The Autism News | English


PAUL SCHOLES has been one of the finest footballers England has ever produced – and in an age of superstar players he has also been one of the most private.

Now, in his frank new autobiography, Scholes: My Story, the Manchester United and England legend, 36, who retired this year, has let readers into his world.

In Day One of an exclusive serialisation, Paul reveals the strength he gained from his close family and tells of the support they have been to his youngest son Aiden, who suffers from autism. Adapted by BEN JACKSON.

THE God-given ability to make a football do more or less what I want it to — though not always, obviously! — has given me a standard of living I could never have dreamed of had I left school to take up any other job accessible to me.

What might that have been? I haven’t got the faintest idea because it never entered my head that I would ever be anything else but a footballer.

That said, I didn’t even dwell on a future in the game. The truth is that I didn’t agonise over anything as a kid, I just got on with life and, incredibly fortunately for me, it led me to Manchester United.

But for all the benefits that professional football has brought me, none of them would mean a thing to me without my family, my wife Claire, my sons Arron and Aiden, and my daughter Alicia. We are happy where we live — on the edge of Saddleworth Moor to the north east of Manchester.

I like to echo the words used by Sir Bobby Charlton in a recent television documentary about his remarkable life. He said, “I’ve been a lucky, lucky lad.” That says it all for me, too.

My new generation of Red Devils are our three kids who keep Claire and me extremely busy, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. I know I’m bound to say this about my own children but we think they’re brilliant and love them to bits.

The oldest is Arron, who is now 12, his sister Alicia is ten and little Aiden is six. Aiden suffers from autism and has quite severe learning difficulties, so he can’t take part in most sports at the moment, though he does absolutely love his swimming.

He seems in his element in the pool, he’s a real water baby and it’s wonderful that he’s got that to enjoy. Some children with autism are scared of water but Aiden’s the opposite. He’d be swimming every minute of the day if he could and on holiday we even feed him in the pool.

We hope his condition improves but we’re not banking on it, just doing everything we can to make sure he has a happy life. He has a load of people trying to help him, speech and play therapists for example.

Aiden’s in his own little world, and it is some consolation that he does seem content in it. He loves being tickled and the other two know how to get him to enjoy himself, then to keep still for the camera. To me, this just shows how much they all love each other, and there’s nothing better than when your kids get on like that.

Arron and Alicia are fantastic with Aiden. It can’t be easy having a brother in his situation but they cope with it brilliantly.

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