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English Football Legends Series

Arguably the most naturally gifted player England has ever produced, Paul Gascoigne's career was blighted by injury, alcoholism and self-destructive behaviour.

Paul Gascoigne

Clubs: Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley

Position: Midfielder

Appearances*: 374

Goals*: 81

Honours: FA Cup, 1
Scottish Premier League, 2
Scottish Cup, 1
Scottish League Cup, 1

---

* League appearances and goals only

At times, notably during his spell with Tottenham and with England during Italia 90 and Euro 96, he seemed almost unstoppable.

Yet many believe he never reached his full potential. Who knows what he might have achieved, if he had.

Newcastle United

Paul Gascoigne began his football career at Newcastle United, signing on as a schoolboy in 1980.

He had previously been rejected by Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough and Southampton, but at Newcastle he was captain of the youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1984/85.

He made his first team debut soon after signing a professional contract, coming on as a substitute at home to Queens Park Rangers on 13 April 1985.

His first start was against Southampton on the opening day of the 1985/86 season, and his first goal, came in a 3-0 win over Oxford United at St James' Park.

He scored 11 goals that season, but already there were troubling signs. He was involved in a hit and run incident, and was also fined by the club after driving a groundsman's tractor into a wall.

By the end of the 1987/88 season, Paul Gascoigne had made 107 appearances, scoring 25 goals. He had been named Young Player of the Year and his burgeoning reputation meant many clubs were keen to sign him.

Both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur made offers, and despite a verbal agreement with Alex Ferguson, Gascoigne signed for Spurs, in a British record 2 million pound deal.

Tottenham Hotspur

In his first season at White Hart Lane, Gascoigne helped Spurs to sixth, the following season, they were third.

In the 1990/91, they reached the FA Cup Final, Gascoigne helping to see off Arsenal in the semi with a spectacular free-kick.

The final was to be his last game for Spurs as he'd already agreed terms on a 8.5 million pound move to Italian club Lazio.

However in the final, Gascoigne dived into a reckless challenge on Nottingham Forest's Gary Charles, and sustained a knee injury that would keep him out of the game for the entire 1991/92 season.

Lazio

He finally made the move to Lazio in September 1992, and made his debut in a match against Genoa.

However, his time in Italy was plagued by injury. He fractured a cheekbone in April 1993 and broke his leg a year later - the latter injury keeping him out for most of the 1994/95 season.

In all he made just 47 appearances in three years at Lazio, scoring six goals.

Rangers

Paul Gascoigne moved to Glasgow Rangers in July 1995, and achieved hero status in the fifth game of the season, running the length of the pitch to score an outstanding goal against Old Firm rivals Celtic, at Parkhead.

Rangers went on to win the league and Scottish Cup, and Gascoigne picked up both the Players' Player of the Year and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards.

The 'Gers won the title again in 1996/97, their ninth in succession. They also won the Scottish League Cup, with Gascoigne scoring twice in the Final.

Later career

Gascoigne moved back to England in March 1998, signing for Middlesbrough in a 3.4 million deal.

His debut was in the League Cup final against Chelsea, but he played just seven games for Boro before linking up with former Rangers boss Walter Smith at Everton.

He finished the 2001/02 season in Division One with Burnley.

In 2002, he had a trial with Major League Soccer club DC United, but failed to win a contract.

Also in 2002, he was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame.

In January 2003, he signed a nine-month contract as player/coach of Chinese club Gansu Tianma, but after going to America to receive treatment for drink and depression in April, he failed to return.

On 30 July 2004, he signed for League Two side Boston United as player/coach, but made just 5 appearances before leaving three months later.

International career

Paul Gascoigne made his England debut against Denmark, in September 1988. He scored his first international goal in a World Cup Qualifier against Albania, and was an ever-present in the 1990 World Cup qualifying campaign.

He played in all of England's games in the tournament itself, providing match-winning assists in the first knock-out stage, and in the quarter-final.

In the semi-final, Gascoigne, who had previously been cautioned in the 1-0 victory over Belgium, committed a foul on Thomas Berthold, and was booked, meaning he would be suspended for the World Cup Final if England went through.

The picture of Gazza in tears following his booking, has become one of the iconic images of English football.

In the event, England failed to make the final after losing a penalty shoot-out.

Gascoigne however, was one of the stars of the tournament and was selected in the All-Star team. He returned to England to a frenzy that became known as Gazzamania.

He played a starring role again in Euro '96, scoring the goal of the tournament against Scotland. But again England fell in the semi's, again to the Germans, again via a penalty shoot-out.

He was a regular during the qualifying campaign for France 98, but injury and disciplinary problems were affecting his game and he was left out of the World Cup squad.

On receiving the news of his omission, Gascoigne reacted furiously, wrecking manager Glen Hoddle's room before being restrained.

He would never play for England again, having won 57 caps and scored 10 goals.

Life after Football

Paul Gascoigne's life after football has been a constant fight against alcoholism, health, mental and legal problems.

He has received treatment for bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and alcoholism.

He has also been arrested on a number of occasions, and been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

He has had a number of stints in rehabilitation clinics, apparently without finding any respite from his inner demons.

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