Paul Gascoigne has opened up about his ongoing battle with alcohol addiction, admitting he still experiences “miserable” lows despite saying life is good overall.
The former England, Tottenham and Newcastle United star, 58, spoke candidly while promoting his new book Eight, reflecting on the progress he has made and the challenges that remain.
“Yeah, I’m good. Life’s good at the moment,” he said, before adding that alcohol no longer suits him. “I used to be a happy drunk but now I’m quite a sad drunk really, to be fair. Drink doesn’t go with me anymore. I can go months and months without, then I’ll have a two-day blip and the consequences... I don’t like myself for a few days. I just get miserable.”
Gascoigne said attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings helped him come to terms with the reality of his addiction. “It wasn’t until I first went to AA that I realised I am an alcoholic, unfortunately,” he admitted.
He went on to say that while he has gone long periods without drinking, it remains a lifelong battle. “I’ve done five years, I’ve done four years. It’s like anything else — if you sit in the barber’s long enough you’re going to get a haircut,” he said.
“Sometimes I’ll think I’ll be alright having one, and sometimes it works. Then maybe a month later I’ll hit it for two days. I used to drink for weeks on end, but now it’s only a couple of days. That’s enough for me really.”
The football icon, affectionately known as Gazza, said his new memoir is about more than football — it’s about redemption. “I did this book just to try and help others. It’s not about football, it’s about what I’ve put myself through. Number eight was alright for me when I played football, and not alright when I hit the drink.”
In Eight, Gascoigne also recalls some of his most chaotic off-field moments, including a youthful scrape with police after accidentally knocking over a pedestrian while driving without a licence, before smashing his own car windows in panic to make it look stolen.
