Manchester United icon Paul Scholes’ daughter, Alicia Scholes, is a stunning netball star who helps her “role model” dad run a £500k gym in Oldham
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes’ daughter couldn’t be prouder of her “role model” dad and no doubt the feeling is mutual.
The iconic Premier League midfielder, who won it all during a glittering career at Old Trafford, opened up at the end of last month about how after separating from his wife Claire, he had taken the difficult decision to step back from football punditry duties this season to focus on caring for and spending quality time with his 20-year-old autistic son, Aiden.
The former England star, who turns 51 today, Sunday, November 16, said “everything I’m going to do it is around Aiden”. He was hailed by fans for bravely speaking about the challenges of raising an autistic child and he was praised by his daughter Alicia, 24, who labelled him “the best dad in the world” after his emotional words.
She said: “My whole life your priority has always been being my dad, and growing up and realising how hard you had to work everyday alongside that is something I can’t even comprehend.
“To achieve all you did takes so much sacrifice and hard work and somehow I still had you to take me to school every morning and be there at the end of each day, so present in every aspect of my life!
“If anyone met you they wouldn’t have a clue the life you’ve lived, they’d just see a genuinely kind, polite, caring person. You don’t care about people who don’t matter, and out of everything that is the most valuable thing i have learnt from you.
“The thing I am proudest of is being your daughter, you are the best role model and father figure I could ever have, and you do it so effortlessly.”
Alicia is blazing her own trail out on the court, playing as a wing attack and centre, having signed for Netball Superleague side London Pulse in 2021, after beginning her career with Manchester Thunder.
She helped Pulse reach the Netball Super League Grand Final in 2023, and was part of the 2024 squad that finished third after defeat in the play-off semi finals.
Alicia was then instrumental in the club’s landmark triumph in the Netball Super Cup in July this year, marking their inaugural victory in the tournament, defeating Loughborough Lightning 53-45.
Over on Instagram, she has amassed a whopping 105k followers, where she regularly posts behind the scenes snaps from her day to day life, including bikini pics from a holiday with Love Island star Ayo Odukoya, who is believed to be her boyfriend.
She also took to the social media platform to celebrate her dad Paul’s 50th birthday last year, when she shared videos of the Scholes’ family celebrating the landmark birthday.
In 2023, she also made her senior debut for England, helping the Red Roses beat South Africa to secure a 2-1 series victory in Nottingham. And Alicia also helped lend a hand when her father decided to set up a new gym.
Back in 2022, Alicia and Scholes other child Arron, joined their father in helping to run a new state-of-the-art gym in Oldham, the United legend’s hometown.
The Scholes’ invested £500,000 on the massive 10,000 square feet development, with the aim being to cater for those who want to push themselves to the next level with new machines and fitness classes following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking about opening the gym, Scholes said: “Oldham is where I grew up and got a first taste of sport. To open Scholes Gym here is really important to me.
“It’s the sort of venue I dreamed of having access to back then and, along with Arron and Alicia, I’m pleased to be able to create it for others.”
Of course, Alicia is also infamously known for the viral social media video that saw her dad biting off her toe nails.
In the video, the ex-United star could be seen biting off Alicia’s toe nails, with the netball star captioning the post: “True love.”
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