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Paul Scholes has revealed how he kept news of his youngest son Aiden's autism diagnosis bottled up while he was playing at Manchester United.
The former midfielder shared in heartbreaking detail the challenges and rewards of caring for the 20-year-old, whom Scholes describes as being non-verbal and having 'severe autism'.
Scholes has taken a step back from television punditry roles this year in a bid to centre his life around managing Aiden's routine, with the former player living with him three nights a week after separating from his childhood sweetheart and wife of 26 years Claire Froggatt.
In an appearance on Stick to Football, sponsored by Arne, Scholes also shared that he had been so affected by learning about Aiden's early diagnosis while playing for Man United's first team that he had been dropped the following week after struggling to play.
Scholes preferred to keep his personal life to himself during his time playing under Sir Alex Ferguson, something that was noticed by his former team-mates, including Gary Neville.
'I used to sit next to you in the dressing room, didn't I, and I remember there were times when you would come in towards the end, and you'd have scratches all over your face,' Neville said. 'And I'd say, "everything alright?" and you'd say "yeah".'
Paul Scholes has opened up on how he preferred to keep his feelings around his son Aiden's autism diagnosis private while playing for Manchester United
Aiden was diagnosed at the age of two-and-a-half during Scholes' decorated playing career
'He'd bite your arm or scratch you just out of frustration for him, 'cos he didn't understand things, couldn't tell you how he was feeling,' Scholes explained. 'I never got a break from it, even when playing.
'It was very hard in those days, feels like it was years ago. I don't think (doctors) diagnosed it until they were two-and-a-half years old.
'But you knew early something was wrong but then you get the diagnosis, and I'd never heard of it. Then all of a sudden you start seeing everything, I don't know if it just consciously happens, I don't know.'
Discussing what had happened immediately after he and Froggatt were given their son's diagnosis, he added: 'I remember the first time after we were playing Derby away and I just didn't want to be there. I remember the manager dropped me the week after actually, and I hadn't told anyone (about the diagnosis). I ended up telling them a few weeks later, I think as it was quite hard.
'He left me out, obviously I wasn't very good last week, and I just didn't want to be there. We didn't really know what was going to be in store for us.'
Neville admitted that Scholes' decision to bottle up what he was going through with his family in the dressing room was part of his fixed personality.
'You kept everything to yourself, forget everything you're speaking about now - you're generally very private,' Neville told listeners. 'We didn't know what Paul Scholes was doing away from football.
'Everything you kept to yourself, in your life, that's the way you are.'
Aiden will turn 21 in December and Scholes is keen to spend more time maintaining his routine
Scholes admitted that he did not speak to anyone at Manchester United about Aiden's diagnosis and that he had been keen not to receive unwanted sympathy.
'I just thought even if I did speak to someone about it, it's not going to help Aiden,' Scholes added, and even as Roy Keane and Jill Scott queried whether it might have helped him instead, he stressed: 'I don't know what would help me.'
Scholes' decision to take a step back from live television comes after the former midfielder built an impressive career offering analysis for domestic and European games.
But following Man United in Europe last season proved the tipping point for Scholes in his decision to take a step back.
'I do studio work, but everything is built around his day,' Scholes confirmed. 'Last season on Thursday nights I’d do the Europa League for Man United, 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 has also recently launched a podcast with former United team-mate Nicky Butt and Paddy McGuinness, The Good, The Bad & The Football.
