scholes could have been sold

Paul Scholes has revealed he could easily have been sold by Manchester United after refusing to play in a League Cup tie a decade ago.

The midfielder retired at the end of last season after a glittering career at Old Trafford, but he admits it could have turned out much differently.

The former England international says he declined to play in a League Cup encounter against Arsenal in 2001, which United ended up losing 4-0.

Scholes did not want to be part of a shadow side for the game and concedes United boss Sir Alex Ferguson would have been within his rights to sell him.

"I don't know why I did what I did in 2001, but it is something I really regretted doing," Scholes is quoted as saying in several national newspapers.

"I wasn't in a great mood. I had been left out the Liverpool game the previous weekend and I knew that the team going down to Arsenal in the cup was basically a reserve side.

"I just got a bee in my bonnet that I wasn't happy with things. I had my reasons but it was stupid really.

"I ended up getting fined and having to apologise, but I was lucky. The manager would have been within his rights to get rid of me."




quite shocked to be honest, i never heard anything about this back then.

Dodged a bullet.

It was really kept quiet, but he shouldn't of done what he had done, makes him sound a bit like a drama queen. At least he acknowledges it was wrong.

since he has retired from playing it seems that he cant stop talking. i swear he has spoken to the press more now than he did in his whole playing career.

I've said this for years, Scholes is probably the most honorable footballer in the past 20 years. Not once have I seen a newspaper make a story about him or seen him endorse a product or similar.

Scholes is truly the last of a dying breed.

I'm glad Scholes is telling us this stuff now rather than talking to the press during his career as if had done transfer rumours and chances of him leaving would of been alot likely... Transfers only happen generally when something bad happens between player and manager.