Paul Scholes has revealed he stopped doing commentary work in order to fit in with the routine of his disabled son.
The former Manchester United midfielder co-parents 20-year-old Aiden, who has severe autism, with his ex-wife, and opened up about the challenges on the Stick to Football podcast.
"Everything I'm going to do now just works around him," said Scholes. "I do studio work, but everything is built around his day.
"Last season, on Thursday nights I'd do the Europa League for Man United, that's the night I'd usually have him, so he was getting all agitated, biting and scratching. He knows the pattern's not there straight away.
"And I did that for years really, always thinking I've got to stop this at some point, so I had the chance to do the podcast and I thought that would suit me more - well, not me, Aiden."
Scholes hopes sharing the difficulties as well as the joyful moments can help other families in a similar situation.
He initially kept Aiden's diagnosis secret during his playing days, and revealed he was dropped by Sir Alex Ferguson while trying to handle the situation privately.
"I never got a break from it, even when playing," said Scholes. "It was very hard in those days.
"I don't think they diagnosed it until he was two-and-a-half years old. But you knew early something was wrong, but then you get the diagnosis, and I'd never heard of it.
"I remember the first time after we were playing Derby away and I just didn't want to be there. I remember the manager dropped me the week after actually, and I hadn't told anyone. I ended up 3telling them a few weeks later, I think, as it was quite hard.
"Even now, I don't want sympathy or anything. I just thought, even if I did speak to someone about it, it's not going to help Aiden. The big concern now is, because you're getting a bit older, what happens when you're not here? That's the thing that's now on my mind all the time."
This week's Stick to Football podcast with Paul Scholes is available now on YouTube and all leading podcast platforms
PA
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