During an appearance on The Overlap fan debate program, Manchester United legend Scholes was once again asked about his refusal to play for United in the League Cup match against Arsenal in 2001. The move sparked widespread controversy at the time, and now, at the age of 49, Scholes has once again reminisced about the incident and opened up about his regrets.
Scholes' refusal to play in that game stemmed from his dissatisfaction at only briefly coming on as a substitute in the Premier League match against Liverpool the day before. He revealed that he was angry and frustrated at not being able to start against arch-rivals Liverpool. "It was a Sunday when we played Liverpool away and I was left out of the starting line-up. Although it happens all the time, I was in a particularly bad mood at the time and I felt I should have played." Scholes explained.
With United trailing 0-2 in the game, Scholes' eagerness to get on the pitch and help his team turn things around grew stronger. However, he was convinced that manager Alex Ferguson was resting him for the upcoming Arsenal game, a speculation that left him feeling unjust and angry. "I never spoke to the manager about it, but the assistant manager at the time was Jim Ryan. I kept warming up on the sidelines and sat behind him the whole time thinking 'we've been awful, this game is a shambles'." Scholes recalled.
Eventually, Scholes was substituted in the 77th minute of the game, a decision that left him feeling that he had been treated more unfairly. "I remember Sir Alex Ferguson probably substituting me with five or ten minutes to go, obviously to get me ready to play the next game against Arsenal." Scholes confessed.
During the show, Scholes laughed awkwardly and covered his head with his hand, admitting that he made an error in judgment at the time. "I made a mistake. I should have gone and played that game against Arsenal. I regret it completely and utterly because by refusing to play for Manchester United, at the time I really thought my Red Devils career was over." He said.
Despite feeling wronged in that incident, Scholes undoubtedly rebuilt his relationship with the team in the years that followed. He continued to play for United until his official retirement in 2013, winning 11 Premier League trophies and two Champions League trophies in his career and making over 700 appearances for the club. These honors are a testament to Scholes' loyalty and dedication to United, and have made him an integral part of the Red Devils' legacy.
