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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Gascoigne has fought continued alcoholism</li><li>England icon says he's now "sad drunk"</li><li>Lives in agent's spare room in Poole</li></ul>

'I'm a sad drunk' - Paul Gascoigne reveals he's living in agent's spare room as ex-England icon opens up continued alcohol struggles

Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne is widely considered an England legend, starring for the Three Lions most notably at <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/how-paul-gascoigne-s-talent-and-tears-helped-spark-an-english-football-revolution/blt2a371fd1c28eb43e" target="_blank">Italia '90</a> and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/explained-gascoignes-euro-96-celebration-england-vs-scotland-classic/1thq1tssd321v1e5m8zw9t3qib" target="_blank">Euro '96.</a> He also turned out for the likes of Tottenham, Lazio, Newcastle <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/watch-paul-gascoigne-scores-hilarious-goal-rangers-world-legends/blt4cfa15c5d5f0ddc6" target="_blank">and Rangers in his club career</a> before retiring in 2004. Gascoigne has been open about his mental health issues and continued battle to stay sober since hanging up his boots, and he revealed in an interview with <a href="https://vimeo.com/919534476" target="_blank">High Performance</a> that those demons still exist.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The former attacking midfielder, who scored 10 goals in 57 apperarances for England, admitted: "I used to be a happy drunk. I ain't anymore. I'm a sad drunk. I don't go out and drink, I drink indoors. People know Paul Gascoigne but Gazza, no one knows. Even me sometimes. I've spent a lot of years being down, when I did my ligaments and then my kneecap, I missed four years of football. I would've got 100 caps [for England]. "I try not to get down because the world's already down enough. And when I'm really down, that's when I pick up a drink to cheer myself up. I don't think I let any managers down, or the players or the fans you know. If there was anyone I let down, it was myself. But more the drinking side of it, when I finished playing.'

WHAT GASCOIGNE SAID

Gascoigne's battle with staying sober, he admits, is in part due to missing his playing days. The ex-England icon has been arrested several times for drunk and disorderly offences - including driving under the influence - meaning he still has to call on Alcoholic Anonymous meetings for support. He explained: "If I want to make it a bad day, [all I need to do is] go down the pub. If I want it to be a good day, get my flying rod out and go fishing."It's not the drinking, it's the afterwards. Looking at my phone after and seeing 30 messages or missed calls, I know I'm in trouble. But I've been alright. Last year wasn't brilliant, was off and on for a couple of months. I went to a meeting the other night so that was alright. Just an AA meeting. I went with a friend and that was okay. They're alright, harmless."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Gascoigne now lives with his manager Kate Davies in Poole on the south coast of England, who doesn't keep alcohol in the house as a result of Gascoigne's condition. He added on turning to his agent for help: "'I called Katie up in November a few years ago crying my eyes out."What I put myself through and other people, jail and rehab - taking cocaine off toilet seats - and then I'm asked to be ambassador for my country, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. When I do these venues, I hardly talk about football, more the crazy stuff I used to get up to. I've got to get straight in and get them laughing. There's a few times when I've cried on stage. You miss it on a Saturday, you know, entertaining people. I got such a f*cking buzz from it and you miss that."

DID YOU KNOW?

Gascoigne was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Having attended his seventh rehab session for alcohol addiction in 2014, he later admitted in a 2021 interview that he will "always be an alcoholic".

WHAT NEXT FOR GASCOIGNE?

'I'm a sad drunk' - Paul Gascoigne reveals he's living in agent's spare room as ex-England icon opens up continued alcohol struggles | Goal.com

England legend Paul Gascoigne has offered a depressing update on his continued battle with alcoholism, claiming he&apos;s now &quot;a sad drunk&quot;.

&apos;I&apos;m a sad drunk&apos; - Paul Gascoigne reveals he&apos;s living in agent&apos;s spare room as ex-England icon opens up continued alcohol struggles