Sir Tom said: "I remember United playing Stan Pearson in the 40s and 50s in this role - then came Dennis Viollet another wonderful player who never gave anything less than 100 per cent. He, too, was an all-action player who went out and gave his all. Nowadays I see Scholes leading the way and carrying on the good work - he too is a great little player with a wonderful engine.
"Stan Pearson and Dennis Viollet were great players in their own right now Scholes has come to the fore - thriving on taking the game to the opposition. Such players are vital to any team and their consistency speaks for itself - they never ever let you down."