November 12, 2007

Drink in football

The Spoiler is reminded of a childhood encounter with the inebriated hero

After hanging up his boots in 2005, Gazza vowed to stay in the game by achieving the coaching badges necessary to become a fully fledged manager. He realised the dream by taking the helm at Kettering Town, but soon found out that it was a lot more fun to spend his days getting drunk. Stinking drunk. He has stayed faithful to that one true love ever since, and was snapped last Friday leaving a restaurant with a police escort.

Mr Gascoigne is no stranger to getting a bit ‘Boris Yeltsin’ in eating establishments. As a child, The Spoiler was treated to a birthday slap-up meal at Leicester Square's showy Planet Hollywood. On this particular November evening, Gazza probably should have been somewhere in Italy, but instead he was on the next table, accompanied by just the loyal “Five Bellies”. Despite the latter’s obvious fondness for fatty foods, only drinks were ordered and the pair sank several "bevvies" before joining in a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ led by over-zealous waiters. In search of an autograph, The Spoiler cautiously approached the great man, whose table was littered with empties and a large pile of fifty pound notes. Despite his obvious inebriation, Gazza was charm personified. Not only did he sign a menu and ruffle The Spoiler’s hair, but in the absence of a more conventional present, decided a cash gift would be appropriate. Grabbing the stack of notes, the generous Geordie swept through the fifties before settling on a tenner. The Spoiler's first experience of a fifty pound note would have to wait. But thanks, Mr Gascoigne! And get well soon!

Has Paul Gascoigne ever given you money? How did he seem? Leave a comment below.