Paul Gascoigne
It's a crying shame...
| Full name: | Paul John Gascoigne |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | May 27, 1967 |
| Clubs played for: | Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley, Gansu Tianma, Boston |
| Clubs managed: | Kettering Town |
Club Career
The most mercurial English footballer of his era, Paul Gascoigne started playing the game at the age of four in his Gateshead street, and signed as a schoolboy for Newcastle in 1980. It was Jack Charlton who gave him his first-team debut, and Gazza quickly proved himself as a rare, if raw, talent.
In 1988, Tottenham beat Manchester United to his signature for a record fee of £2.3million, and under Terry Venables he blossomed into a world-class player. But a horrific challenge on Gary Charles in the 1991 FA Cup final saw him rupture his cruciate ligaments and, having already agreed to join Lazio, he missed the following season.
His time in Serie A was only fitfully successful and he later revealed that he had contacted Alex Ferguson to ask for a move to United. In 1995, he signed for Rangers, enjoying the most successful period of his career, even if he did receive death threats from the IRA for celebrating a goal against Celtic by playing an imaginary Orangemen's flute.
He later returned to England with Middlesbrough and Everton, but the skills that had once lit up the world stage had dimmed, and he ended his career drifting around the lower divisions and, briefly, China.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–88 | Newcastle | 92 | 21 |
| 1988–92 | Tottenham | 92 | 19 |
| 1992–95 | Lazio | 43 | 6 |
| 1995–98 | Rangers | 74 | 30 |
| 1998–2000 | Middlesbrough | 41 | 4 |
| 2000–02 | Everton | 32 | 1 |
| 2002 | Burnley | 6 | 0 |
| 2003 | Gansu Tianma (China) | 4 | 2 |
| 2004 | Boston | 5 | 0 |
International Career
Gascoigne won 57 caps for England, but his international career will mainly be remembered for two games. The first was the 1990 World Cup semi-final against West Germany, when a rash challenge earned him a booking that would have put him out of the final. The tears that followed sparked Gazza-mania back home.
The second came against Scotland at Euro 96, when he scored the goal of the tournament, flicking the ball over Colin Hendry's head with his left foot and volleying it home with his right foot, before embarking on the infamous 'dentist's chair' celebration.
But Gazza enjoyed many other glorious nights in a white shirt, including a rampant performance against Czechoslovakia at Wembley in 1990, when he scored one and made three, and an influential display in the 4-0 rout of Moldova in September 1997.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-98 | England | 57 | 10 |
Managerial Career
Gazza's managerial career was mercifully brief, lasting just 39 days at non-league Kettering Town in the autumn of 2005.
Key Games
England 1-1 West Germany (West Germany won 5-4 on penalties, World Cup semi-final, July 4, 1990)
It was the night that turned Paul Gascoigne, footballer, into Gazza, national icon. The midfielder had been one of the driving forces of Bobby Robson's team on their journey to the semi-finals of the World Cup. But in extra-time in Turin, he made a rash lunge for the ball and fouled Thomas Berthold. It earned him a yellow card which would have put him out of the final, prompting the most famous tears in football history. He manfully played on, but couldn't help England into the final.
Tottenham 2-1 Nottingham Forest (FA Cup final, May 18, 1991)
It should have been the greatest day of Gascoigne's career, but became a day to forget at Wembley. Having almost single-handedly propelled Spurs to the final, he was pumped up for the game, his eyes bulging in anticipation. He could have been sent off in the opening minutes for a high tackle on Garry Parker, but a word from ref Roger Milford failed to calm him down. Minutes later, he scythed down Gary Charles, rupturing his own cruciate ligaments in the process. His team-mates brought the cup to his hospital bed after the game, but that horrific challenge proved to be his last act in the white shirt of Spurs.
Rangers 3-1 Aberdeen (Scottish Premier League, April 28, 1996)
Gascoigne described the hat-trick he scored in this match to seal the Scottish League title as one of the greatest moments of his career. It was all the more impressive as he later admitted he had been tired and running on pure adrenalin. Brian Irvine had put Aberdeen in front, but then Gazza took the game by the scruff of the neck, beating two defenders and chipping the goalkeeper for the first, running 50 yards to score the second and converting a penalty for the third.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | PFA Young Player of the Year | 1988 |
| Tottenham | FA Cup | 1991 |
| Rangers | Scottish Premier League | 1995-96, 1996-97 |
| Scottish Cup | 1996 | |
| Scottish League Cup | 1997 | |
| Scottish Players' Player of the Year | 1996 | |
| Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year | 1996 |
Did You Know...?
As a youngster, Gascoigne failed trials at Middlesbrough, Southampton and Ipswich, whose manager, Bobby Robson, later gave him his England debut.
He was once caught practising his autograph during a geography lesson at school, telling his teacher that he was "going to be a famous footballer".
In 1990, he had a number two hit with a cover version of Fog On The Tyne with Lindisfarne, but the follow-up, Geordie Boys (Gazza Rap), reached only number 31.
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