The Highs and Lows of Paul Gascoigne

Paul Gascoigne’s latest indiscretion has seen the football great plead guilty to common assault after being drunk and disorderly.

The highs may be a thing of the past for a player who was adored by fans of the teams he played for and against, but the memories still sit prominently.

Sadly, the failings of Gascoigne have commanded too many headlines for comfort.

Read on for the highs and lows of the Geordie legend.

Gazza Bursts on to the Scene

Having been picked up by Newcastle as a youngster, Gascoigne burst on to the scene when making his professional debut as a 17-year-old in 1985.

Three years later, a stellar campaign for Newcastle saw him named PFA Young Player of the Year and it led to a transfer to Tottenham in the summer of 1988.

Gascoigne turned down Manchester United for Spurs, and Red Devils legend Sir Alex Ferguson always felt it was a mistake.

Speaking to Sirius XM, as reported by the Standard, Ferguson said: 

"

I have always said when Paul Gascoigne chose to go to Tottenham ahead of Manchester United it was a big mistake.

He always regretted that.

He was a fantastic footballer. He was the best player England produced since the days of Bobby Charlton.

"

Gazzamania Takes Hold

In 1990, Gascoigne’s career was on the rise and he played a huge part as Bobby Robson’s England made it all the way to the World Cup semi-finals.

During a balmy UK summer in 1990, Gascoigne, Gary Lineker, David Platt and Co. promoted a feel-good factor as England produced their best World Cup performance since winning the trophy in 1966.

A booking in the semi-final loss to West Germany prompted tears from the midfielder and “Gazzamania” took hold.

He was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December of that year.

A Tale of Two Wembley Appearances

In April of 1991, Gascoigne wrote himself into Tottenham folklore with a stunning free-kick that helped Spurs beat arch rivals Arsenal in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

A month later in the final, again at Wembley, Gascoigne produced a wild, lunging challenge on Nottingham Forest’s Gary Charles that saw him stretchered off with a ruptured cruciate knee ligament.

Tottenham went on to beat Forest in extra-time, but without the man who led them to the final with his stunning goal against Arsenal.

An Adventure in the Eternal City

Despite Gascoigne being sidelined for a year with a serious knee injury and suffering a relapse following an incident in a nightclub, Italian side Lazio pushed through a £5.5 million transfer.

He made his debut in September of 1992 and won over the club’s fans with an equalising goal late on in the Rome derby with Roma.

Gascoigne’s form was good in the 1993/94 season, but he broke a leg late in the campaign and missed virtually a whole year of action.

After a total of 47 appearances for Lazio, Gascoigne joined Rangers in the summer of 1995.

The Summer Football Came Home

Gascoigne was named in the England squad for Euro 96 on home soil, but he hit the front pages of the newspapers on account of the infamous drunken “Dentist's Chair” incident during a pre-tournament night out.

He shook off the controversy with a brilliant goal against Scotland at Wembley, where he bamboozled Colin Hendry with a wonderful piece of skill, and it led to a “Dentist's Chair 2” on the side of the pitch.

Gascoigne played a key part as England made it to the semi-finals of the tournament.

Later that summer, Gascoigne married Sheryl shortly after the birth of a baby boy.

World Cup Heartache for Gazza

In 1998, Gascoigne was given a severe reprimand by the Scottish Football Association for his flute playing mime—a sectarian gesture—during Rangers’ Old Firm clash with Celtic.

Later that year, Gascoigne missed out on a place in Glenn Hoddle’s squad for the 1998 World Cup. “Football and fitness reasons” were cited as justification for the omission, but he was pictured on an evening out with some celebrity friends, recalled David Davies in the Daily Mail, shortly before the squad announcement.

Later that year, Gascoigne’s marriage to Sheryl ended in divorce and he was admitted to Marchwood Priory Hospital with stress and drink problems.

A Brief Flirtation with Management

Gascoigne’s playing career lurched from Everton to Middlesbrough, Burnley, a spell in China and finally Boston United.

He took up management duties with Kettering but was sacked after only 39 days at the helm, reported the BBC.

Club chairman Imran Ladak cited alcohol as the reason for the move. Gascogine denied the claim.

That Raoul Moat Moment

In 2010, Gascoigne appeared at the police standoff with murderer Raoul Moat.

The fallen icon claimed to be a friend of Moat and brought with him some chicken and a fishing rod. Police did not give Gascoigne access to Moat.

Recalling the incident in an interview with the Chronicle, Gascoigne said: 

"

I said something like, ‘I’m coming to see my mate Moaty.’ They told me to get out of here, so I turned around and the taxi had f****** gone.

I woke up the next morning and I went, ‘What did I do last night?’

Then, I put on Sky News and ‘F*** me, that was a bit of a mad one.’

"

Gazza Lurches Yet Further

At a charity event in February of 2013, Gascoigne put on a sad, shambolic stint on stage.

During a 10-minute appearance, Gascoigne was seen shaking with microphone in hand, and, according to Digital Spy, he told the crowd: "I'm sorry, three days on the whisky, I'm sorry."

Later in the summer, reported Helen Lawson the Daily Mail, he threatened to throw himself from Boscombe Pier in Bournemouth.

On Monday, he pleaded guilty to common assault after being drunk and disorderly, and was fined £1,000, reports Catherine Wylie of the Daily Mail.