England legend Paul Gascoigne has opened up on his new life living on the south coast of England, where he stays in the spare room of his agent's alcohol-free home.
Gascoigne, 56, has publicly battled mental health problems and alcohol addiction since his legendary football career came to an end back in 2004.
He made 57 appearances for his country and played for a host of top sides including Tottenham, Newcastle, Lazio and Rangers.
Yesterday, it was revealed that he now lives with his agent Katie Davies on a residential street in Poole - seven miles outside of Bournemouth.
During the interview with High Performance, 'Gazza' also revealed that when he arrived on the south coast he would get stopped by football fans for a drink and how he went on 'three or four-day booze benders'.
He said: 'Bournemouth's not such a football town. When I first arrived I was getting stopped at weekends, it was a nightmare.
'If Bournemouth was playing at home, playing like Manchester United, the town would be full of Man United fans.'
When asked by Jake Humphrey whether it was 'hard' to deal with everybody wanting to buy him a drink, Gascoigne joked: 'Oh yeah, that's a good thing - saves me money.
'But no, I've had that all my life. It's not the drink so much it's the consequences.
'I know I'm in trouble if I look at my mobile and I've got like 30 messages and 30 missed calls - I think oh s***.
'I've been alright, last year wasn't brilliant, I was off and on - a couple of months and then a three-four day bender.'
Gascoigne, who was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 before calling time on his career in 2004, has struggled with his battle for sobriety since retirement.
He went to rehab for a seventh time for alcohol addiction in 2014, attending a £6,000-a-month clinic in Southampton, and has even paid £20,000 to have anti-boozing pellets put into his stomach in a bid to stop drinking. He admitted during a 2021 interview that he will 'always be an alcoholic'.
Gascoigne's battle with alcohol has also led to a series of arrests for drunk and disorderly and drink-driving offences. The former superstar admits he barely watches football anymore because of how much he misses it.
The former midfielder, who used to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings 'all the time' but now goes far less frequently, admitted that he is trying to pay visits more often.
'I went to a meeting the other night so that was alright. Just an AA meeting. I went with a friend and that was okay. They're alright, harmless,' he said.
During the interview Gascoigne said that he 'used to be a happy drunk' but is now a 'sad drunk' as he likes to drink indoors rather than going out.
He also said that if he 'wants to make it a bad day' he will go to the pub, while on good days he will go fishing.
He added: 'People know Paul Gascoigne but Gazza, no one knows. Even me sometimes. I've spent a lot of years being down, when I did my ligaments and then my kneecap, I missed four years of football. I would've got 100 caps (for England).
'I try not to get down because the world's already down enough. And when I'm really down, that's when I pick up a drink to cheer myself up.
'I don't think I let any managers down, or the players or the fans you know. If there was anyone I let down, it was myself. But more the drinking side of it, when I finished playing.'
Now, rather than binging on booze, Gascoigne drinks coffee in plentiful supply. The former footballer admitted during the interview that he'll often drink six coffees by 10am and total approximately 15 packets of Mocha a day.
'It's easy really, I just try to keep away from places,' he continued. 'If I have a drink, I have one because I want one, it's not for any reason in particular. I don't blame anyone, I used to blame a lot of people when I was drinking. "It's f***ing because he did that". "Because such and such did this".
'After going to the first couple of meetings, I did the 12 steps and one of the steps was to meet the person you blamed and apologise to them.'
The England legend opened up on how he once apologised to shop owner after stealing a chocolate bar. The vendor told Gascoigne that the shop's CCTV cameras had caught him, but he chose to do nothing about it because it was 'him'.
Some members of the public, however, are less kind and forgiving of Gascoigne. Katie, who keeps no alcohol in the house, revealed that some people will occasionally leave bottles of gin on the doorstep, waiting for Gascoigne to unknowingly pick the bottle up and opportunistically take a photograph.
Opening up on his life after football and how he deals with his past, Gascoigne continued: 'I called Katie up in November a few years ago crying my eyes out.
'What I put myself through and other people, jail and rehab - taking cocaine off toilet seats - and then I'm asked to be ambassador for my country, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
'When I do these venues, I hardly talk about football, more the crazy stuff I used to get up to. I've got to get straight in and get them laughing.
'There's a few times when I've cried on stage. You miss it on a Saturday, you know, entertaining people. I got such a f***ing buzz from it and you miss that.
'I can be emotionally soft. It doesn't take long for us to cry sometimes. I keep a lot of stuff in, stuff I should share but get scared of sharing with people. I don't think I'll ever grow up, which I don't mind you know?
'I'm proud of what I've given people. I gave nearly a million quid to 10 different charities and called them to keep it quiet.
'I've never (given up). I think the time I'll give in is when I'm in a wooden box. Apart from that, I'll keep on fighting on.'
AumyWahid7
0
ah blood sweet blood...- Fr. Gascoigne (Bloodborne)
yatbekmrs
0
Gascoigne is the most skilful football player in the history of English football.
cookie84
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absolute Legend 🙌 love you for all you done for us & all the best i. ur adventure ❤
he was an amazing entertainer x
cookie84
0
absolute Legend 🙌 love you for all you done for us & all the best i. ur adventure ❤
cookie84
0
AF and useless articles...
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go fuck off nobba....
Noyaiostu
0
AF and useless articles...
[image]
You called this a useless article? Boy am sure you never saw Paul Gascoigne play in the World Cup, you got to have some respect kid!
rewdlmnpru
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I don't think alcohol is really addictive... Y'all just do it on purpose... What is hard about stopping drinking
I hear it is as bad as supporting chelski, both shit things to do, only one is addictive (drink) other is stupidity.
Afer7
1
AF and useless articles...
Luzeilpuyz
0
alcohol abuse
Albert Einstein
Luzeilpuyz
1
No shit sheriff
Luzeilpuyz
1
I don't think alcohol is really addictive... Y'all just do it on purpose... What is hard about stopping drinking
What alcohol does to you is addictive and goes in cycles, its addictive because it numbs pain and its only afterwards you hear about trail of destruction you caused
Luzeilpuyz
1
Paul Gascoigne needs Christ Jesus All this life he's living now can be reversed in case he accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior Christ Jesus our Lord is waiting for you bro Paul Gascoigne
The Lord supports Manchester City
Luzeilpuyz
1
Paul Gascoigne needs Christ Jesus All this life he's living now can be reversed in case he accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior Christ Jesus our Lord is waiting for you bro Paul Gascoigne
He needs humans and yes church would help
Luzeilpuyz
0
should sleep inthe Tottenham Hotspur trophy cabinet, it's empty and has lots of space
Good joke 🤣🤣🤣🤪
Luzeilpuyz
1
Mental health can be such a burden, keep up getting stronger my man!
Sick of hearing about mental health its new popular thing, its being surrounded by wrong people and not belonging getting no support or help thats causes it
Luzeilpuyz
1
Alcohol is an escape mechanism that works temporarily
buddknpryz
4
Paul Gascoigne needs Christ Jesus All this life he's living now can be reversed in case he accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior Christ Jesus our Lord is waiting for you bro Paul Gascoigne
Luzeilpuyz
1
Alcohol is poisonous to the body. Unfortunately, some people cannot escape from this harmful product. If 60% of an adult man's body is water, why dilute it with alcohol? I wish him well and hopefully he gets help.
Can escape it same as cigarettes but u feel miserable every day and when there is a problem first thing quitters think of is cigarettes and getting very drunk
Luzeilpuyz
1
If you were married you be miserable too so best you keep having fun
bekkmsy
4
Alcohol is poisonous to the body. Unfortunately, some people cannot escape from this harmful product. If 60% of an adult man's body is water, why dilute it with alcohol? I wish him well and hopefully he gets help.
sedcoprsuz
1
look like Jon Voight anaconda
Zetcmnrtuy
1
good evening I'm a Ghanaian I what help
Harshit1
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I don't think alcohol is really addictive... Y'all just do it on purpose... What is hard about stopping drinking
Actually Alcohol is not bad if taken in right proportions it has its benefits, But Overuse of alcohol Definitely Chains you up and Kills you from inside.
Harshit1
2
What a Great player He was, Sadly we couldn't see a lot from him. But, It's great to see him doing so well. Players Like Gascoigne , Futre Never got the recognition they deserved.
Fapdmnpstu
1
What a great player he was. All the best ahead
Rohaciopu
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should sleep inthe Tottenham Hotspur trophy cabinet, it's empty and has lots of space
why are Tottenham fans angry 🤣🤣
SAH7
3
ENGLAND AND THEIR SHITTY OVERRATED PLAYERS IS STILL A BETTER LOVE STORY THAN TWILIGHT
Duodilmntu
2
We missed him@Euro '96!
zatdeikmu
2
I don't think alcohol is really addictive... Y'all just do it on purpose... What is hard about stopping drinking
I pray you don’t have an addiction then you will see it’s not just saying I’m going to stop it
dobelmopty
4
Your legacy won't be forgotten. The made yearsey number 8 famous in the world of football. Euro 96. Longlive bigmam.
Vetabciktu
0
should sleep inthe Tottenham Hotspur trophy cabinet, it's empty and has lots of space
piece of shit you dumb ass oneday you'll suffer too dog shit
Luadkotyz
3
I don't think alcohol is really addictive... Y'all just do it on purpose... What is hard about stopping drinking
EvaEvans
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alcohol abuse
Kesadlor
5
should sleep inthe Tottenham Hotspur trophy cabinet, it's empty and has lots of space
Nitso008
3
Mental health can be such a burden, keep up getting stronger my man!