Paul Gascoigne was one of the most naturally gifted Footballer’s to ever cross the white line, his unmatchable skill on the pitch and unpredictable behaviour of it made him one of the most famous footballers to ever play the beautiful game. In an interview back in 2011 Gazza finally revealed it all..
Gascoigne explained that he would down as many as nine brandies before a game & some of his greatest ever goals were fuelled by marathon benders days before games. His behaviour was so wild that a one point the Geordie star was so paranoid that he thought water would kill him if he drank it..
Speaking on an English chat show back in 2011 Gascoigne explained; ‘Before matches I was on nine brandies, plus cocaine and everything, I would have wine.’ He tried to counteract his drug abuse with alcohol which hand in hand had a bad end result..
‘I was on four bottles of whiskey per day for three months. It took two bottles just to stop the shakes,’ he revealed. The Midfielder was once seen putting away 6 brandies prior to a game which was followed by a dozen pints of lager to forget the defeat his team had just endured.
In June of 2011 the former England player received a standing ovation from fans after he took to the stage at the Bournemouth Pavilion to discuss his battles with alcohol.
He said: ‘I am an alcoholic. It’s not a bad word. I am it and I’ve got to get on with it. The alcohol took over my life.’
‘Now it’s turned around and all good stuff is happening. The main thing for me is to enjoy life again. I’ve got a smile back on my face.’
In the 2009 Channel 4 documentary Saving Gazza, the legend’s 12-year-old son Regan said: ‘If I could wish, I would wish that he (Gascoigne) would go away from us.
‘He’s probably going to die soon. I don’t think there’s any point in helping him. He’s my dad. He should have helped and seen me all these years.
‘I don’t want to waste my all my tears on him. I feel bad and sorry for him because he’s in this kind of state but it’s not our fault.’
Gascoigne was furious over the decision to let Regan speak on the program.
‘It is beyond belief that a TV documentary has allowed an interview with a kid of 12 to be broadcast like this,’ he protested.
‘How can a 12-year-old understand the things I’ve gone through? He’s 12 for God’s sake.’
Gazza has since had problems but we hope he pulls through and is remembered for what he really was, a fantastic footballer with a natural talent and an unmatchable persona.
