Darren Fletcher believes there will never be another player like Man Utd team-mate Paul Scholes.
Midfielder surprised team-mate has never won individual award
Darren Fletcher believes there will never be another player like Paul Scholes and is astonished that his Manchester United team-mate has never won an individual award.
Scholes moved into the top 10 all-time scorers for United on Saturday when his last-gasp header secured a 1-0 win over local rivals Manchester City and kept the reigning champions in this season's Premier League title race.
The 35-year-old has also signed a new one-year contract to extend his glittering career at Old Trafford which has seen the midfielder win a host of trophies.
However, Scholes' personal contribution has never been recognised when the end-of-season individual awards are handed out and Fletcher feels the former England international is the antithesis of the modern-day footballer.
Real benchmark
"We won't ever see another one like Paul Scholes," said Fletcher. "He is a legend and a real benchmark.
"He is not interested in the modern-day footballer's life off the pitch, but he is a world-class player on it.
"He has probably never really got the true recognition he deserved outside of Manchester United because he never did the media. He didn't do interviews and never put himself out for things like that.
"I cannot believe he has never been nominated for World, European or domestic individual honours because in his prime he was scoring 20 goals a season from midfield.
"It is astonishing he has never won a personal award, but given the choice of winning something and then having to get up and do the speech, I think he would rather not have won them."
Inspiration
Fletcher also believes Scholes fully merits a new contract at United and hailed his performance in the derby win over City.
He added: "It is crazy to suggest that he shouldn't have got another contract. On Saturday he was the best player on the park. Even before his goal he was controlling it at his tempo.
"He slowed it down when it was needed. He was always available and quickened it up when it was called for. He was an inspiration playing like that.
"All the players here want him at United next year, together with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville he remains a great inspiration to us all.
"Proper fans who know the game realise that maybe he doesn't go box-to-box these days for 90 minutes, but nobody expects that. We have others who can do the work for him."
