The term legend is banded about all too often in modern day football, but it's certainly an accurate description where Paul Scholes is concerned.
Now 40 years old and a pundit with BT Sport, the former midfielder made 718 appearances for Manchester United - only Ryan Giggs and Sir Bobby Charlton turned out on more occasions for the Red Devils. During those outings, Scholes scored 155 goals to leave him 10th on the club's all-time list.
It was a glittering career that included 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League once, yet it all started for Scholes in the less than glamorous surroundings of Vale Park 21 years ago today when United faced Port Vale in the League Cup.
As he so often did during his Old Trafford tenure, manager Sir Alex Ferguson made a number of alterations to his starting lineup for this type of tie. Youngsters David Beckham, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt all featured, while Scholes and winger Simon Davies were handed their senior debuts.
Ferguson's team selection caused a stir among the supporters and officials of Vale, many of whom had hoped to see the likes of Eric Cantona, Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis in action. Nevertheless, despite their lack of experience, it was the youthful United that ran out victors on the night, thanks mainly to the flame-haired Scholes.
The visitors had to battle back from behind, though, after the home side had broken the deadlock. A corner was cleared only as far as Bradley Sandeman and when the full-back fired the ball back into the danger area, Lee Glover was on hand to glance a headed effort beyond a rooted Gary Walsh in the United goal.
It was then over to debutant Scholes, who drew his side level in the 37th minute. He pounced on confusion among the Vale rearguard and as goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite approached, the number 10 found the net with a deft chipped shot.
Then, just eight minutes after the restart, Scholes scored what would be the winning goal. Quick feet from Davies on the left flank created enough space for the winger to send over a cross, which Scholes met with a powerful downward header that skidded into the bottom corner.
Arms aloft, Scholes celebrated in front of the travelling faithful to mark what had been the perfect start to his senior United career.
Speaking after the final whistle, United boss Ferguson told reporters: "[We] could incur the wrath of the authorities [for making a number of changes], but people expect us to do the right thing for Manchester United.
"The inexperience of my side was an advantage tonight because they didn't seem to have a care and feared no-one. The boy Scholes took his goals superbly and capped an excellent performance by the whole team."
The two teams met again at Old Trafford a fortnight later for the second leg, which hosting United won 2-0 thanks to goals from David May and Brian McClair, sealing a 4-1 aggregate triumph in the process.
MAN UNITED: Walsh; G Neville (O'Kane), May, Keane, Irwin; Gillespie, Beckham, Butt, Davies; Scholes, McClair
Liam Apicella
