Man United: Paul Scholes stopped commentary work to care for son

Paul Scholes, the former Manchester United midfielder and England playmaker, has revealed that he stopped doing commentary work to care for his autistic son Aiden. The 50-year-old, who co-parents Aiden with his ex-wife, initially kept his son's diagnosis a secret during his playing career due to the lack of understanding about autism at the time.

Scholes shared this information on the Stick to Football podcast, stating that he had built his schedule around Aiden's needs. He explained that last season's Europa League broadcasts on Thursday nights posed a problem for him as they coincided with Aiden's usual routine. Scholes acknowledged that he would become agitated and uncomfortable during these broadcasts.

The former United player also discussed the challenges of managing Aiden's condition, particularly when he was younger. Scholes mentioned that his son's diagnosis was made when he was two-and-a-half years old, but he had struggled to come to terms with it himself, especially since there was limited understanding about autism back then.

Scholes expressed his desire not to receive sympathy or attention regarding Aiden's condition and instead focused on ensuring the well-being of his son. He also shared concerns about what might happen when he is no longer able to care for Aiden due to his age.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a range of conditions that affect communication, social interactions, interests, and behavior in individuals. With approximately one in every 100 people in the UK estimated to have autism, awareness about the condition has increased over time.

just heard this convo about Paul Scholes stopping commentary work for his autistic son Aiden and i gotta say its super inspiring that he prioritized his child's needs over his career Scholes didnt wanna receive sympathy or attention but instead focused on making sure Aiden is good, thats so selfless and its also sad to hear how limited understanding there was about autism back in the day i hope more people are learning about it now and i wish Scholes all the best for taking care of Aiden as he gets older

I feel like Paul Scholes is super relatable right now! Caring for an autistic child can be so challenging, and it's amazing that he prioritized his son Aiden's needs over his own career. I mean, can you imagine having to deal with the stress of a broadcast on Thursday night while your kiddo usually gets their routine on? That would drive anyone crazy!

I think its really cool how Scholes shared his story and wants to focus on supporting awareness rather than seeking sympathy. It's like, he's saying "Hey, I'm not doing this for attention, I just want to make sure Aiden has the best life possible." Let's all give him a round of applause for being such an amazing dad!

I'm so glad to see Paul Scholes bein' open about his experience with autism . I mean, it's still kinda crazy that there wasnt much understanding back then, especially when Aiden was a kid. My grandma had a mate who had an autistic son, and it was clear that they were strugglin' to get the support they needed.

It's great that Scholes is prioritizin' his son's well-bein', though . As a parent myself, I can only imagine how tough it must be to balance work and family life while also navigatin' this stuff. And yeah, it's not like he wants sympathy or anythin' - that's the important thing. Anyway, it's awesome that awareness about autism is gettin' better, even if there's still a long way to go

I'm not sure if I'm buying into this whole 'doing commentary work for my son's sake' thing . I mean, Paul Scholes is a great guy and all, but it sounds like he was already pretty dedicated to his son Aiden before even having to make some sacrifices. Did he really have no other options or was he just trying to shift the narrative? And what about his ex-wife - did she step up her game and take on more responsibilities with Aiden's care while Scholes was doing commentary work? I'm not saying it couldn't be a genuine reason, but it feels like there might be more to it than meets the eye .

can't believe paul scholes was hiding his autistic son's diagnosis back then like, how could we not understand it more then? and now he's speaking out, sharing his experience... its a big deal for many parents of kids with autism . i'm glad he prioritized his son's needs over anything else gotta admire him for that!

I remember when sports commentary was still a relatively new thing back in the day . It's crazy how things have changed now. I feel for Paul Scholes though, his son Aiden is lucky to have him as a parent. It's not easy balancing career and family life, especially with something like autism involved . I hope he gets the support he needs from the football community and beyond . I wonder if they'll make any changes to Thursday night broadcasts for people with autism or ADHD in the future ...

I was thinking about Paul Scholes' recent interview on the Stick to Football podcast... he's a legend on the pitch, but it makes me think that we need more understanding and support for families dealing with autistic kids like his son Aiden . Like, people used to think autism was just a "condition" back then, you know? It's crazy how much awareness has grown over time, but I still feel like we've got a long way to go in terms of acceptance... what do you guys think about the increasing awareness and how it's impacting families with autistic kids?

I just found out about Paul Scholes and I'm like what's his son Aiden do for fun tho? is he into football or something? also why did his ex-wife not tell anyone about autism back then? wasnt there some awareness campaign or somethin'? ‍

I'm thinking... it's really admirable that Paul Scholes is prioritizing his son Aiden's needs . It's not easy to balance personal and professional life, especially when you're trying to care for someone with a disability. I mean, can imagine being in his shoes (no pun intended) and having to deal with the lack of understanding about autism back then? It's like, they were just starting to learn about it, and it was already affecting how people perceived them.

But what really gets me is that Scholes didn't want any sympathy or attention . That takes a lot of selflessness and maturity. He could have easily used his platform to raise awareness about autism, but instead he just focused on giving his son the best life possible.

It's also crazy to think about how much has changed since Scholes' playing days . There's so more awareness now, and that's awesome. But it's still important for people like Scholes to show us what it means to truly care for someone with a disability. He's not just a football legend; he's a dad who's trying to do the right thing .

I'm so proud of Paul Scholes for prioritizing his son's needs . As a parent myself, I can imagine how hard it must be to balance work and family life, especially when you're dealing with something as complex as autism. It's not just about the challenges, but also about breaking down stigmas and creating more understanding around this condition . Scholes' story is a great reminder that we need to support families like his, who are already doing so much for their loved ones . And let's be real, it's refreshing to see someone using their platform to talk openly about autism without seeking sympathy or attention - that takes a lot of courage !

omg can u believe paul scholes is speakin out about his autistic son? he's doin us all a huge favor by sharin' his story & helpin the public understand autism better especially in the past when there wasnt much knowlege about it back then, i feel bad for him & his family that they had to deal with all that stigma & lack of understanding. its great 2 hear that hes focusin on gettin what's best 4 his son aiden & not worryn bout sympathy or attention

omg u guys can u even imagine having to balance work & parenting w/ a kid who needs more attention than u do lol paul scholes is literally the most selfless guy ever he went thru so much when his son was younger but no one knew what was goin on he had to keep it under wraps back then cuz autism wasn't as understood as it is now thankfully he's speakin out now & shinin a light on how hard it can be for parents w/ autistic kids

I can imagine how tough it must've been for Paul Scholes to keep Aiden's diagnosis under wraps during his playing career ... I mean, we didn't know much about autism back then, but that doesn't excuse him from being open about it now. But at the same time, kudos to him for putting his son's needs first and building a schedule around Aiden's routine ... it's not easy balancing work and family life, especially when you're caring for someone with autism. I'm glad he's speaking out about his experiences and raising awareness about ASD

I just learned that Paul Scholes' son Aiden has autism ... my grandma has Alzheimer's disease, I dont really understand what's wrong with my grandmas brain either lol, anyway... its so cool that Paul Scholes is taking care of his son, like, on the down low for a long time, that sounds super tough. I heard its not easy to manage autism, especially when your kid is little... my cousin has ADHD or something, and he's always like "I need to focus!"