Manchester Utd v Millwall
The FA Cup Final
Millennium Stadium
22 May 2004


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Though he’s been at Manchester United for his entire career and has accumulated one of the most impressive medal collections in English football, Paul Scholes knows exactly what today’s showdown will be like from Millwall’s perspective.

"I know what it’s like to support the underdogs in an FA Cup Final," reveals the quietly-spoken midfield maestro.

"I was a United fan when I was really young but because my Dad was an Oldham fan that was the team that I used to watch in my teenage years. They were a strong FA Cup side in those days.

"Andy Ritchie was probably my favourite player at the time but they had a lot of good players including Dennis Irwin.

"The Millwall fans today will be like we were then; excited and hoping to get something out of the game."

But like everyone on the juggernaut that is Manchester United, Scholes is at pains to point out that the favourites will be taking nothing for granted.

"Whichever team we meet, we always try and prepare in the best possible way," he explains.

"The day before the game, we’ll watch a video of the opposition and the coach and manager will tell us what we need to look out for. For example, while we know Dennis Wise is an aggressive player, he’s also a very good footballer – something he doesn’t always get credit for.

"On match-day, we’ll have breakfast, go for a walk, and have a team-talk. The only change from the normal routine will be when we get our Cup Final suits on!"

Although it’s five years since United last contested a Cup Final, Scholes still has fresh memories of the balmy May day when the Reds, on course for the Treble, beat Newcastle 2-0, thanks, in no small part, to the contribution of the former Millwall favourite, Teddy Sheringham.

"The last Cup Final was great," he smiles. "It was a nice warm day and we played well.

"We lost Roy early through injury which was a big blow but, as it turned out, Teddy came on and really helped to turn things in our favour. We scored a goal in each half to win The Cup."

Scholes is far too modest to point out that he was one of the scorers. His fine second-half strike, followed Sheringham’s eleventh-minute opener.

"I connected with Teddy," Scholes recalls. "We both liked playing one-touch football. He always knew where you wanted the ball and his touch was brilliant. Plus he was always capable of scoring goals himself. A good player."

In a season that he describes as "average", this year Scholes has saved his best form for The FA Cup. His two instinctive strikes against Aston Villa set United on their way in the Third Round and he was the star of Villa Park once more in the Semi-Final victory over Arsenal.

"The Semi was a massive game for us," he admits. "We had to give ourselves a chance of winning something. It saved our season.

"We know we are capable of competing with Arsenal. They haven’t beaten us this year. In the head-to-heads we’re on top, it’s just in the other games we’ve let ourselves down."

It was Scholes’ first-half strike that settled affairs but, once again, he diverts attention away from himself and on to the team as a whole.

"Everyone did well," he asserts. "We played as a team. They had a couple of chances early on but they didn’t really cause us any problems after that and we always thought that we could go up the other end and score."

And, when they did, it just had to be Scholes. He struck home a rocket of a shot from Giggs’ clever lay-back.

"I just tried to hit it as hard as I could and thankfully I managed to catch it perfectly," he says.

"I hit it so well that, when I saw the ’keeper fall down, I knew it was in.

"I’ve enjoyed playing in The FA Cup this year. It’s gone well for me. Hopefully I can finish it off by playing and scoring today."

Somehow, you wouldn’t back against it.