 Gascoigne in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul John Gascoigne[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1967-05-27)27 May 1967 (age 58)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Gateshead, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.77 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1985 | Newcastle United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1985–1988 | Newcastle United | 92 | (21) |
| 1988–1992 | Tottenham Hotspur | 92 | (19) |
| 1992–1995 | Lazio | 43 | (6) |
| 1995–1998 | Rangers | 74 | (30) |
| 1998–2000 | Middlesbrough | 41 | (4) |
| 2000–2002 | Everton | 32 | (1) |
| 2002 | Burnley | 6 | (0) |
| 2003 | Gansu Tianma | 4 | (2) |
| 2004 | Boston United | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 388 | (83) | |
| International career | |||
| 1987–1988 | England U21 | 12 | (5) |
| 1989 | England B | 4 | (1) |
| 1988–1998 | England | 57 | (10) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2005 | Kettering Town | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul John Gascoigne (/ˈɡæskɔɪn/GASK-oyn; born 27 May 1967), nicknamedGazza, is an English former professionalfootballer who played as anattacking midfielder.[2] Regarded as one of the best playmakers of his generation[3] and one of the best English footballers of all time,[4][5] Gascoigne is described by theNational Football Museum as "widely recognised as the most naturally talented English footballer of his generation".[6] Gascoigne was immensely popular during his playing career, with television broadcasterTerry Wogan calling him "probably the most popular man in Britain today" in September 1990, and public interest in and adoration for him came to be known as "Gazzamania".[7][8]
Born and raised inGateshead, Gascoigne signed schoolboy terms withNewcastle United before turning professional with the club in 1984. Three years later, he was sold toTottenham Hotspur for £2.2 million. He won theFA Cup with Spurs in1991 before being sold to Italian clubLazio for £5.5 million. In 1995, he was transferred toRangers for £4.3 million and helped the club to twoleague titles, aScottish Cup and aScottish League Cup. He returned to England in a £3.4 million move toMiddlesbrough in 1998. He debuted in the Premier League in the 1998–99 season, having already featured in the1998 Football League Cup final. He switched toEverton in 2000 and later had spells withBurnley,Gansu Tianma andBoston United.
Gascoigne represented theEngland national team from 1988 to 1998, in which he wascapped 57 times and scored ten goals. He was part of the England team that reached fourth place in the1990 FIFA World Cup, where he famously cried after receiving a yellow card in thesemi-final with West Germany, which meant he would have been suspended for the final had England won the game. He also helped the team to the semi-finals ofEuro 96, which included scoring a goal againstScotland, described in 2013 as "one of the most iconic goals in the game's recent history".[9] He has been involved in a number of high-profilegoal celebrations at both club and international level, including the "dentist's chair" celebration from Euro 96, and mimicking playing the flute with Rangers in 1998, a reference to the ProtestantOrange Order.[10][11]
In the later part of his career, and especially following retirement, Gascoigne's life became dominated by severe mental and emotional problems, particularly alcoholism. He has been jailed orsectioned on numerous occasions, and his struggles receive regular coverage in the British press. He has frequently attempted to live without alcohol, though rehabilitation programmes have provided only temporary relief. His issues ended his coaching career, and he has not worked in football since being dismissed as the manager ofKettering Town in 2005.
Gascoigne was born inGateshead,County Durham, on 27 May 1967.[12][13] His father, John (1946–2018), was ahod carrier, and his mother, Carol, worked in a factory.[14] He was named Paul John Gascoigne in tribute toPaul McCartney andJohn Lennon ofthe Beatles.[15] He is of Irish descent through his grandparents.[16]
He attendedBreckenbeds Junior High School, then theHeathfield Senior High School, both in theLow Fell area of Gateshead.[17] He was noticed by football scouts while playing for Gateshead Boys, though failed to impress in a trial atIpswich Town.[18] Further trials atMiddlesbrough andSouthampton also proved unsuccessful before the team he supported,Newcastle United, signed him as a schoolboy in 1980.[19] Former Ipswich and Newcastle scout Charlie Woods has claimed Ipswich were keen on signing Gascoigne, but once Newcastle got wind they quickly signed up the youngster.[20] Gascoigne frequently got into trouble with his friend, Jimmy "Five Bellies" Gardner. The pair were taken to court and fined over ahit and run incident.[21] Newcastle chairmanStan Seymour Jr. described Gascoigne as "George Best without brains".[22]
While Gascoigne was successful on the football field, his childhood was marked by instability and tragedy. Initially, his family lived in a single upstairs room in a council house with a shared bathroom and moved several times during his early life.[23] When he was ten, Gascoigne witnessed the death of Steven Spraggon, the younger brother of a friend, who was killed in atraffic collision.[24] Around this time, his father began to experienceseizures.[24] Gascoigne began developing obsessions andtwitches, and was taken into therapy, but soon quit the therapy sessions after his father expressed doubts over the treatment methods.[25]
Gascoigne developed an addiction togaming machines, frequently spending all his money on them, and also began shoplifting to fund his addiction.[26] He experienced further tragedy when a friend, whom he had encouraged to join Newcastle United from Middlesbrough, died whilst he was working for Gascoigne's uncle on a building site.[19]
Brian Tinnion met Gascoigne for the first time at 14 when Tinnion signed for Dunston Juniors, another side Gascoigne played for.[27] Tinnion explained that though Gascoigne eventually became the stand out, by the age of 15, most felt thatIan Bogie would be the top player out of this particular Newcastle youth set up.[27] Gascoigne decided to provide financially for his family as he saw professional football as a way of earning more money than the rest of the family were capable of.[28] He enjoyed football and later wrote that "I didn't have twitches or worry about death when I was playing football".[29] He was signed on as an apprentice at Newcastle on his 16th birthday.[30]
He was usually overweight whilst signed to theNewcastle youth side.Jack Charlton, the Newcastle manager, claimed Gascoigne was "a bit chubby" and looked anything but a footballer.[31] Gascoigne ateMars bars and other junk food.[31] Charlton was not overly concerned as he believed this weight would give Gascoigne extra strength on the football pitch and did not seem to slow him down.[31] He also noted that Gascoigne showed early signs of being gaffe-prone and a prankster.[31][32] Charlton warned Gascoigne about his junk food diet and gave him two weeks to lose the extra weight.[32] Gascoigne then trained for ten days wrapped in a black bag.[32]
Gascoigne captained Newcastle United's youth team to theFA Youth Cup in the1984–85 season and scored twice in the 4–1 victory overWatford in the final atVicarage Road.[33] In the first leg of the final, they drew 0–0.[32] TeammateJoe Allon stated that Newcastle were unusually poor in the first leg,[32] but in the second leg, Gascoigne was instrumental in Newcastle's victory.[32] After the match, Jack Charlton told Gascoigne he would be in the first team the next day againstNorwich City.[32] Gascoigne did travel to Norwich, though Charlton chose not to pick him.[32]
Gascoigne made his first-team debut as a substitute forGeorge Reilly in a 1–0 win overQueens Park Rangers on 13 April 1985 atSt James' Park.[34] Charlton later noted that Gascoigne's first-team appearances under him were too brief to suggest he was more than a useful talent.[31] At the age of 18, Gascoigne signed a two-year £120 a week contract at Newcastle, with the club also having a further two-year option clause.[35] Through noting Gascoigne's generous personality, Charlton arranged that around half of Gascoigne's wage be paid into a bank account for him to collect in a lump sum at the end of his first contract.[31]
Willie McFaul took over as manager for the1985–86 season and named Gascoigne in his starting lineup from the opening game of the campaign; he took the place ofChris Waddle, who had been sold toTottenham Hotspur in the summer.[36] He scored his first goal at home toOxford United in a 3–0 victory on 21 September 1985 and claimed a further eight goals in the 1985–86 campaign.[37] Newcastle finished 11th in theFirst Division that season and, at the end of it, Gascoigne was featured on the front cover of theRothmans Football Yearbook.[38] He scored 5 goals in 24 league games in the1986–87 season,[39] as the "Magpies" slipped to 17th place, just three points above the relegation play-offs.[40]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Jackie Milburn on Gascoigne, 1988 |
In 1988, on the BBC programmeFootball Focus, Newcastle's then all-time top scorer,Jackie Milburn, stated that Gascoigne was "the best player in the world".[41] In a 0–0 draw withWimbledon atPlough Lane in February 1988, hard-manVinnie Jones singled him out for attention, and in an incident that would become a much-publicised photograph, Jones grabbed him by the genitals as Gascoigne screamed in agony.[42] He was named as thePFA Young Player of the Year and listed on thePFA Team of the Year in the1987–88 season. However, his period at Newcastle coincided with unrest and instability at the club, which left the club unable to hold on to such a talented young player.[43] Gascoigne promisedAlex Ferguson that he would sign for Manchester United.[44] Ferguson duly went on holiday toMalta, expecting to sign Gascoigne. On his holiday, he received the news that Gascoigne had signed for Tottenham Hotspur for a record British fee of £2.2 million.[45] In his 1999 autobiography, Ferguson claimed that Gascoigne was wooed into signing for Spurs after they bought a house for his impoverished family.[46] Gascoigne, in his autobiography, states that after he was given his £100,000 signing-on fee, he spent £70,000 buying property for his mother and father.[47]
Inhis first season atWhite Hart Lane, Gascoigne helpedTerry Venables'sTottenham Hotspur to sixth in theFirst Division, scoring 7 goals in 37 appearances.[48] They rose to third place in1989–90, but were still 16 points behind championsLiverpool.[48] On 26 September, he scored four goals in a 5–0 victory againstHartlepool United in the second round of the1990–91 Football League Cup.[49] He was named asBBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1990, and on accepting the award said: "I haven't won anything in the game as yet. But the World Cup did help to put England on the map".[50] He was also named as the club's Player of the Year.[51]
Gascoigne was named on thePFA Team of the Year in the1990–91 season as Tottenham reached theFA Cup Final, with victories overBlackpool,Oxford United,Portsmouth,Notts County andNorth London derby rivalsArsenal. He scored the opening goal of the 3–1 victory over Arsenal atWembley with a free-kick,[52] one of six goals he scored in the competition. At this juncture, Spurs were also under significant financial strain with a huge £10 million debt.[53] With Spurs being tied to massive debt, they hired a financial advisor called Nat Solomon. Solomon strongly argued for selling Gascoigne toLazio to keep the vultures at bay.[53] Going into the final againstNottingham Forest, Spurs had readily accepted an offer from Lazio and Gascoigne had already agreed to the playing terms to join the Italian club. The deal would be worth £8.5 million to Tottenham.[54] His final was to end in injury; however as 15 minutes into the game, he committed a dangerous knee-high foul onGary Charles and ruptured his owncruciate ligaments in his right knee.[52] England teammateStuart Pearce scored from the resultant free-kick, and Gascoigne subsequently collapsed after the kick-off, forcing him to leave the match on a stretcher.[55] Tottenham went on to win the Cup in extra-time.[52]
"I'm very pleased for Paul but it's like watching your mother-in-law drive off a cliff in your new car."
He missed the entire1991–92 season while he recovered, suffering a further knee injury in late 1991 when an incident at a nightclub onTyneside kept him out for even longer.[57] The saga over Gascoigne's proposed transfer to Lazio dominated the tabloid press throughout 1991, often overshadowing the key national news of that time – namely therecession and rise in unemployment that it sparked – although the broadsheet newspapers generally kept stories about Gascoigne confined to their back pages.[58]
"He was a lovely boy, lovely, such a heart. But a troubled boy. He ate ice cream for breakfast, he drank beer for lunch … But a player? Oh, beautiful, beautiful."
Gascoigne eventually joinedLazio for a fee of £5.5 million; he received a £2 million signing-on fee and signed a contract worth £22,000 a week.[60] He made hisSerie A debut on 27 September 1992 in a match againstGenoa, which was televised in Britain as well as Italy.[61] He failed to fully settle in Italy and was beset by negative media interest which was not helped by the numerous occasions he punched reporters, and the time when hebelched down a microphone on live television.[62][63] He was well received by the club's fans, but not by the club's ownerSergio Cragnotti, who resented him after Gascoigne greeted him by saying "Tua figlia, grande tette" (roughly translated as "Your daughter, big tits").[64] His form was inconsistent in hisfirst season at theStadio Olimpico as he had previously spent a year out injured, but he endeared himself toEagles fans when he scored in the 89th minute to equalise during theRome derby againstAS Roma.[65] He broke his cheekbone whilst on international duty in April 1993, and had to play the remaining games of the season in a mask.[66] Lazio ended the campaign in fifth place, which was considered a success as it meant qualification for European competition for the first time in 16 years.[67]
Gascoigne fell badly out of shape before the1993–94 season and was told by managerDino Zoff to lose 13kg by the start of the campaign else he would lose his first-team place.[67] Gascoigne went on an extreme weight loss diet and shed excess fat.[68] In one spell out injured Zoff told Gascoigne to go on holiday to recuperate. Gascoigne explained to Zoff that he did not want to go on holiday.[69] To the surprise of the Lazio fitness staff, Gascoigne arrived back from his holiday overweight.[69] When he spoke to the coach about his weight, Gascoigne told Zoff, "I told you not to send me on holiday, Signor Zoff!"[69] He captained the club againstCremonese when regular captainRoberto Cravero was substituted.[70]
In 1994,Zdeněk Zeman arrived fromFoggia to coach Lazio and Gascoigne. Zeman was a coach who was noted for using his whistle in training sessions.[71] One session, Zeman misplaced his whistle and found it when a goose who frequented the Lazio training ground was seen wearing it.[71]Pierluigi Casiraghi later reasoned Gascoigne was the culprit who placed Zeman's whistle on the goose.[71] In April 1994, he broke his leg in training whilst attempting to tackleAlessandro Nesta.[72] Upon his recovery, he was disgruntled with Zeman's stern fitness approach, and both club and player decided to part ways at the end of the1994–95 season.[73]
"There's no doubt that Gascoigne has been one of the players to brighten up Scottish football over the last 30 to 40 years. It was an absolute privilege and a pleasure to play with somebody of that talent. I actually think we got the best of Gascoigne when he was at Rangers. And does he deserve his place in the Scotland Hall of Fame? You're joking, 100% he does."
Rangers managerWalter Smith flew to visit Gascoigne at his home in the Rome countryside in the early summer of 1995. Smith explained: "He said, 'What are you doing here?' I said, 'I'm here to see you.' He said, 'What is it you're wanting?' I said, 'I'm here to see if you'll come and play for Rangers.' He said, 'Aye, alright.'"[75]
Gascoigne signed for Rangers in July 1995 for aclub record fee of £4.3 million, on wages of £15,000 a week.[11][76] He made an immediate impact: in the fifth league game of the1995–96 season, theOld Firm fixture atCeltic Park, he scored a goal after running almost the full length of the pitch to get on the end of a pass in a breakaway;[77] it proved vital as this was the only match lost by title rivalsCeltic during the campaign.[11] On 30 December, Gascoigne was booked by referee Dougie Smith after picking Smith's yellow card up from the ground and jokingly 'booking' the referee during a match againstHibernian.[78] Rangers went on to win theScottish Premier Division, clinching the title in the penultimate game of the season againstAberdeen atIbrox Stadium; Gascoigne scored a hat-trick including two solo efforts.[11][79][80] Rangers won the double as they also won theScottish Cup by knocking out Celtic before beatingHeart of Midlothian 5–1 inthe final atHampden Park. He scored 19 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, and was named as bothPFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year andSFWA Footballer of the Year.[11][1][81]
Rangers won the league title again in1996–97, theirninth in succession. Gascoigne claimed hat-tricks againstKilmarnock andMotherwell and ended the campaign with 17 goals in 34 games. However, during this season, manager Walter Smith and assistantArchie Knox became increasingly concerned over Gascoigne's reliance on alcohol.[82] TheGers won another double by also winning theScottish League Cup, beating Hearts 4–3 inthe final at Celtic Park, with Gascoigne scoring twice andAlly McCoist claiming the other two goals.[11][83]
In 1997, young Italian playerGennaro Gattuso joined Rangers. He was welcomed to Ibrox by Gascoigne,[84] who defecated in Gattuso's sock as a prank.[84] Gascoigne would also buy Gattuso his club suits under the pretence Rangers were paying for them;[85] Gattuso found out many months later from other sources that it was Gascoigne who secretly paid the bill.[11][85] In November 1997, Gascoigne received a five-match ban after being sent off for violent conduct during the Old Firm derby following an incident with Celtic midfielderMorten Wieghorst.[86] In January 1998, Gascoigne courted serious controversy when he mimed playing a flute (symbolic of the flute-playing ofOrange Order marchers) while warming up as a substitute during an Old Firm match at Celtic Park.[87][88] Having already made the same gesture as agoal celebration shortly after joining the club in 1995, at that time claiming to have been ignorant of its meaning,[11] his actions infuriated Celtic fans who had been taunting him and Gascoigne was fined £20,000 by Rangers after the incident.[89] He also received adeath threat from anIRA member.[11][89][90] The1997–98 season was less successful. Gascoigne scored just 3 goals in 28 games and was sold on[11] while Rangers failed to win any trophies after he had departed, losing the league title to Celtic and theScottish Cup final to Hearts.[91]
Gascoigne left Scotland to joinMiddlesbrough for £3.45 million in March 1998, where former England teammateBryan Robson was manager.[92] His first match was the1998 Football League Cup Final defeat toChelsea atWembley, where he came on as a substitute.[93] He played seven games in the First Division, helping "Boro" into thePremier League as runners-up toNottingham Forest at the end of the1997–98 season.[94]
Before the1998–99 campaign began, Gascoigne began havingblackouts after blaming himself for the death of a friend, who died after Gascoigne and a group of friends went on a night out drinking.[95] Despite his ongoing personal problems and his spell in rehab, Gascoigne started the season in good form and helped Middlesbrough into fourth place by Christmas.[96] They ended the season in ninth place and having scored 3 goals in 26 top-flight games Gascoigne was linked with a recall to the England squad, who were now managed by former teammateKevin Keegan and lacking a creative presence in midfield.[96]
His career went into terminal decline during the1999–2000 campaign, with Gascoigne breaking his arm after elbowing opposition midfield playerGeorge Boateng in the head during Middlesbrough's 4–0 defeat toAston Villa at theRiverside Stadium.[97] He subsequently received a three-match ban and £5,000 fine fromthe Football Association.[98]
Gascoigne signed a two-year contract withEverton, managed by former Rangers bossWalter Smith, after joining on a free transfer in July 2000.[99][100] He started the2000–01 season well despite not playing every game due to his lack of fitness, but a series of niggling injuries and his ongoingdepression took him out of the first team picture by Christmas.[101]
After spending time at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic inArizona,[102] Gascoigne was fit enough to play for theToffees in the2001–02 season, and he scored his first goal for the club – and last in English football – away toBolton Wanderers on 3 November.[103] Gascoigne then suffered a hernia injury, which kept him out of action for three months.[103] Walter Smith leftGoodison Park in March, and Gascoigne left the club shortly after Smith's successor,David Moyes, took charge.[104]
George Reynolds made an attempt to bring Gascoigne toDarlington, at that time playing in theThird Division, but talks broke down, and Gascoigne finished the2001–02 season withStan Ternent'sBurnley.[105] Gascoigne made six First Division appearances for Burnley.[106][107] The club narrowly missed out on the play-offs, and he leftTurf Moor after two months.[108] In 2002, he was inducted into theNational Football Museum, being described as "the most naturally gifted English midfielder of his generation".[6] Fellow England midfielderPaul Ince said that Gascoigne was "the best player I've ever played with ... he had everything. He was amazing."[6]
In the summer of 2002, Gascoigne went on trial withMajor League Soccer clubD.C. United but rejected a contract.[109] First Division clubGillingham also made enquiries, and Gascoigne had an unsuccessful trial with the club.[110] In February 2003, he signed a nine-month contract withChina League One clubGansu Tianma in both a playing and coaching role.[111][112] Gascoigne scored in his first match in China,[113][114] and in total scored two goals in four league games but his mental state meant that he had to return to theUnited States for treatment against drink and depression in April,[115] and he never returned despite the club ordering him to do so.[116]
In October 2003, Gascoigne was offered an opportunity to train withWolverhampton Wanderers.[117] However a month later Wolves rejected the option on providing Gascoigne a contract.[118]
In July 2004, after proving his fitness in pre-season withRadcliffe Borough.[119] Gascoigne was signed as player-coach byLeague Two sideBoston United.[120] Upon signing he spoke of his coaching aspirations, saying that "I can become a great coach and a great manager".[121] Gascoigne left Boston after he made five appearances in three months, citing professional reasons including his coaching career.[122][123] Former Rangers teammateGraham Roberts made an unsuccessful attempt to sign Gascoigne as a player-coach atClyde in 2005.[124]
In August 2014 Gascoigne joined amateur club Abbey in theBournemouth Sunday league[125]
Gascoigne was called up to theEngland under-21 side in the summer of 1987 and scored with a free-kick in his debut in a 2–0 win overMorocco.[126] He went on to win 12 caps for the under-21s underDave Sexton.[127] The team were semi finalists at theUEFA U-21 Euros and finalists at theToulon Tournament beaten on both occasions byFrance in 1988.[128]
Gascoigne was first called up to the fullEngland squad byBobby Robson for a friendly againstDenmark on 14 September 1988 and came on as a late substitute forPeter Beardsley in a 1–0 win.[129] He scored his first goal for England in a 5–0 victory overAlbania atWembley on 26 April 1989.[130] He made his first start in the following game againstChile and kept his first team place for most matches in the run in to the1990 FIFA World Cup.[131] He also played four games for theEngland B team. He secured his place in the World Cup squad in a 4–2 win againstCzechoslovakia when he scored one goal and was a key component in the other three.[132]
Gascoigne went to the World Cup in Italy, having never started a competitive international.[133] He played in all three of the group games and England toppedGroup F, Gascoigne providing the assist forMark Wright's winner againstEgypt.[134] In the first knockout game againstBelgium, he made another assist after chipping a free-kick into the penalty area, whereDavid Platt volleyed the ball into the net.[135] Gascoigne was at the centre of the action again in the quarter-final clash withCameroon when he gave away a penalty, which Cameroon converted. In extra time, he made a successful through-ball pass from whichGary Lineker won and subsequently scored a penalty, which proved to be the winning goal.[136] Referring to the 1990 World Cup,Bryan Robson later commented that Gascoigne was the "best player" he had ever played with, saying that in 1990 he "was challenging Maradona as the best player in the world at that time."[59]
"Before Paul Gascoigne, did anyone ever become a national hero and a dead-cert millionaire by crying? Fabulous. Weep and the world weeps with you."
"Out of everything in my career, the moment people ask me about most often was when Gazza got booked in that semi-final. I could see his bottom lip was going. I think it says a lot about Bobby that it was him I turned to, to ask him to have a word. I didn't know that the moment would be caught on camera."
On 4 July 1990, England playedWest Germany in a World Cup semi-final match atJuventus'sStadio delle Alpi inTurin. Gascoigne, having already received a yellow card during England's 1–0 victory over Belgium in the second round, was booked for a foul onThomas Berthold,[13] which meant that he would be suspended for thefinal if England won the match. Television cameras showed that he had tears in his eyes following the yellow card, which made Gascoigne a highly popular figure with the sympathetic British public.[140] The match culminated in a penalty shoot-out, which the Germans won afterStuart Pearce andChris Waddle missed their penalties.[141][142]
Robson quit the England job after the tournament. His successorGraham Taylor dropped Gascoigne in favour of 32-year-oldGordon Cowans in aEuro '92 qualifier against theRepublic of Ireland in November 1990, citing tactical reasons.[143] He returned to the starting lineup for a friendly against Cameroon the following February before an injury in the FA Cup final three months later caused him to miss the next twenty-one England fixtures, including all ofUEFA Euro 1992, where England failed to progress beyond the group stages.[144]
Gascoigne returned to fitness in time for the openingqualifying game againstNorway in October 1992, and before playing in the 1–1 draw, he responded to a Norwegian television crew's request to say 'a few words to Norway', by saying "fuck off Norway".[145] His message was broadcast on Norwegian television and he was forced to apologise for the remark.[146][147] The following month he scored two goals in a 4–0 victory overTurkey.[145] Qualification ended badly for England, as they ended in third place behind Norway and theNetherlands and missed out on a place in the1994 FIFA World Cup.[148]
A broken leg in 1994 meant Gascoigne could not play for 15 months. By the time he returned to fitness,Terry Venables – his former manager atSpurs – had been appointed as England manager.[149] As England was hostingUEFA Euro 1996, they did not have to go through the qualification process, so they instead played numerous friendlies, most of which featured Gascoigne in the starting line-up.[150] The last of these games was played inHong Kong, after which numerous England players were photographed on a night out in which Gascoigne and several others having drinks poured into their mouths whilst sitting in the "dentist's chair".[151] The tournament opened with a 1–1 draw withSwitzerland, during which Gascoigne was substituted.[152] He scored in England's second game of the tournament, againstScotland (where he was playing at club level at the time). Receiving the ball fromDarren Anderton outside the Scotland penalty area, he flicked the ball overColin Hendry with his left foot and changed direction; Hendry was completely wrong-footed and, as the ball dropped, Gascoigne volleyed it with his right foot pastAndy Goram to seal a 2–0 victory.[11][153] The goal was followed by the"dentist's chair" celebration referring to the incident before the tournament, where Gascoigne lay on the ground as if he were sitting in the dentist's chair. Teammates sprayed water fromLucozade bottles into his open mouth.[153]
| External videos | |
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| Andy Goram on Gascoigne's goal |
Terry Venables later wrote that "Pelé at his best would not have bettered that movement and finish", calling the goal "a goal of unimpeachable quality, world-class, extraordinary, a wonder to behold".[154]
England beat the Netherlands 4–1 to make it to the knock-out stages. They then drew 0–0 withSpain before winning 4–2 onpenalties, the last of which was converted by Gascoigne.[155] England drew 1–1 with Germany in the semi-finals, and Gascoigne missed the chance to win the game in extra time when he came inches away from connecting to anAlan Shearer cross yards in front of an unguarded German net.[156] England lost to Germany in the resulting penalty shoot-out, withGareth Southgate missing England's sudden death penalty.[156] Referring to the 1996 European Championships,Xavi stated that he remembered "the European Championships in England with Gascoigne playing some great matches", calling the experience "spectacular".[59]
"Gazza is no longer a fat, drunken imbecile. He is, in fact, a football genius."
UnderGlenn Hoddle, Gascoigne was picked regularly and helped England win theTournoi de France in 1997 ahead ofBrazil,France andItaly.[158]Qualification for the1998 FIFA World Cup went down to the last group game against Italy at theStadio Olimpico, and Gascoigne put in a disciplined and mature performance to help England secure the 0–0 draw that was enough to take them through to the tournament.[159] Following qualification, British tabloid newspapers would publish pictures of Gascoigne eating kebabs late at night with his DJ friendChris Evans.[160] These pictures were published only a week before the final squad was due to be chosen.[160] The pictures disturbed Hoddle, who elected not to pick Gascoigne in the final squad.[161] After hearing the news, Gascoigne wrecked Hoddle's room in a rage before being restrained.[161] Gascoigne, who won 57 caps and scored ten goals, would never play for England again.[127]
Having already gained some coaching experience in China, and having proven his fitness withRadcliffe Borough in pre-season[162] Gascoigne signed forBoston United on 30 July 2004 as player-coach. After being at the club for 11 games he left (partly as a result of the club refusing to let him participate in the reality television showI'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!)[163] on 5 October, to begin a football coaching course. After leaving Boston, he stated that he was interested in taking over as manager of Scottish sideGreenock Morton,[164] but this came to nothing.
In mid-2005, he spent two months as a player-coach for the recently founded Portuguese team Algarve United, but he returned to England after a proposed contract never materialised.[165] He was appointed manager ofConference North clubKettering Town on 27 October 2005 and also planned to put in enough money to own one-third of the club to show his commitment.[166] Previous managerKevin Wilson was appointed asdirector of football, andPaul Davis was appointed as the club's assistant manager.[167] Bookmakers put odds on Gascoigne being dismissed before Christmas, though he insisted that he was at the club "for the long haul".[167] Attempts to get new sponsors on board were successful, though results on the pitch soon went against Kettering.[168] His tenure lasted just 39 days, and the club's board dismissed him on 5 December. The club's owner, Imraan Ladak, blamed Gascoigne's alcohol problems, stating that he drank almost every day he worked.[169] Gascoigne later claimed that the owner had interfered incessantly and harboured ambitions of being a manager himself, despite knowing little about football.[170] He was never on a contract at the club and was never paid for his six weeks' work, nor was he given a chance to invest money in the club as he had first planned.[171]
Gascoigne came close to being appointed manager ofGarforth Town in October 2010.[172] After weeks of talks between his agent and the club, he decided to turn down the offer, though reiterated his desire to return to football management.[173]
At the height of "Gazzamania" following the 1990 World Cup, he reached number 2 in theUK Top 40 with "Fog on the Tyne", a collaborative cover withLindisfarne that earned him agold disc.[174] He established Paul Gascoigne Promotions. He hired several staff to handle the hundreds of requests from companies wishing to use his likeness and/or endorsement to promote their products.[175] He signed an exclusive deal withThe Sun, which did not prevent the newspaper from joining its rivals in sensationalising the various scandals he became embroiled in.[175] He promoted two video games:Gazza's Superstar Soccer andGazza II.
In August 2006, he visitedBotswana on behalf ofthe Football Association's international outreach week. He played football with the children from theSOS Children's Village there.[176] On 25 July 2009, Gascoigne appeared on a Sporting Heroes edition of the BBC television quizThe Weakest Link, where he engaged in banter with hostAnne Robinson.[177] The next day, he played in anEngland versus Germany charity football match to help raise funds for theSir Bobby Robson Foundation.[178] He took part in the first edition ofSoccer Aid in 2006, playing for an England team captained byRobbie Williams.[179]
In August 2014, Gascoigne began playing amateur football after signing for Bournemouth Sunday League Division Four team Abbey.[180] In 2015, he was the subject of a documentary film calledGascoigne, and in 2022 he was the subject of a two-part documentary seriesGazza.
"In my commentating career Paul Gascoigne was the best English player I ever saw. The way he could go past people, his upper body strength, he had the lot. He could score goals, he could head goals, he could pick a pass like no other England player of his generation and very few since. He was just the complete footballer. And it was all natural. It wasn't because of hours of coaching, he just had it."
A creative and technically giftedplaymaker who played as anattacking midfielder, Gascoigne was capable both of scoring and setting up goals, due to his passing accuracy, his powerful striking ability, and heading ability.[181][182][183][184][185] He had pace, physical strength, balance and excellentdribbling skills, which allowed him to protect the ball, beat opponents and withstand physical challenges.[186] He was also an accuratefree kick and penalty kick taker.[187]FourFourTwo stated: "Acentral midfielder withGlenn Hoddle's eye for a pass andBryan Robson's love of a tackle, Gascoigne could be inconsistent and positionally suspect," but added: "Gascoigne was no smoke-and-mirrors showboater: his creativity was crucial in deciding deadlocked matches."[133]
Gary Lineker described Gascoigne as "the most naturally gifted technical footballer that I played with,"[188] who possessed "a sort of impudence" and "great confidence." Lineker added: "You could see he played completely for the love of the game."[133]Steven Gerrard named Gascoigne as his "hero".[189]Gareth Southgate said: "You've got very good players and then there are top players. In my time in the England setup, Paul Gascoigne,Paul Scholes andWayne Rooney just had that little bit more than all the others. And we are talking high‑level people there, players like Steven Gerrard,Frank Lampard andDavid Beckham."[190] Former Newcastle United playerLee Clark added: "Gazza had everything. He could dribble, take on players, thread defence-splitting passes through the eye of a needle to the strikers and score incredible goals."[191]José Mourinho said he was "aggressive, very physical, but at the same time [had] very technical, fantastic characteristics that you need to be a top footballer."[59]
FourFourTwo described his performances in the 1990 World Cup as being "as close as the English ever got to the sort of bravura brilliance by whichDiego Maradona had dragged theAlbiceleste to World Cup glory four years earlier." Football writerBrian Glanville said that Gascoigne displayed "a flair, a superlative technique, a tactical sophistication, seldom matched by an England player since the war."[133] Despite his talent, Gascoigne was also criticised for his erratic behaviour and aggression on the pitch. His turbulent and often unhealthy lifestyle off the pitch, and his tendency to pick up injuries, are thought to have affected his career.[182][184][192]
Gascoigne married his long-time girlfriendSheryl Failes inThundridge,Hertfordshire, in July 1996, after they had been together for around six years.[193] He later admitted to violence towards Sheryl during their marriage.[11][194] They divorced in early 1999.[195] In 2009, Sheryl published a tell-all book entitledStronger: My Life Surviving Gazza.[196] Gascoigne had a son,Regan, with Sheryl and alsoadopted Sheryl's two children from her first marriage, includingBianca.
During the 1990s, Gascoigne,Danny Baker andChris Evans had a much-publicised friendship, and Gascoigne frequently appeared on their radio and television shows onTalksport andTFI Friday.[197][198]
In October 2004, Gascoigne announced that he wanted to be referred to asG8, a combination of the first letter of his surname and the number he wore on his football shirt because it "stands for great".[199][200]
In November 2008, Gascoigne faced a bankruptcy petition over a £200,000 tax bill, having not filed any tax returns for more than two years.[201] On 25 May 2011, he avoided being declared bankrupt by the High Court in London, despite still owing £32,000.[202]
Gascoigne has four autobiographies:Gazza: My Story (withHunter Davies), published in 2004,Being Gazza: Tackling My Demons (with Hunter Davies and John McKeown), published in 2006;Glorious: My World, Football and Me, published in 2011 andEight published in 2025. InGazza: My Story, and inBeing Gazza: Tackling My Demons, he refers to treatment forbulimia,obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD),bipolar disorder,attention deficit hyperactivity disorder[203] and alcoholism.[204] The books also describe hisaddictive personality, which has led him to develop addictions of varying severity to alcohol, cocaine,chain smoking,gambling, high-caffeineenergy drinks, exercise, and junk food.[205] He lives in Poole, Dorset.[206]
Gascoigne first entered therapy sessions in October 1998 when he was admitted intoPriory Hospital after a drinking session where he drank 32 shots ofwhisky, which left him at "rock bottom"; then-managerBryan Robson signed him into the clinic whilst Gascoigne was unconscious.[207] He was released, at his own insistence, two weeks into the suggested minimum stay of 28 days.[208] His subsequent visits to the Priory became more infrequent, and he eventually returned to drinking alcohol.[209] In 2001, Everton's then-chairmanBill Kenwright contacted Gascoigne's therapist at the Priory, John McKeown, who organised more treatment to help Gascoigne to control his drinking.[210] As part of the treatment he was sent to the United States where he had a stay at a clinic inCottonwood, Arizona. He was diagnosed withbipolar disorder.[210][211] He stayed at the clinic in 2003 after he suffered low points working in China, and again in 2004 after retiring from football.[212]
In February 2008, Gascoigne wassectioned under theMental Health Act after an incident at the Malmaison Hotel inNewcastle upon Tyne. He was taken into protective custody to preventself-harm.[213] He was sectioned again in June, and in September he was hospitalised after he overdosed on alcohol and other drugs in an apparent suicide attempt.[214]
Gascoigne was arrested for a disturbance outside a takeaway in February 2010. The following month, he was charged with drink driving, driving without a licence, and driving without insurance.[215] On 9 July 2010 Gascoigne appeared at the scene of the tense stand-off between the police and the fugitiveRaoul Moat, claiming to be Moat's brother and stating that he had brought him "a can of lager, some chicken, a fishing rod, a Newcastle shirt and a dressing gown". He was denied access to Moat.[216][217] In August 2011, Gascoigne suedThe Sun, claiming that its coverage of him during the Raoul Moat incident interrupted his treatment for alcoholism.[218]
In October 2010, Gascoigne was arrested for drink driving. He subsequently admitted being more than four times over the limit atNewcastle upon TyneMagistrates Court.[219] One day after being warned he could face a prison sentence for drink driving, Gascoigne was arrested for possession of cocaine.[220] He should have appeared in court on 11 November to be sentenced for the drink driving offence. Instead he went intorehab on the south coast of England and was given an eight-week suspended sentence.[221][222]
In February 2013, his agent, Terry Baker, toldBBC Radio 5 Live that Gascoigne had relapsed again: "He won't thank me for saying it but he immediately needs to get help ... His life is always in danger because he is an alcoholic. Maybe no one can save him – I don't know. I really don't know".[223] Gascoigne was placed in intensive care in a U.S. hospital while being treated for alcoholism in Arizona in arehabilitation programme thanks to financial support provided by ex-cricketerRonnie Irani and broadcaster Chris Evans.[224] He was arrested for assaulting a railway security guard and being drunk and disorderly atStevenage railway station on 4 July 2013; he was fined £1,000 after admitting the offence, and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the guard.[225]
In January 2014, Gascoigne entered rehab for his alcohol addiction for a seventh time at a £6,000-a-month clinic inSouthampton.[226] In August, he was again admitted to hospital in relation to his problems following an incident outside his home.[227] On 23 October 2014, police were called to his home inPoole after he was in a drink binge; he wassectioned under theMental Health Act the next day and taken to a hospital for a three-daydetox.[228]
In October 2015, he was fined and made the subject of a restraining order for harassing an ex-girlfriend and assaulting a photographer.[229] In September 2016, Gascoigne admitted using "threatening or abusive words or behaviour" and was fined £1,000 after telling a racist joke in November 2015 and racially abusing his black bodyguard.[230][231] On 27 December 2016, Gascoigne was hospitalised with head injuries including broken teeth after being kicked in the back and falling down stairs in a London hotel. His assailant was jailed for 23 weeks and ordered to pay £7,800 compensation.[232]
On 6 January 2017, a spokesman for Gascoigne confirmed that he had entered a rehabilitation centre in a serious effort to stay "alcohol-free" in 2017.[233] On 20 August 2018, Gascoigne was arrested atDurham railway station byBritish Transport Police for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on a train.[234] In November 2018, he was charged with sexual assault. The case came to trial atTeesside Crown Court in October 2019, where he was cleared of sexual assault after he called the complainant a "fat lass" and told the court he had only given her a "peck on the lips" to "boost her confidence" and that there was no sexual intention.[235]
Gascoigne's mobile telephone was repeatedly hacked byMirror Group Newspapers (MGN), the publishers of theDaily Mirror,Sunday Mirror andThe People newspapers. In a 2015 court appearance, Gascoigne said that the hacking of his phone led to him developing severe paranoia and alcoholism.[236] Gascoigne described the hacking as " ... just horrendous. And people can't understand why I became an alcoholic". At the time of the hacking, Gascoigne's therapist had attributed his belief in the hacking to paranoia. Gascoigne said " ... I'd like to trade my mobile in for a coffin because those guys have ruined my life. Left me in a state". From 2000 to 2010, 18 articles were published because his phone was hacked in theDaily Mirror,Sunday Mirror, andThe People newspapers. Gascoigne had alcoholism during this period and contemplated suicide.[236] Gascoigne received £188,250 in damages from Mirror Group Newspapers in 2015.[237]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newcastle United | 1984–85 | First Division | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| 1985–86 | First Division | 31 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 35 | 9 | ||
| 1986–87 | First Division | 24 | 5 | – | 2 | 0 | – | 26 | 5 | |||
| 1987–88 | First Division | 35 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | – | 41 | 11 | ||
| Total | 92 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 1 | – | 104 | 25 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 1988–89 | First Division | 32 | 6 | – | 5 | 1 | – | 37 | 7 | ||
| 1989–90 | First Division | 34 | 6 | – | 4 | 1 | – | 38 | 7 | |||
| 1990–91 | First Division | 26 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | – | 37 | 19 | ||
| 1991–92 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 92 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 33 | ||
| Lazio | 1992–93 | Serie A | 22 | 4 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 26 | 4 | ||
| 1993–94 | Serie A | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 1994–95 | Serie A | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 43 | 6 | 4 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 47 | 6 | |||
| Rangers | 1995–96 | Scottish Premier Division | 28 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 42 | 19 |
| 1996–97 | Scottish Premier Division | 26 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 17 | |
| 1997–98 | Scottish Premier Division | 20 | 3 | 3 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | 28 | 3 | ||
| Total | 74 | 30 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 104 | 39 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 1997–98 | First Division | 7 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | Premier League | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 29 | 3 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Premier League | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 11 | 1 | ||
| Total | 41 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 48 | 4 | |||
| Everton | 2000–01 | Premier League | 14 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 23 | 1 | ||
| Total | 32 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 38 | 1 | |||
| Burnley | 2001–02 | First Division | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | 6 | 0 | |||
| Gansu Tianma | 2003 | China League One | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | |||
| Boston United | 2004–05 | League Two | 4 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 388 | 83 | 28 | 12 | 37 | 13 | 15 | 2 | 468 | 110 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1988 | 2 | 0 |
| 1989 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1990 | 13 | 1 | |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1992 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1993 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 11 | 3 | |
| 1997 | 8 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 57 | 10 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 April 1989 | Wembley Stadium,London, England |  Albania | 5–0 | 5–0 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
| 2 | 25 April 1990 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Czechoslovakia | 4-2 | 4–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 18 November 1992 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Turkey | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
| 4 | 4–0 | |||||
| 5 | 31 March 1993 | İzmir Atatürk Stadium,İzmir, Turkey | Turkey | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
| 6 | 8 September 1993 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Poland | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
| 7 | 23 May 1996 | Workers' Stadium,Beijing, China |  China | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 8 | 15 June 1996 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Scotland | 2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 |
| 9 | 1 September 1996 | Republican Stadium,Chișinău, Moldova |  Moldova | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
| 10 | 10 September 1997 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Moldova | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
Newcastle United Youth
Tottenham Hotspur
Rangers
Middlesbrough
England
Individual
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
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| People | |
