Gossip: Eric's replacement

the mark. Sheringham arrived from Spurs in a £3.5million deal in June that had the White Hart Lane faithful raging and he would play a key role in the 1999 Treble.

Neil Harman in the Daily Mail got it right in terms of the impact Scholes could make as the youngster proved his talents that summer in Le Tournoi for England. "It has long been thought that 22-year-old Scholes possessed the sharpest mind, and keenest instinct, of the Fergie babes," he wrote. "But it was one which often had to lie dormant, waiting for the chance to break into United's first team, full time."

The manager, for his part, commented: "Paul's a smashing player who did well when he stepped in for Eric a couple of seasons ago. His goalscoring record is fantastic. We knew from his days with the youth team, that he'd be one of the best. I've had several managers on to me about his availability but there was never a chance of him leaving."

Thank the heavens that the idea of Scholes departing was ever contemplated.