Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has been appointed Oldham Athletic manager on a one-and-a-half-year contract, the English League Two (fourth-tier) club said on Monday.
British media reported that Scholes was cleared to take up the position last week when the English Football League decided the 44-year-old’s 10 per cent stake in fifth-tier Salford City would not represent a conflict of interest.
Scholes, a lifelong Oldham fan who spent his entire playing career at United, won 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two Champions League crowns before hanging up his boots in 2013.
“Paul has won everything there is to win in football,” Oldham owner Abdallah Lemsagam said in a statement.
“He is a man who will bring a lot of footballing knowledge and his hunger to succeed in management will be there for everyone to see.
“It’s no secret how much he has wanted this job in the past and how much he loves this club, so I’m very happy to bring him into our family at Oldham Athletic.”
Scholes has limited coaching experience, including four matches alongside Ryan Giggs when his former team-mate took caretaker charge of United following David Moyes’ sacking in 2014.
The former England international has worked as a television pundit for BT Sport in recent years.
Oldham sacked Frankie Bunn in December and academy coach Pete Wild was put in temporary charge of the team.
A 3-0 victory at Crawley Town on Saturday was Oldham’s first in the league since New Year’s Day and they are 14th in the table – nine points off the playoff spots.