Scholes pushes for a 12th medal while Rooney doubts its merit

Manchester United icon Paul Scholes has publicly asked for a retrospective Premier League winners’ medal from the 2011/12 season, a request that has been sharply contrasted by former teammate Wayne Rooney, who says he would not feel comfortable accepting such an award.

Scholes’ demand for a medal

Scholes posted on Instagram that he wants his own medal, describing the calls for players to relinquish trophies as “f*** that I’m a greedy b****** I want my medal.” He insists that former United colleagues who claim they do not want the medals should not dictate his decision.

Rooney’s reservations

Speaking on the Stick to United podcast, Rooney explained that he would not feel comfortable taking a medal for the 2011/12 campaign, noting that Manchester United were “pipped to the coveted trophy on an unforgettable final day.” He added, “I don’t think we deserve it, we didn’t do enough that season to win the league.”

Rooney also reflected on the perspective of Manchester City players, saying, “If those players have no understanding of what is going on above them, I would be absolutely devastated.” He suggested that any medal could be stripped away, but he would still decline it.

City’s guilty verdict and appeal

The footballing world was shaken when Manchester City were found guilty of breaching financial rules over a nine‑year period, following a four‑year investigation. Between 2009 and 2018, the club arranged “sham contracts” with commercial partners to disguise secret funding exceeding £830 million.

During their title‑winning campaigns in 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2017/18, City recorded £360 million in sponsor fees, of which only £43 million was legitimate. The club has denied wrongdoing and lodged an official appeal on 1 October 2026, citing “clear material errors” on multiple grounds.

Fans, pundits and former players have weighed in on potential punishments for City, with opinions ranging from stripping medals to imposing fines. The debate continues as the appeal process unfolds.