500 not out

English FA Premiership: Mark Ogden describes the difficulties Paul Scholes has had to overcome before reaching tomorrow's landmark.

It was Brian Kidd who put in the overtime to tempt Paul Scholes to Manchester United. While Alex Ferguson was entering his fourth year at the club, absorbed in plotting Liverpool's downfall, Kidd was patrolling the playing fields of Greater Manchester, puzzling as to whether a 14-year-old from Middleton had the dedication to make it at Old Trafford.

Everybody knew Scholes could play, the only question was whether he wanted it enough. Most Saturday mornings Kidd, then United's youth development officer, would check out where Rochdale's inter-schools team were playing and travel along, first to see whether Scholes had turned up and if he had, to watch him.

Such is Scholes' nature that those doubts could now be put down to his shrug-of-the-shoulders outlook on life. Nevertheless, dedication and commitment are perhaps the two qualities that have taken him to the verge of his 500th senior United game against Liverpool tomorrow. He has not had it easy. Severe asthma threatened to cut short his promise while the six months he spent last season wondering whether a problem with his vision would end his career also tested his determination.

"It's fantastic and a great credit to the boy that he is approaching his 500th game, but for Paul that's doubly so because of what happened last year," Ferguson said. "The eye problem was something we weren't really acquainted with because it had never happened before, so we had him see the best people. The feedback we were getting from them was that it would simply be a case of time.

"They didn't think it was career-threatening, but I don't know if Paul took that on board. When you get that kind of injury there is no cure for it, so it must concern you. We were concerned, but we were also hopeful because we had him with the best people and when you see the best people you have a chance - but to reach 500 games is terrific."

Although United may mark the occasion with a presentation to Scholes, the 31-year-old would probably wish for anything but a public show of appreciation from his employer and the supporters. His youth-team colleague David Beckham may have milked the adulation, but Ferguson admits that Scholes has always enjoyed occupying the shadows.

"It's probably a bit unfair that there have been more high-profile players at the club over the years, but I think it suits players like Paul for that to be the case. Maybe that has allowed them to have a certain privacy that wouldn't normally be afforded to somebody so successful.

"He has a low-key personality and he's happy to have his family life. That's important to him and he values that. There's very few in the modern game who are happy to settle for that. We're in an era of the "need-to-be-seen factor", but the profile and attention is not something that Paul needs. Over the years, though, when I've spoken to coaches abroad, they always refer to players like Paul and Ryan (Giggs) and pick them out as our special players most of the time, so he has had the recognition he deserves.

"He has something that you just cannot coach, a marvellous football brain, and he's always had that. He came to us at 14 years of age and that's exactly what he had. He was always able to sense the speed of a game and the openings in matches and there has been nobody better than him at doing that. He's just a gifted lad."

Manchester Utd v Liverpool

Venue: Old Trafford

Kick-off: Sunday, 1pm

On TV: Sky Sports 1

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