Product Description

Almost as soon as Gazza burst on to the scene at Newcastle United, the young Geordie was the centre of attention: Vinnie Jones's notorious ball-handling showed the lengths people would go to try to stop him. Then, with England on the verge of possibly reaching the World Cup final in 1990, came Gazza's tears - the moment that brought a whole new audience to the sport and helped set the football boom of the 1990s on its way. But then came a career-threatening injury, mental health problems, self-confessed alcoholism and family disputes, as life in the full glare of the media spotlight became too much. Now, at the end of his top-flight playing career, Gazza is ready to confront his demons. The result is quite simply the most remarkable footballing story you'll ever read: what it's like being Paul Gascoigne, in his own words.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10301 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

Birmingham Post
'A sad, reflective, often very funny tale'

Tom Watt, Mail on Sunday
'Gascoigne the player deserves to be remembered. And Gazza the book deserves to be read'

John Rawling, Guardian
'A rattlingly good read'

Customer Reviews

A sad story of a footballing Genius
In this book Paul Gascoigne tells a harrowing tale of never growing up and being taken advantage of. Fron his humble upbringing through football, drugs, alcohol, scandal and humiliation he has maintained his love for football. A well told life story with what seems to be little sensationalisation by the writer Hunter Davies.

A cracking read.

Hero Or Enigma ??
Being a big football fan I couldn't wait to read this account of the life (so far) of the most talented player of my generation. The book starts with stories of humble beginnings and stories of rucks and scrapes in a childhood that was soon overtaken with tragedy. Tragic though some of the incidents are, you can't help feeling that he's pushing these accounts through as some sort of excuse for his behaviour later in life. Once we're into the career at Spurs and England the pace livens up and we get some honest accounts of some 'infamous' Gazza moments, some of it quite funny others again quite sad in a tragic sense of the word. By the end of the book it's difficult to decide how you view him on the one hand the most talented player of his generation with a tragic background, on the other the man who had it all and blew it.

Not a bad lad
This is one of theose sports books that you can read over a couple of days. That is not to say that it is an uninteresting effort. The ghost writer has done a good job and through him we learn Gazza's story sensitively told. I think it is truthful and probably a must read for aspiring young stars in the game.
I think Gazza has now grown up and he is able to look back on his life (so far) with a realistic eye.
I loved him as a footballer but hearing the stories of his personal life, not as a man. Although never justifying his worst excesses, this book has redeemed him somewhat. He blames nobody but himself and for that I respect him but remain doubtful that he has the skills to cope with a life beyond the spotlight. I fear for him.