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Tottenham Hotspur legend Paul Gascoigne has opened up on his ongoing battle with alcohol addiction, describing his experiences as a ‘nightmare’ while revealing the harsh realities of his health struggles during a recent television appearance.
Tottenham Hotspur have had several players who have donned the famous Lilywhite shirt and gone on to become legends of the club.
The younger generation would be quick to name Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and Heung-min Son as club legends, given the incredible impact those players have had on Tottenham in recent years.
However, many of the older Spurs fans would be quick to name figures from a different era, including Paul Gascoigne, who, despite a relatively short spell in north London, remains a beloved icon after scoring 33 goals in 112 appearances and famously helping the club lift the FA Cup.
Paul Gascoigne opens up on addiction battle
The Tottenham legend appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday, where he was interviewed by Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid about his well-being.
The 58-year-old appeared in good spirits. When asked how he is feeling, Gazza replied: “Yeah, I’m good. Life’s good at the moment.”
The conversation soon shifted to his ongoing struggle with alcohol addiction, as Madeley asked how he behaves when under the influence. Gascoigne gave a raw and honest answer, admitting: “Nightmare. I used to be alright, I used to be a happy drunk but now I’m quite a sad drunk really, to be fair.
“Drink doesn’t go with me any more. But I can go months and months without, and then I’ll have a two-day blip, and then the consequences… I don’t like myself for a few days. I just get miserable.
“And then all of a sudden, I go to an AA meeting and just listen. You wonder what it is, you know? It wasn’t until I first went to the AA meetings that I realised I am an alcoholic, unfortunately.”
When Reid pressed him further about the nature of alcoholism and its lingering pull, Gascoigne explained: “Yeah, I’m a bit like that myself. I think I’m ignorant to myself.
“I always think I’ll be alright having one, and sometimes it does work. I’ll just have a couple and leave it. And then maybe a month down the line, I’ll just hit it for two days.
“You know, I used to drink for weeks on end, but now it’s only a couple of days blip. But that’s enough for me really.” When asked if completely giving up alcohol was impossible, he responded: “Not really. I’ve done five years, I’ve done four years. It’s like anything else.
“If you sit in the barbers long enough you’re going to get a haircut. I did this book, Number Eight, just to try and help others. It’s not about football, it’s just like what I’ve put myself through. I just know Number Eight was alright for me when I played football and not alright when I hit the drink.”
Paul Gascoigne reveals shocking story from memoir
In his latest memoir, which has been serialised by the Daily Mail, Gascoigne recounts a shocking incident from his youth when he accidentally struck a pedestrian with his car while he and a friend were giving some girls a lift home.
Reflecting on the moment, he revealed: “I soon became the hottest property in football with every club in the country wanting me, despite my daft antics off the pitch.
“My partner in crime was often my best mate Jimmy Gardiner, or Jimmy Five Bellies as I nicknamed him because he was the same height as me but about 30 stone heavier. The first time I got into trouble with the police was when Jimmy persuaded me to give some girls a lift home in my Mini, even though I still hadn’t got my licence.
“I ended up knocking over this guy as he crossed the road in front of me. I stopped the car, rushed over and I could see he was moving – I hadn’t killed him, at least. But then I just panicked and drove off.
“I mustn’t have been thinking straight and was also terrified of getting into trouble with Newcastle United. I know I shouldn’t have done it, but I got a snooker cue and I smashed the windows of my car in, thinking I would pretend someone else had been driving it.
“But that didn’t wash with the police when they tracked me down. Me and Jimmy had to go to court over that. We were fined and given points on our licences, even though I didn’t have one yet.”
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