September 5 – Daft as a Brush

WHAT a difference 20 years makes. It was today in 1988 that a cheeky young chappy by the name of Paul Gascoigne was first called up to the England squad ahead of their friendly against Denmark.

21-year-old Gazza had moved to Spurs that summer for £2.3m after Terry Venables had promised that he would help in break into the England team. This was despite the overtures of Alex Ferguson, who packed his bags and went on his summer holidays, confident that he had landed the young playmaker.

Fergie then got a phone call on the beach telling him that Gazza had signed for Spurs after the club had bought a house for his impoverished family. This is possibly one of the greatest ‘what if’ moments in football history. Had Gazza spent his career under the watchful eye of Sir Alex then who knows what he, and England could have achieved. Ah well, que sera sera.

As it was, Gazza’s England career had more up and downs than the average day-in-the-life of a Newcastle United fan. Over ten years he bagged himself 57 caps and nine goals, lighting up the 1990 World Cup in Italy and then Euro 96 when football was oh so close to coming home.

Gazza’s England career came to (literally) crashing halt when he reacted somewhat badly to the news that Glenn Hoddle had not picked him for the 1998 World Cup. After being summoned into Glenda’s hotel room Gazza proceeded to smash the pace up, breaking a bone in his foot on a lamp as he kissed goodbye to ever representing the Three Lions ever again.

The following decade has not been kind to the most naturally gifted footballer that England has ever produced. A misguided spell in China saw him playing for Gansu Tianma where his inner demons started to get the better of him. A spell in rehab followed before he returned to England as manager for Kettering Town, but was dismissed after six weeks by the clubs owner that stated that he was heavily drinking every day.

Earlier this year Gazza was sectioned under the Mental Health Act as he still struggles with drink and depression. We wish him luck in his recovery and we’ll leave you with a slice of genius from his time on the pitch. Enjoy that, have a look at what Sir Alan Sugar was up to on this day and join us tomorrow for more England action.

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