Confirmation of Paul Scholes’ retirement may not have come as a surprise – but its impact is no less profound.

The gaping hole he leaves behind is much bigger than his diminutive 5ft 7in stature.

His decision to remain a part of the Old Trafford system as a coach is the one crumb of comfort for Sir Alex Ferguson.

The United manager knew this day was coming. That he managed to convince Scholes to carry on until the age of 36 is a testament to his powers of persuasion when even the player himself never envisaged going beyond 35.

And even if Scholes could have contributed to some extent for another 12 months, it is difficult to argue with his decision to walk away.

Despite constant speculation that he would play out his dotage at Oldham – a team which, despite reports to the contrary, he does not support – he always intended to bow out at the top.

This was a footballer who genuinely played the game for the sheer love of it. And once it reached the stage where he could no longer dictate events on the pitch at will, it was only a matter of time before the inevitable.

Quiet off the pitch, Scholes was never going to be the type to fade away on it. The precedent was set by his England departure in 2004.

Still in his 20s at that stage, he grew tired of being shunted out to left and away from his most effective central position by Sven-Goran Eriksson. Feeling he could no longer make the impact he wanted, he withdrew from the international stage early, rather than see his reputation diminish.

Legacy

While his Old Trafford legacy remains untouchable, he was too proud to be merely a bit-part player.

Left out of United’s starting line-up for crucial games against Chelsea, Arsenal, Schalke and the Champions League final, it was clear that he was no longer a pivotal figure in the team. In recent seasons he may have reluctantly accepted he would be used more sparingly by Ferguson. But it was when he was no longer required for the biggest games that his mind was made up.

His last start in a major match was the FA Cup semi-final defeat to City at Wembley when, so frustrated by United’s midfield being overrun, he was sent off for an X-rated challenge on Pablo Zabaleta.

Though always known for his wayward tackling, this incident was different. One borne out of the frustration of a player who knew he could no longer reach the levels that used to come naturally.

And so Scholes – a man once seen as the natural successor to Eric Cantona – leaves in the manner of the Frenchman, who he so admired. With minimum fuss, he has simply decided enough is enough.

He leaves behind a wealth of memories that ensure he will stand out as one of Old Trafford’s greatest.
Incredible goals at Bradford, Aston Villa and in the Champions League semi-final with Barcelona in 2008 will live long in the memory, but they don’t even come close to defining the ultimate players’ player.

It was the unspectacular things that came so naturally to Scholes that set him apart.

The touch, the vision and the range of passing, equally as precise from four to 40 yards, that earned the appreciation of his peers.

He didn’t possess the free-kicks of David Beckham or the pace and dribbling of Ryan Giggs but both players would rank him as among the best they have shared a pitch with.

In his pomp, he could have comfortably lived alongside Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi in Pep Guardiola’s brilliant Barcelona team.

And even now, at the end of his career, Ferguson still does not have the midfielder who can come close to filling his shoes. That’s why he will need every bit of the £100m-plus Old Trafford’s hierarchy have set aside for transfers this summer.

Even then it might not be enough to fill the chasm he leaves behind.

Follow James Robson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamesrobsonmen