Someone once joked that Paul Gascoigne was not fit to lace George Best's drinks.
Paul Gascoigne has backed West Ham midfielder Joe Cole to make an impact at the World Cup.
With England midfielder Paul Ince and Christian Ziege already assured of places, the clock is ticking for Gascoigne.
Paul Gascoigne will be one of the four test cases for alleged victims of News of the World phone-hacking.
Gascoigne told the Sun that the way forward for him now was to start attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings again.
Gascoigne, whose football clubs included Newcastle United, Tottenham, Lazio, Rangers and Everton, has had a long-term battle against alcohol addiction.
Paul Gascoigne's last public appearance before entering a rehab centre for treatment could still raise thousands of pounds for charity.
BBC: Paul Gascoigne Northampton event 'could raise thousands'
"He has got a frightening talent - I think he might be a bit better than I was, " Gascoigne said.
The 46 who have now become specially interested parties also include the parents of Madeleine McCann, Max Mosley and Paul Gascoigne.
Gascoigne cut short his appearance at the Park Inn in aid of a cancer charity and a football club academy last month.
BBC: Paul Gascoigne Northampton event 'could raise thousands'
In a statement, GamePlan Solutions said that Paul Gascoigne was an alcoholic with "complex issues", which were being dealt with by professionals.
The England team, for example, is made up of a generation who were inspired by the Italia 90 displays of Paul Gascoigne and company.
Does he really think that the current English team, for all its talent, contains players with the technical gifts of Paul Gascoigne or Chris Waddle?
On his admission to the US treatment centre, Gascoigne's management company said he was alcoholic with "complex issues" which were being dealt with by professionals.
Paul Gascoigne said it would be an "amazing and emotional experience".
Three years later, while playing at Everton, Gascoigne admitted himself to an alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Arizona on the insistence of his then manager Walter Smith.
Public shock at Gascoigne's condition at the event on 31 January prompted his admission to a clinic in the United States for treatment for alcohol addiction.
BBC: Paul Gascoigne Northampton event 'could raise thousands'
Gascoigne went into the 1990 World Cup as a relative unknown on the international stage, but left it as one of the stars of the tournament.
Three years later, whilst playing at Everton, Gascoigne admitted himself to an alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Arizona on the insistence of his then manager Walter Smith.
Gascoigne's drinking problems started during his playing days - he was admitted to the Priory Hospital, near Southampton, in 1998, shortly after his divorce from wife Sheryl.
Earlier, he added that of Sheila Henry to a list including actor Jude Law, MP Chris Bryant, interior designer Kelly Hoppen, sports agent Sky Andrew and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne.
For Gascoigne, at the age of 31, there seems little time left for a reconciliation, unless the midfielder can rediscover his lost form and fitness with Middlesbrough this season.
But the nation's love affair with Gascoigne came to a juddering halt shortly after the high of Euro 96 with his shattering confession that he beat his wife, Sheryl.
The England coach did hold out a measure of hope for Gascoigne, as well as Matthew Le Tissier, by assuring them that the international door "is not shut" to them yet.
An England side, featuring Alan Shearer and several members of the 1990 World Cup squad including Paul Gascoigne and Peter Shilton, beat a Germany team 3-2 in front of almost 30, 000 spectators.
The game went to extra-time - Steve McManaman hit the post, Paul Gascoigne came within the width of a beer mat of sliding home the winner and Sandor Puhl, the excellent Hungarian referee, even ruled out a Kuntz header.
The England side included six of the starting line-up from the 1990 semi-final, with Gascoigne joined by Peter Shilton, Peter Beardsley, David Platt, Des Walker and Mark Wright, plus other members of the 1990 squad such as John Barnes and Trevor Steven.
It was a sporting tragedy that Gascoigne had to end his playing days in the lower divisions of English football before a stint with a second-rate Chinese outfit left him as little more than a novelty circus act for a curious nation.
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