from Manchester. And because he is a midfielder, and I am a midfielder, sometimes we would have to confront each other. He is not tall, he is not strong but he is clever. This is very difficult. To play against someone who is clever. And he was fantastic with the ball, clever how he passed the ball, clever how he would see you. That was interesting to talk about afterwards."

"The best illustration I can give of his talent is that at Manchester United there was always a possession drill in training designed to develop our passing ability, which might be three players against another three players, or six versus six, or nine versus nine. But no matter what the numbers were, the side with Paul Scholes on their team would always win by keeping the most possession."

""I think that there have been some outstanding players (in the Premier League era), especially some foreign players who have come in like Eric Cantona. Obviously he didn't quite have the same impact at Leeds as he did at Manchester United. Then there was Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Bergkamp... but there is only one player for me, and that's Paul Scholes"."

"I am a big admirer of Paul Scholes, he is one of the best players of his generation and I honestly think [Wesley] Sneijder is the only player in the world capable of replacing him."

"“One of the best players I've ever seen in my life! Spectacular on training! Playing with him was a joy!.”"

"“Good enough to play for Brazil. I love to watch Scholes, to see him pass, the boy with the red hair and the red shirt.”"

"United always had many amazing players, but whenever we faced them we were always, always, always scared of what Paul Scholes could do. Ask anyone from that old Arsenal team, they will tell you the same. If you let him play, he can kill you, and for me he was so underrated. The way he plays: one touch, arriving late into the box, the way he strikes the ball, his vision, his passing. Incredible. I know people used to give him some stick for his tackling, but I liked that. He put his foot in, showed some character, had a go, but I liked that about him too. For me he is one of the best midfielders I have ever seen."

"“If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Paul Scholes. His passing and shooting is of the highest level and he’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time.”"

"“The only great English midfielder in my career was Paul Scholes. He has elegance in him. Others were pretenders.”"

"Nobody on this planet had a range of passing like Paul Scholes. Training every day was a pleasure just watching him. Unbelievable career."

"“What United have got that Chelsea haven’t is Paul Scholes. I think he is different to anything else in English football.”"

"He sees the game unlike any other player."

"“Nobody else in the world can play the way Scholes does. The passes he produces all over the field and the way he changes the game is brilliant. Every manager would like him. But luckily he is here and playing with us. Paul practices that all the time. When he has finished training he always goes out and shoots.”"

"“Just heard Paul Scholes has retired, best I’ve ever played against by a mile. Most technically gifted player in english history. Legend”"

"“I’m more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week…Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I’ve ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him.”"

"“At Arsenal me and Patrick (Vieira) didn’t want to face Scholes. We would avoid him.”"

"“He's not the quickest, he doesn't run the most, he never wins a header, he can't tackle but he's the best player”."

"When it's over I just want to be able to look in the mirror and say, 'Well, you were a half-decent player.'"

"I don't like compliments. No. I prefer criticisms; prefer to prove them wrong"

"One of the greatest football brains Manchester United has ever had."

"No celebrity bullshit, no self promotion - an amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being."

"I love watching little Paul Scholes, he’s so in control of what he’s doing and is always so accurate and pinpoint with his passing – it’s just beautiful to watch."

"“What a player Paul is. Everything about him is just perfect.”"

"There isn't a player of his mould anywhere in the world."

"Paul is football crazy. I've followed him since I took his first-year team all the way through. And while Paul is not very socially confident, give him a group of lads, a football and he's certainly not quiet."

"For me, it's Paul Scholes. He'll do ridiculous things in training like say, "You see that tree over there?" - it'll be 40 yards away - "I'm going to hit it". And he'll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best."

"England have lost their best player."

"I tell anyone who asks me – Scholes is the best English player."

"I think we were all disappointed because we all know what he can do. He's always in the right position, always seems to be at the end of the box when the ball drops in. The complete midfielder - when he's fit, he's the best. Some go missing but he's in the right place at the right time. He's my favourite player of all-time, unbelievable. If you give him a chance it's a goal, isn't it?"

"People say he is a great player, but you have to define what a great player is. For me, it is a player who has a bottom level that means his worst performance is not noticed. If he is having a bad game, a teammate might feel Paul Scholes is not quite on his game, but a spectator wouldn't notice. Scholes, of all the players I have played with, has the highest bottom level. He has an eye for a pass, for what the play or the game needs at that precise moment, that I have never seen anyone else have. These days he doesn't get into the box too many times, which is where you can see his age, but he has developed tactically. He controls and distributes the play and the game better than anyone I have ever seen."

"He is not as good a tackler as you - but I really like him. He's a little boy, but the power in that shot... he can really shoot."

"Everyone of us should emulate him. We can all learn from Paul Scholes."

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

"Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team – that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. An all-round midfielder who possesses quality and character in abundance."

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

"He's unbelievable - he's one of the greatest of all time."