Paul Scholes issues emotional 'thank you' to fans after opening up on challenges faced by non-verbal autistic son Aiden
Paul Scholes has expressed his gratitude after the outpour of support he has received since revealing he quit TV duties to help care for his son. Aiden suffers from non-verbal autism and the former Manchester United midfielder admitted he took a step back from on-screen roles to spend more time with the 20-year-old. And Scholes has issued a statement thanking fans.Scholes was a regular on TNT Sport on a Thursday last season as a pundit for United's Europa League campaign. However, it meant that the former midfielder spent time away from Aiden, which affected his son's routine.Speaking on Stick to Football this week, Scholes opened up on his son's condition, saying: "I made a decision this year because of Aiden, obviously due to his special needs you might know about."All the work I do now is just around his routines cos he has quite a strict routine every single day, so I just decided everything I’m going to do it is around Aiden. Everything I’m going to do now just works around him, I do studio work, but everything is built around his day."Last season on Thursday nights I’d do the Europa League for Man Utd, that’s the night I’d usually have him, so he was getting all agitated, biting and scratching. He knows the pattern’s not there straight away."And I did that for years really, always thinking I’ve got to stop this at some point so I had the chance to do the podcast and I thought that would suit me more. Well… not me, Aiden."Scholes took to Instagram to issue a heartfelt message, thanking fans for the support he has received since the revelation earlier this week, stating: "Would just like to thank everyone for all your kind messages since the Overlap interview regarding Aiden. There's been loads and tried to read as many as possible."The response from families (especially Dads) shows how much speaking about it helps so many... There was one quote from a parent in a similar position that's just got me... 'my job is to stay alive for one day longer than my son/daughter'. Anyway, it's the weekend, let's have a few drinks and watch the football. Come on, Salford."Scholes also revealed that he has split from Claire, Aiden's mother and his wife of 26 years, adding: "I'm not with Claire anymore so we have him three nights each, and Claire's mum has him on a Friday night."We always do the same things with him, as he doesn't know what day or time of the week it is. But he'll know from what we're doing what day it is. I pick him up every Tuesday from his day care, and we go swimming. Loves swimming, then we get his pizza on the way home."Thursday, pick him up, go for something to eat, and go home. Sunday, I pick him up from Claire's house, and we go to Tesco, where he buys a trolley full of chocolate. So, he doesn't know what day or time it is, but he knows from what we're doing what day it is. He'll be 21 in December."Scholes had previously opened up about the challenges of having an autistic child to Paddy McGuinness, who himself has three autistic children.Speaking with McGuinness in a 2021 documentary on the BBC, Scholes said: "For those first few years of being diagnosed you think he’s just delayed, eventually he’ll start talking."When you get to 12, 13, 14… now he’s 16 it’s never going to happen. He’s never going to be neurotypical, but he’s great and you have to accept it. I’ve never said this before. I’m looking at him thinking he might have to go into care. I just don’t know how you handle that."Scholes hung up his boots back in 2013, and signed a four-year deal with TNT Sports, then BT Sports, to be a pundit, while also featuring on ITV for Champions League and England analysis during the international break and major tournaments.In addition, 50-year-old was interim boss of Salford in 2015, before taking over as Oldham boss for a brief spell in 2019. Scholes then returned to Salford for a five-game stint in 2020.
Paul Scholes has expressed his gratitude after the outpour of support he has received since revealing he quit TV duties to help care for his son. Aiden suffers from non-verbal autism and the former Manchester United midfielder admitted he took a step back from on-screen roles to spend more time with the 20-year-old. And Scholes has issued a statement thanking fans.Scholes was a regular on TNT Sport on a Thursday last season as a pundit for United's Europa League campaign. However, it meant that the former midfielder spent time away from Aiden, which affected his son's routine.Speaking on Stick to Football this week, Scholes opened up on his son's condition, saying: "I made a decision this year because of Aiden, obviously due to his special needs you might know about."All the work I do now is just around his routines cos he has quite a strict routine every single day, so I just decided everything I’m going to do it is around Aiden. Everything I’m going to do now just works around him, I do studio work, but everything is built around his day."Last season on Thursday nights I’d do the Europa League for Man Utd, that’s the night I’d usually have him, so he was getting all agitated, biting and scratching. He knows the pattern’s not there straight away."And I did that for years really, always thinking I’ve got to stop this at some point so I had the chance to do the podcast and I thought that would suit me more. Well… not me, Aiden."Scholes took to Instagram to issue a heartfelt message, thanking fans for the support he has received since the revelation earlier this week, stating: "Would just like to thank everyone for all your kind messages since the Overlap interview regarding Aiden. There's been loads and tried to read as many as possible."The response from families (especially Dads) shows how much speaking about it helps so many... There was one quote from a parent in a similar position that's just got me... 'my job is to stay alive for one day longer than my son/daughter'. Anyway, it's the weekend, let's have a few drinks and watch the football. Come on, Salford."Scholes also revealed that he has split from Claire, Aiden's mother and his wife of 26 years, adding: "I'm not with Claire anymore so we have him three nights each, and Claire's mum has him on a Friday night."We always do the same things with him, as he doesn't know what day or time of the week it is. But he'll know from what we're doing what day it is. I pick him up every Tuesday from his day care, and we go swimming. Loves swimming, then we get his pizza on the way home."Thursday, pick him up, go for something to eat, and go home. Sunday, I pick him up from Claire's house, and we go to Tesco, where he buys a trolley full of chocolate. So, he doesn't know what day or time it is, but he knows from what we're doing what day it is. He'll be 21 in December."Scholes had previously opened up about the challenges of having an autistic child to Paddy McGuinness, who himself has three autistic children.Speaking with McGuinness in a 2021 documentary on the BBC, Scholes said: "For those first few years of being diagnosed you think he’s just delayed, eventually he’ll start talking."When you get to 12, 13, 14… now he’s 16 it’s never going to happen. He’s never going to be neurotypical, but he’s great and you have to accept it. I’ve never said this before. I’m looking at him thinking he might have to go into care. I just don’t know how you handle that."Scholes hung up his boots back in 2013, and signed a four-year deal with TNT Sports, then BT Sports, to be a pundit, while also featuring on ITV for Champions League and England analysis during the international break and major tournaments.In addition, 50-year-old was interim boss of Salford in 2015, before taking over as Oldham boss for a brief spell in 2019. Scholes then returned to Salford for a five-game stint in 2020.
