I’m homeless, back at AA & staying in my agent’s spare room, says England legend Paul Gascoigne as he opens up on battle
TROUBLED footie legend Paul Gascoigne is homeless and back at Alcoholics Anonymous, he has revealed.
The 56-year-old, who for decades has battled alcohol addiction and mental health problems, says he’s bunking at his agent’s house.
Instagram @highperformancePaul Gascoigne told the High Performance Podcast he iss homeless and back at Alcoholics Anonymous[/caption]
UEFA,UEFAPaul Gascoigne was considered one of the greatest footballers of his generation and was capped 57 times for England[/caption]
Desperate to get sober, Gazza admits he’s now a “sad drunk” who boozes “indoors” instead of going out.
He told Jake Humprey’s High Performance Podcast: “People know Paul Gascoigne but Gazza, no one knows. Even me sometimes.
“When I’m really down, that’s when I pick up a drink to cheer myself up.“
Considered one of the greatest footballers of his generation, the Gateshead-born midfielder was capped 57 times for England.
His most iconic moment came at Italia ’90 when he cried after being given a yellow minutes before England’s epic World Cup semi-final defeat on penalties to West Germany.
But it was following the ex-Newcastle and Rangers legend’s retirement in 2004 that his life spiralled out of control.
He explained: “The drinking side of it was more when I finished playing. I don’t think I let any managers down, or the players or the fans you know.”
Gazza’s battle with alcohol has left him jailed or sectioned on numerous occasions over the years.
These have included drink-driving offences and being drunk and disorderly.
He went to rehab for a seventh time for alcohol addiction in 2014, attending a £6,000-a-month clinic in Southampton.
At his worst he splashed out £20,000 to have anti-boozing pellets put in his stomach to try and stop drinking.
In a 2021 interview he admitted he will “always be an alcoholic“.
Gazza’s demons have seen him seek on and off help from Alcoholics Anonymous, which he says he has recently started revisiting.
The dad-of-three, who admitted violence towards first wife Sheryl, now lives at agent Katie Davies’s house in Poole, Dorset.
He explained: “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.”
Gascoigne says he now sinks six coffees by 10am and barely watches football as he misses it too much.
But it hasn’t all been plain sailing – as cruel neighbours allegedly put gin bottles on Katie’s doorstep to try and tempt Gazza.
He added: “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.”
